The Government of Thailand has reacted to the unfolding climate crisis with several policy measures, from plans to increase the proportion of renewable energy in its energy mix, employment of new technologies, to focus on reforestation and forest sinks. However, not only the Government's actions have not been ambitious enough to lead to the Paris Agreement compliance and the ultimate goal to keep the global temperature rise at 1.5°C, its measures have also gravely affected the human rights of communities on the ground. While there are attempts at energy transition, as of now, it is certainly not a Just Energy Transition.

 

The present submission to the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Business and Human Rights elaborates specifically on the extractive sector in the context of Just Energy Transition in Thailand, with a special focus on the production of electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, exerting increased pressure on the extraction of transition minerals (TMs) such as lithium, cobalt or nickel and testing their supply chains' sustainability. Manushya Foundation illustrates how mining and import of such minerals could contribute to new human rights violations both domestically and abroad, considering the current environment of corporate impunity in Thailand, and puts forward community-based recommendations and conditions necessary for a Just, Feminist, Green, and Inclusive Transition that puts People and the Planet over Profit.

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Manushya's UN Submission on 'Extractive Sector, Just Transition and Human Rights' is also available on the UN Working Group on business and human rights' website (OHCHR's call for inputs), here.