Geneva, November 05, 2026.- Australia’s offer of global leadership in its role as UN Climate COP31 Co-President must be reflected in ambitious human rights-based climate action, UN experts* said today.
“Global leadership, particularly by an historically high-emitting country, should be backed up by the highest level of ambition, domestically and internationally, in climate change mitigation, notably the phasing out of fossil fuels, in line with applicable international obligations and human rights, including the human right to a healthy environment,” the experts said.
Warming across the Australian continent has already reached +1.5ºC and Australia’s 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement is misaligned with the 1.5°C pathway. This raises concerns about Australia’s commitment to regional partnership with Pacific Island States, who are among the States most affected by climate change and least responsible for it. Australia organised the Pacific Pre-COP in October, at the heart of which was keeping the global 1.5°C degree target within reach.
“Climate change is exposing children and young people in Australia to repeated traumatic climate events, severe disruptions of their education and family lives, undermining of cultural and recreational relationships with nature, along with ongoing climate anxiety and emotional distress about the future,” the experts highlighted. “The impacts on children in the Pacific region have been even more protracted, severe and widespread.”
In its first report on climate change, the Australian Human Rights Commission called for phasing out fossil fuels. Yet, the Australian government has approved over a dozen new coal mines or expansions and other fossil fuel projects since 2022.
The experts underscored the foreseeable, widespread and inter-generational harm to human health and food systems on land and in the ocean arising from fossil fuels across their life cycle and in all their forms (including plastics, pesticides and fertilisers), which must be prevented in any decision about the energy transition, climate technologies and reliance on carbon markets , including as part of international cooperation.
“We welcome the recent court decision in New South Wales which clarified that all harm to the climate system, including as overseas emissions linked to coal mining in Australia, must be assessed by planning and licensing authorities before approving any project,” the experts said. “Justice systems at the front line of the climate crisis must raise to the challenge. Their work cannot be undermined or disregarded.”
“We hope this is the first in a series of steps to ensure Australia’s compliance with its stringent due diligence obligations to prevent significant harm to the environment, the climate system and human rights, by phasing out fossil fuels,” they said.
These concerns have been brought to the attention of the Government of Australia. The experts acknowledge the reply received and look forward to continuing this dialogue at COP31 and in the lead up to the second International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.