Tribute to Stevens and Williams

A human rights approach to energy: Realizing the rights of billions within ecological limits

“…22 Premised on the notion of universality, human rights can thus be invoked in political discourse as 'high order [norms] that could support the [SDGs]'. 23 Human rights specifically press in favour of action to correct historical injustices and could therefore help ensure that the interpretation and operationalization of SDGs 'confront[s] inequalities of all sorts in a more holistic and sustainable way'. 24 This is important for SDG7, which has been criticized for being operationalized in an overly technocratic fashion without due consideration of the ways in which different components of the energy system relate to human well-being 25 or environmental justice.…”