Decarbonisation is crucial to tackle the effects of global warming, and to meet ambitious climate change mitigation goals. Whilst the phasing out of fossil fuels can prevent further widespread and severe human rights impacts, businesses are realising that transitioning to renewable energy creates human rights risks of its own, as outlined in the UN General Assembly Report (2025). Without intentional integration of worker rights into climate transition plans, decarbonisation becomes a shell game – shifting environmental harm while concentrating social harm in already vulnerable regions.
This session explores how to build decarbonisation strategies that protect workers, not just the climate:
- How climate transition plans can embed labour rights and social impact alongside carbon reduction targets.
- Just transition in practise: Create a right-based approach to supply chain decarbonisation.
- When decarbonisation and human rights feels like a trade-off: How companies can increase their reliance on renewable energy without increasing their exposure to high-risk regions
- How businesses can use data and due diligence frameworks to align Scope 3 emissions action with human rights accountability across tiers
- Practical examples of balancing carbon performance, equity, and long-term resilience across global value chains
