UN Rights Chief Urges Fair Energy Transition That Puts Indigenous Peoples at the Centre

Geneva – The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, has called for Indigenous Peoples to be placed at the heart of the global transition to renewable energy, warning that their rights and lands must not be sacrificed in the race for critical minerals.

Speaking at the annual panel discussion on the rights of Indigenous Peoples at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Al-Nashif said Indigenous communities, who have preserved biodiversity and sustained traditional knowledge for millennia, are now facing “the compounded challenges of climate change, land grabbing, and violence against rights defenders.”

“Although urgent and necessary, this transition cannot come at their expense,” she said. “With more than half of critical minerals located on or near Indigenous territories, they should be at the centre of it.”

Al-Nashif outlined three key areas of action to ensure what she called a “fair and inclusive transition”  putting rights before resources, recognizing the value of Indigenous knowledge, and forging stronger partnerships between communities, governments, businesses, and civil society.

She stressed that free, prior, and informed consent must be upheld in every extractive project, alongside stronger regulations, access to justice, and protections for Indigenous human rights defenders. She also highlighted progress in countries including Colombia, Finland, and Guatemala, where governments are recognizing Indigenous autonomy and land rights, as well as Australia, Canada, Chile, and New Zealand, which are embedding shared decision-making in energy projects.

The Deputy High Commissioner praised Indigenous knowledge as key to tackling the climate crisis, citing practices from combating deforestation in the Amazon to reducing wildfire risks in Australia. “Indigenous women play a special role in preserving and transmitting this knowledge,” she noted.

Al-Nashif also urged upcoming international climate talks, including COP30 in Brazil, to integrate human rights and ensure Indigenous participation.

“A truly sustainable future can never be built on inequality,” she said. “We cannot tackle the triple planetary crisis without Indigenous Peoples. By prioritizing their rights, harnessing their knowledge, and building partnerships, we can make the energy transition a just one.”

The UN Human Rights Office, she added, is continuing to support Indigenous participation through its fellowship programmes and policy dialogues, including recent work on climate and just transition in the Asia-Pacific region.