COP30 in Belém: NHRIs demonstrate growing role in climate action and human rights

Held after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its advisory opinion on climate obligations, COP30 in Belém, took place as climate impacts intensify across communities and increasingly affect people’s rights.

While the summit advanced efforts to implement the Paris Agreement, significant challenges remain in ensuring that climate decisions address the realities faced by those most affected.

In this context, the independent monitoring, participation and expertise of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play a central role in connecting climate policy with human rights on the ground.

A multilateral process under pressure

COP30 unfolded in a complex geopolitical environment, with negotiations exposing divisions on fossil fuels and climate finance. Concerns about threats facing environmental and Indigenous human rights defenders echoed across interventions, though they did not translate into negotiated text.

The strong presence of Indigenous Peoples from the Amazon highlighted the links between climate, forests, biodiversity, territorial rights and cultural survival; . The absence of agreement on explicit fossil fuel phaseout language remains a critical gap for communities already experiencing severe impacts, and for NHRIs documenting these realities.

Adaptation finance was another key area. While negotiators committed to increase support, questions persist about whether resources will be sufficient and accessible. Without predictable and scaled-up financing, many countries will struggle to protect rights to food, water, health, housing and livelihoods. These concerns are regularly raised in NHRI reports.

The Belém Action Mechanism for Just Transition creates a formal space to address inclusion and equity in national transitions. Its effectiveness will depend on how it is implemented and whether States translate just transition principles into concrete measures. For NHRIs, it provides a channel to bring forward community perspectives and human rights analysis, helping ensure that the transition delivers real benefits on the ground.

NHRI participation in COP30

NHRI engagement in Belém reflected the expanding influence of these institutions in global climate governance.In the lead-up to COP30, NHRIs worked with their governments on revising and implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and continued their monitoring, investigations, reporting and,in some cases,litigation on climate-related human rights impacts.

GANHRI maintained onsite presence following its formal recognition as a UNFCCC observer in 2024, engaging with delegations, partners, and accredited NHRIs. Representatives from Honduras’ Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos and the Greek National Commission for Human Rights also participated onsite with support from the Tripartite Partnership (TPP) between GANHRI, UNDP, and OHCHR.

A planned GANHRI-led event on climate justice, co-sponsored by the Raoul Wallemberg Institute of Human Rights (RWI) and the TPP, was cancelled due to avenue fire. However, partnerships continue through the GANHRI Climate Change Caucus.

Outside the negotiations, the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar hosted an event on climate justice featuring their national experiences from Qatar and El Salvador’s Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos. At regional level, the Red de Instituciones Nacionales para la Promoción y Protección de los Derechos Humanos del Continente Americano (RINDHCA), together with the Defensoria Pública da União of Brazil, presented a Declaration of Principles on the Role of NHRIs in Climate Action to the COP30 Presidency.

These efforts demonstrate growing NHRI engagement from national advice to regional collaboration and global advocacy.

As implementation moves forward, NHRIs are uniquely positioned to monitor impacts, advise governments, foster participation and engage with affected communities. GANHRI will continue supporting institutions as they strengthen their role in climate governance and work toward climate action that protects both people and the planet.