Introduction to Human Rights and Solar Geoengineering

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What are human rights?

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Human rights are the inherent rights that every person has simply by being a human being. They are
universal, which means they apply to everyone, everywhere in the world, regardless of nationality,
sex, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, or other status. Human rights are also inalienable,
meaning they can’t be taken away, and indivisible and interdependent - violating one right often
affects others.

Where do human rights come from?

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Human rights are rooted in the philosophical idea that human beings have inherent dignity just by
being a human. Our current understanding of human rights comes from the UN Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. This document has
inspired human rights treaties and laws all around the world, many of which create legal obligations
for governments to respect and protect human rights. The UDHR, alongside International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (ICESCR), are collectively known as the International Bill of Human Rights. The UN Office of
the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) is responsible for promoting and
protecting human rights at the international level. There are also other international and regional
organisations that support the promotion and protection of human rights, including the European
Union, Council of Europe, African Union, and Organization of American States.

Human rights and SRM‍

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Solar geoengineering (also known as solar radiation modification or SRM) has the potential to impact
human rights in many ways, both positive and negative. On the one hand, the impacts of climate
change and environmental degradation are devastating for the enjoyment of human rights (e.g., the
right to life, food security, health) for people today and in future generations. Therefore, the use of
solar geoengineering to mitigate harms associated with climate change could enhance enjoyment of
human rights. On the other hand, manipulating Earth’s climate through SRM may cause unforeseen
and uncontrollable consequences that would further threaten human rights. In that sense, failure to
take steps to address climate change, like solar geoengineering, could be seen as a failure to protect
human rights.

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Solar geoengineering is not explicitly referenced in international human rights law, nor is it the
explicit topic of any guidance or reference documents from human rights bodies. Nevertheless,
governments always have an obligation under human rights law to ensure that solar geoengineering
activities respect and promote human rights. Furthermore, the Paris Agreement recognised that the
actions to address climate change must be guided by human rights. Without upholding these values,
SRM activities (research and deployment) would not have the legitimacy to be considered or to
potentially move forward.