In October the government said it planned to seek a seat on the council during the 2018 to 2020 term.
In a speech today however the Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said Fiji was a small country and its foreign policy resources needed to be focused on climate change and its presidency of COP23.
He said Fiji could simply not do them both and do them well.
Fiji is to share the presidency of the next international climate change talks in Bonn in November.
Mr Bainimarama said Fiji would try again for a seat on the Geneva-based human rights body after COP 23.