Climate change, biodiversity, and the energy transition: The potential role of the UN's declaration on peasants’ rights

United Nations (UN) declarations exert significant influence on global policy. They shape international law, influence national legislation, inform judicial decisions, and promote human rights. Understanding how they intersect with the world's most pressing social and environmental challenges is vital to maximizing their value. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2018. The UNDROP recognizes the rights of peasants to land, natural resources, and food sovereignty. It applies to one-third of the world's population and is simultaneously relevant to the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, and the energy transition. This Primer provides an overview of the UNDROP and explains its potential to safeguard the rights of rural workers and Indigenous and other land-connected peoples in the context of these concurrent global crises.