Prof Hannah Daly’s Report Featured in United Nations Water and Sanitation Study
MaREI’s at University College Cork’s Prof Hannah Daly’s Report ‘Data Centres in the Context of Ireland’s Carbon Budgets’ featured in a United Nations Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Summary
The Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo Agudo, submits the present report to the Human Rights Council pursuant to its resolution 51/19. The water-energy nexus underscores a vital interdependence: energy is essential for ensuring access to safe water, while water is critical for energy production. Yet, current energy systems often violate human rights, degrade ecosystems and deepen social inequalities. Market-driven energy models prioritize profit over environmental integrity and human rights, sidelining marginalized communities. A double-just transition of water and energy systems must focus on human rights, protect aquatic ecosystems and ensure participatory governance. Crucially, a just and sustainable energy future is inseparable from a just and sustainable water future; both must advance together to uphold human rights for all.
