The European Union, in an explanation of position delivered on 6 July 2026 at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC62), expressed regret that a resolution on human rights and climate change failed to incorporate language on transitioning away from fossil fuels already agreed in the first Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement and reconfirmed in a May 2026 UN General Assembly resolution. The EU, speaking on behalf of its member states that are HRC members, also raised concerns about the draft's portrayal of the Paris Agreement as subordinate to the UNFCCC, its emphasis on climate finance, and its references to common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR-RC).
The EU acknowledged the core group's efforts through seven rounds of informal consultations and welcomed the inclusion of some of its proposals, but stated that the majority of its substantive comments remained unaddressed. The EU urged that the resolution be shorter and more focused on its human rights dimension, and that it refrain from reopening or reinterpreting agreed language from other fora. Specifically, the EU stressed that CBDR-RC belongs to the climate change regime and cannot be conflated with human rights obligations, and that technology transfer must remain voluntary and on mutually agreed terms. The EU also warned that provisions on climate finance risk overlapping with mandates of other bodies and undermining delicate balances reached in those negotiations.
This statement comes as the EU positions itself as the world's largest contributor of climate finance, reaffirming its commitment to supporting developing countries vulnerable to climate change. The EU's intervention at HRC62 underscores its push for coherence between human rights and climate frameworks, while resisting attempts to reopen settled multilateral agreements.