UN experts challenge Aramco over climate change

NEW YORK

U.N. experts have written to oil firm Saudi Aramco and its financial backers challenging them on allegations that their activities are fuelling climate change-related negative impacts on human rights.

A cache of correspondence was published on Aug. 26 on a United Nations human rights special procedures website, exactly two months after it was sent.

The letters said U.N. experts had received information "concerning Saudi Aramco's business activities... which are adversely impacting the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change".

The allegations accused Aramco of "maintained crude oil production, exploration for further oil and gas reserves, expansion into fossil fuel gas, and misrepresentation of information," the letters said.

"Such activities have negative impacts on the enjoyment of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment."

The U.N. experts also alleged Aramco's activities appeared to be "contrary to the goals, obligations and commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change.”

The U.N. experts claimed these activities were funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, as well as 11 major international banks, investment banks and firms, which also received similar letters.

The letters asserted that fossil fuels account for more than 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and cited reports claiming that over half of such emissions could be traced to 25 fossil fuel business enterprises, "with Saudi Aramco ranking as the largest greenhouse gas emitter."

Aramco is undertaking investments to ramp up national production capacity to 13 million barrels per day by 2027.