In the context of climate finance, a human rights-based approach ensures that rights considerations are taken into account in the development, implementation, and monitoring of relevant processes and institutions, including the UNFCCC’s newly established Green Climate Fund.
To advance rights protections in the global climate finance architecture, it is essential that climate finance mechanisms establish institutional safeguard systems that effectively prevent social and environmental harm, promote sustainable development, and maximise participation, transparency, accountability, equity, and rights protections. Some existing mechanisms, such as the Global Environment Facility and UN-REDD Programme, are integrating social and environmental considerations into their governance and distribution processes, but they do not fully apply a rights-based approach.
Key elements of an institutional safeguard system include: social and environmental safeguard policies; monitoring systems to ensure that safeguards are being respected; grievance mechanisms to ensure that affected peoples and communities can raise their concerns and have them addressed in a timely manner; and opportunities for meaningful and effective participation in all stages of relevant decision-making processes.