THE acting UN human rights chief urged European Union member states yesterday to avoid “backtracking” on their efforts to develop renewable energy sources at a time when soaring prices have prompted some to ramp up use of, and searches for, fossil fuels.

Nada al-Nashif, acting high commissioner for human rights, laid out rights concerns about more than 30 countries, regions and territories including Ethiopia, Ukraine, Myanmar and Haiti in an opening speech to the latest session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Beyond expressing concerns about the direct impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, she noted how the war has dented exports of food and fuel from those two countries, forcing EU states, for example, to scramble to boost their energy sources.