Amicus Curiae Brief presented by
ClientEarth
21 November 2016
4.2 Obligations of business in respect of human rights and climate change
50. The core international human rights treaties do not directly address the obligations of
private parties to respect human rights. However, the global standard on the
behaviour of private actors is enshrined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business
and Human Rights proposed by UN Special Representative John Ruggie and
endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in June 2011 (Guiding Principles).41
51. The foundational principles for private actors contained in the Guiding Principles
include, inter alia:
Businesses should respect human rights by avoiding infringing on the human
rights of others and addressing any adverse human rights impacts with which
they are involved.
The rights that must be respected by businesses include, at minimum, the rights
recognized in the International Bill of Rights (UDHR, ICCPR, ICESCR) and the
principles concerning fundamental rights set out in the International Labour
Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
The responsibility to respect human rights requires that business enterprises:
o avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts through
their own activities, and address such impacts when they occur;
41
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf
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