Climate crisis: States must stay the course on coal cuts - UN expert
GENEVA (29 September 2020) - As States introduce economic stimulus packages to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN human rights expert has called on authorities to remain mindful of the climate crisis and to exclude support for new coal projects.
"Not one dollar of government support should be directed towards new thermal coal infrastructure, including coal mines and coal-fired power plants," said the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, David R. Boyd.
"We are in the midst of an unprecedented climate emergency and socio-economic crisis of great magnitude with substantial impacts on human rights happening today and catastrophic impacts inevitable in the future unless rapid, systemic and transformative changes are made to our energy systems. Coal must be phased out as quickly as possible."