Mozambique needs integrated human rights vision for climate resilience and international cooperation to avoid fossil fuel lock-in, says United Nations (UN) expert

Mozambique is at a critical juncture to ensure climate resilience for all its people and high-emitting States, donors, home States of foreign investors and international financial institutions must refrain from deepening the country’s fossil fuel dependency, a UN expert said today.

At the end of an official visit to Mozambique, Elisa Morgera, the Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change, identified major opportunities and risks for the protection of human rights at the nexus of the right to development and the right to a healthy environment in Mozambique, in the context of 2026 Super-El-Nino and overshoot.

“The latest science indicates that the rise in global temperature is set to cross 1.5°C, with growing and more uncertain interactions across environmental, social and economic risks and amplified impacts that will disproportionately affect Least Developed Countries and the poor,” Morgera said. “Setting a new direction towards a human rights-based and endogenously determined economy can ensure that Mozambique’s rich biodiversity and natural resources are recognised as essential preconditions for its climate resilience. Development initiatives should be clearly aligned to provide the best possible protection of its population, including the most vulnerable, while achieving multiple public policy objectives on economic and energy poverty, water and food security, education, health and truly green innovation.”

Morgera said the international community, and particularly high-emitting States, according to their respective responsibilities and capabilities, donors, international debt creditors and home countries of multinational corporations, as well as International Financial Institutions must respect international human rights and climate obligations. “In particular, they must refrain from any projects that deepen fossil fuel dependency in Mozambique, and rather support the country to leap-frog into a sustainable solar-powered economy through a human rights-based approach,” she said.

“I am worried that in facing the implications of the current debt trap, humanitarian dependency and an economic model based on harmful mega-projects, Mozambique risks being trapped into fossil fuel and petrochemical lock-in, while high-emitting countries are shifting to renewables-based economies domestically, with economic and national security benefits,” the Special Rapporteur said.

She noted that Mozambique’s dilemma was compounded by the failure of high-emitting States to reach international agreement on effective and equitable measures to address mitigation in the energy and food systems, as well as loss and damage. The dilemma was further compounded by developed States’ limited compliance with their international climate finance obligations, as clarified by the International Court of Justice.

“Mozambique is facing a historic opportunity,” the expert said. “The country has a human rights imperative to develop a clear and integrated vision for a human rights-based economy that can support energy access, healthy and resilient food systems, and the best conditions for climate resilience for all.”

In her statement, Morgera identified lessons learnt, good practices and cautionary experiences that should guide Mozambique to transition towards holistic, human rights-based adaptation that value local knowledge and locally-led solutions, and to strengthen the legal framework to ensure business responsibility to respect human rights, including preventing and compensating for environmental and human rights harm in all sectors.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).