UN experts have written to Saudi Aramco and its financial supporters, confronting them over claims that their operations are causing adverse effects on human rights related to climate change.
Exactly two months after it was delivered, a cache of correspondence was made available on a United Nations special processes website on Saturday.
The letters stated that information “concerning Saudi Aramco’s business activities… which are adversely impacting the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change” had been received by UN experts.
According to the letters, Aramco was accused of “maintaining crude oil production, exploring for additional oil and gas reserves, expanding into fossil fuel gas, and misrepresenting information.”
“Such activities have negative impacts on the enjoyment of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.”
The UN working group on human rights and transnational corporations, as well as UN special rapporteurs on rights and climate change, a clean and sustainable environment, management of hazardous substances, and safe drinking water and sanitation, sent the letters to Aramco and its backers.
The Paris Agreement on climate change, which was signed in 2015 and set the ambitious aim of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius, was allegedly violated by Aramco’s activities, according to the UN experts.
