Indigenous peoples across the globe are impacted by renewable energy projects being implemented by business in cooperation with states. While indigenous peoples support a just transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy as a key component of combating climate change, this transition must be guided by equity and a human rights-based approach, rather than business as usual, or risk this sector replicating the mistakes of the fossil fuel industry. With the proliferation of large-scale renewable energy projects in indigenous territories, this is again leading to land grabs, evictions, destruction of livelihoods and serious human rights violations against indigenous peoples across the globe.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has tracked more than 200 allegations of abuse by renewable energy companies over the past 10 years, and the sector has become one of the most dangerous for human rights defenders to work. These kinds of projects are being implemented all around the world, with large investments in wind, solar, and geothermal energy in places as diverse as Kenya, Norway and Mexico; and expansion of large-scale hydro power from Chile to the Philippines to Nepal. Under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN Guiding Principles), renewable energy companies, like all companies, have a responsibility to prevent, mitigate, and remedy human rights harms caused by or contributed to by their operations and supply chains.

As the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights is taking place on November 16-18, 2020 to be a virtual meeting, IPRI and its partners wish to feature and draw attention to the state of affairs of renewable energy projects and indigenous peoples in relation to business and human rights. In particular, it will host a webinar to highlight the impacts of renewable energy development on the collective and individual rights of indigenous peoples, and the threats and repercussions facing indigenous peoples when they assert and defend their rights in these types of business projects. Complementing this year’s theme of prevention of human rights abuses, the session will include recommendations on how companies, governments, and other stakeholders can help avoid human rights harms stemming from renewable energy projects.

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