Paradoxical human rights implications of phasing out fossil fuels for highly fossil fuel-dependent countries in the climate change law

Climate change caused by the consumption of fossil fuels has a significant adverse impact on the enjoyment of human rights globally. Therefore, the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels is necessary to prevent the human rights violations. On the other hand, the production of fossil fuels is the prerequisite for enjoying many human rights, including the right to access energy and the right to development in highly fossil fuel-dependent countries (HFFDCs). Thus, fossil fuels have paradoxical effects for these countries in terms of human rights. Considering the existing paradox, how should the energy transition for these countries proceed? This article shows that, based on a human-centred approach, by adopting reverse thinking, the starting point and cornerstone of the energy transition shsould be human rights. Given that human rights and human development overlap significantly, the low Human Development Index (HDI) of most HFFDCs implies that many of the basic human rights of their citizens are not being realised. The energy transition of HFFDCs with low HDI can be realized in two stages. Since there is a positive relationship between the production of fossil fuels and HDI in the early stages of the transition, in order for HFFDCs vertical energy transition to take place, their HDI must reach the average desired level (0.7) through the production of fossil fuels. When the right to development and the right to access energy are realised, due to the negative relationship between the HDI and fossil fuel use in the next stage, a horizontal energy transition could occur subsequently by phasing out fossil fuels.