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As the world prepares for COP30 in Brazil, governments face a defining moment. The transition to a carbon-free global economy must not come at the expense of human rights.
Addressing the links between climate change and modern slavery is essential to ensuring that the shift to renewable energy and environmental protection also delivers decent work and justice for all.
Climate change is intensifying inequality and exploitation. As rising temperatures, droughts, and natural disasters impact livelihoods, more people are being pushed into unsafe and exploitative work.
At the same time, the increasing demand for renewable energy and critical minerals used in solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles has created new risks of forced labour across supply chains.
Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index found that solar panels are among the top 5 imported products at risk of being produced with forced labour across G20 countries, worth approximately US$14.8 billion each year.
An estimated 16.2 million people work in the renewable energy industry, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Many of these workers face wage theft, unsafe conditions, unlawful overtime, and restrictions on union activity.
Most of the world’s polysilicon used in solar panels is linked to forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China, while cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, essential for batteries, is often extracted under coercive and hazardous conditions.
A fast energy transition is essential to combat the climate crisis, but it must also be a fair one that upholds workers’ rights and prevents exploitation.
Hosting COP30 in Brazil’s Amazon region brings renewed attention to the intersection of human rights, environmental protection, and social justice.
Illegal logging, mining, and deforestation are driving both environmental destruction and human exploitation, with Indigenous Peoples often facing the greatest harm.
Around half of the world’s transition mineral reserves are located on Indigenous lands, but many governments continue to approve projects without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
This violates international standards and threatens the livelihoods of affected communities. A just transition must recognise Indigenous leadership and prioritise shared prosperity.
Sustainable development and biodiversity protection depend on the participation and protection of those most closely connected to the land.
The promise of a green future will only be achieved when governments and companies act to protect those most at risk of exploitation.
Decarbonisation policies must address the human impact of the energy transition, ensuring that environmental progress does not come at the cost of workers’ rights and safety.
Walk Free calls on governments to:
The climate crisis is a human crisis. It demands urgent, collective action that extends beyond emissions targets and technology.
COP30 presents an opportunity to redefine climate justice, centering on people, communities, and human rights in every solution.
A just transition is not only about moving away from fossil fuels. It’s also about building a future that ends exploitation, protects our planet, and upholds the dignity and freedom of all people.