EU countries must avoid ‘backtracking’ on climate goals, UN says

The United Nations’ appearing human rights chief urged European Union member states on Monday to keep away from “backtracking” on their local weather objectives within the face of an power disaster on Monday.

Nada Al-Nashif referred to as on the EU in a speech earlier than the human rights council on Monday “to think about the long-term penalties of locking in additional fossil gasoline infrastructure.”

A number of member states, she identified, are turning to investments in fossil gasoline infrastructure as power costs skyrocket throughout the bloc.

“It’s important to speed up the event of power effectivity initiatives and renewables,” Al-Nashif mentioned. “There isn’t any room for backtracking within the face of the continued local weather disaster.”

European international locations, confronted with the opportunity of fuel shortages this winter, are working to safe different power sources and extra provides of pure fuel. Some international locations have restarted coal-fired crops as a result of disaster.

The appearing UN excessive commissioner for human rights outlined issues in additional than 30 international locations, from restrictions on individuals voicing opposition in Russia to the conflict in Ukraine to hostilities in northern Ethiopia.

Al-Nashif made solely passing reference to a report elevating issues about China’s controversial marketing campaign to combat terrorism and extremism in Western Xinjiang that would at occasions have amounted to “crimes in opposition to humanity” in opposition to Uyghurs and different minorities.

It was launched within the waning minutes of the tenure of former rights chief Michelle Bachelet. Beijing lashed out on the report, calling it a part of a plot by Western nations to dam China’s rise.

Al-Nashif has held the non permanent put up because the time period of former Chilean President Bachelet expired on August 31. Her successor — Austrian diplomat and U.N. veteran Volker Türk — takes over the job within the coming days.

The four-week autumn session on the council, which brings collectively 47 UN member states, is predicted to take up “nation conditions” in lots of locations together with Afghanistan, Congo, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Venezuela.