Resolution calls for fair climate finance, justice for loss and damage
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, Bangladesh has led the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a landmark resolution linking climate change and human rights—cementing its role as a key global advocate for climate-vulnerable nations.
The resolution, unanimously adopted during the Council’s 59th session in Geneva, was tabled by Bangladesh on behalf of a Core Group comprising Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam. It marks a significant step in global recognition of the disproportionate impacts of climate change on basic human rights such as health, housing, and social security.
In a statement following the adoption, the UN Human Rights Council noted that billions of people across the world face escalating threats due to climate-induced disasters, with developing countries bearing the brunt of the crisis.
Speaking during the negotiations, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Tareq Muhammad Ariful Islam, highlighted the urgent need to bridge the widening gap between climate action demands and the current inadequacies of global climate finance.
The resolution puts a strong emphasis on improving access to climate finance for developing nations, identifying structural barriers in existing funding mechanisms and calling for pragmatic solutions. It urges the international community to ensure new, increased, and adequate financing, facilitate technology transfer and capacity building, and offer special support to heavily indebted nations grappling with climate shocks.
Crucially, the resolution also breaks new ground by explicitly recognising the need for remedy and compensation in cases of loss and damage linked to climate change and related human rights violations—marking a historic acknowledgement at the UN level.
Youth climate advocate and Executive Coordinator of YouthNet Global, Sohanur Rahman, welcomed the move. “This resolution is a strong signal that the voices of climate-vulnerable communities are finally being heard at the highest level,” he said. “Now the focus must shift to turning these words into tangible actions—especially in delivering climate finance where it’s needed most.”
Bangladesh’s leadership during the negotiations drew widespread praise from member states, reinforcing its position as a champion for the rights and resilience of frontline nations in the face of climate change.
As part of the resolution’s follow-up, the UN Secretary-General has been tasked with submitting a report at the Council’s 63rd session, focusing on how to unlock adequate climate finance and eliminate barriers to the full realisation of human rights in a warming world.
The adoption of this resolution on July 8 capped off the 59th session of the Council, marking a significant diplomatic victory for Bangladesh’s climate diplomacy on the global stage.
