- UN Challenges Saudi Aramco on Climate Change and Human Rights
- Accusations of Aramco’s Contribution to Climate Change
- UN Experts Seek Accountability from Aramco and Financial Supporters
Experts from the United Nations have sent a letter to the oil company Saudi Aramco and its financial supporters challenging them on allegations that their activities are fueling the negative effects of climate change on human rights.
A UN human rights special procedures website released a treasure of correspondence two months after delivery on Saturday.
According to the letters, UN experts had received information “concerning Saudi Aramco’s business activities… that hurt the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change.
The letters alleged that Aramco “maintained crude oil production, explored for additional oil and gas reserves, expanded into fossil fuel gas, and misrepresented information.”
“Such activities have negative impacts on the enjoyment of the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment,” they said.
Numerous experts, including the UN working group on human rights and transnational corporations and UN special rapporteurs on rights and climate change, a clean and sustainable environment, management of hazardous substances, and safe drinking water and sanitation, sent letters to Aramco and its backers.
The UN experts also alleged that Aramco’s activities appeared to be “contrary to the goals, obligations, and commitments of the Paris Agreement on climate change,” which was signed in 2015 and established the ambitious goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“Largest emitter” assertion
These activities, according to the UN experts, were financed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and eleven significant international banks, investment banks, and corporations that also received similar letters.
In addition to the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates also received correspondence.
On Saturday, some of these letters were made public.
The letters asserted that fossil fuels are responsible for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and cited reports claiming that more than half of these emissions can be traced to 25 fossil fuel businesses, with Saudi Aramco being the largest greenhouse gas emitter.
Thus, Saudi Aramco’s previous emissions have contributed to climate change-related human rights impacts.
The company’s fossil fuel use and economic policies will continue to harm climate change human rights. UN experts are unpaid, impartial persons who report their findings to the UN but do not advocate for it.
Significantly exacerbated consequences
Aramco’s “refusal to reduce its oil and gas production — and continued exploration for more oil and gas — contributes to the risk of exceeding the 1.5C carbon budget, with significantly worsened human rights impacts related to climate change”
The letter demanded 10 Aramco responses within 60 days, after which it would be made public.
On Sunday morning, no such response from Aramco was posted on the website of the UN human rights special procedures.
Government-owned Aramco plans to expand production to 13 million barrels per day by 2027.
Last year, Aramco reported unprecedented profits of $161,1 billion.
Aramco is the primary revenue source for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 economic and social reform program, which seeks to transition the economy away from fossil fuels.
