Human Rights in the Life Cycle of Renewable Energy and Critical Minerals

<p dir="ltr">This report to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Climate Change examines human rights implications across the renewable energy lifecycle, highlighting how marginalized populations, especially Indigenous communities and women in the Global South, disproportionately bear the negative impacts of land dispossession, labor exploitation, and environmental degradation. Our analysis documents numerous human rights violations in renewable energy development over the past decade, with a significant portion occurring in the solar panel industry. Pressing concerns include forced labor, particularly in regions like Xinjiang Province and the Democratic Republic of Congo, unsafe working conditions, and “green land grabbing” from Indigenous communities. The report identifies relevant international legal frameworks, from human rights law to environmental standards, while acknowledging barriers to implementation, including corporate outsourcing practices and weak regulatory enforcement. By showcasing best practices from organizations like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and companies such as First Solar and Acciona, we outline pathways toward responsible resource management, equitable financial frameworks, and community-led social entrepreneurship models. This assessment ultimately aims to chart a path toward a just energy transition that upholds human dignity while addressing climate imperatives.</p>