FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 28th, 2022 Washington, DC — Following the announcement that US Senators Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin reached a deal on a spending and revenue bill that includes $369 billion for climate and energy programs, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Senior Attorney Steven Feit said the following: Policymakers are heralding the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 28th, 2022 New York (US) — Following today’s historic vote at the United Nations General Assembly to recognize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, the Center for International Environmental Law issued the following statement: “Today’s landmark vote affirms that everyone, no matter where, has the right to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2022 – Washington, DC. (United States) — Today the US Supreme Court limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act. The decision in West Virginia v. EPA undermines efforts to reduce climate-warming pollution from coal and gas-fired power plants. Nikki … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23rd, 2022 Geneva, Switzerland — Today, the Special Rapporteur for the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, Dr. Ian Fry, presented his first report, on “initial planning and vision for the mandate,” at the 50th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. Francesca Mingrone, Staff … Read More.
A BRS Cha-Cha: UN Chemicals Negotiations Make Some Key Advances, Delay Already Overdue Protections, and Offer Lessons for Future Plastics Treaty FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 17, 2022 Geneva, Switzerland — At the conclusion of the United Nations Triple Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs) today, Parties made critical … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 16 June, 2022 Bonn, Germany, — The climate negotiations at the 56th session of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (SB56) yet again failed to reflect the urgent reality of billions of people suffering from climate inaction and climate-induced loss and damage. Just days after the United … Read More.
Following a historic investigation of a transmission line project in Panama, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation must address its failures to ensure Indigenous Peoples’ right to free, prior, and informed consent FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) June 16, 2022 In a historic investigation published Friday, the independent accountability mechanism of the World Bank’s International … Read More.
Center for International Environmental Law Experts Will Be Attending the United Nations Triple Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions in Geneva GENEVA, CH, June 3rd, 2022 – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be attending the upcoming United Nations chemicals and waste negotiations at the Triple Conferences of … Read More.
DAKAR, SENEGAL — The Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) to advance a plastics treaty has concluded with important progress that lays the groundwork for the next two and a half years of negotiations. It was the first formal meeting following the United Nations Environment Assembly’s adoption of a mandate to negotiate an international, legally … Read More.
BONN, GE / GENEVA, CH, June 2nd, 2022 – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be attending the upcoming climate negotiations at the 56th session of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (SB56) in Bonn, Germany, from June 2 to June 16. These experts will be available for … Read More.
GENEVA, CH, June 1st, 2022, — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes Lili Fuhr as Deputy Director of the Climate and Energy Program. Lili brings more than fifteen years of experience working in the fields of international environmental and climate policy, having devoted her career to protecting the planet and advancing economic and … Read More.
Center for International Environmental Law Experts Will Be Attending the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) to Prepare for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a Plastics Treaty DAKAR, SE / GENEVA, CH, May 25th, 2022 – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be following upcoming plastics treaty negotiations at the Ad Hoc Open-Ended … Read More.
Washington, DC — New analysis from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) exposes a little known but growing driver of microplastic pollution in the environment, agricultural soils, and our food supply. The report, Sowing a Plastic Planet: How Microplastics in Agrochemicals Are Affecting Our Soils, Our Food, and Our Future, reveals the underrecognized threat … Read More.
CIEL joins Colombian organizations to file an intervention supporting the Committee of Santurbán’s case before a Colombian High Court (Español abajo) May 18th, 2022 Bogotá, Colombia — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is joining Colombian NGOs and legal clinics in filing an intervention (coadyuvancia) supporting a rights-based legal action (tutela) filed by the … Read More.
May 6, 2022 – Nearly seven years after initiating its landmark National Inquiry on Climate Change, the Philippines Commission on Human Rights (CHR) released its final report. The original petition, filed by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and individuals from across the Philippines, asked the Commission to examine the impacts of climate change on the human rights … Read More.
Today, California State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into the role ExxonMobil and other plastics and petrochemical companies have played in the mounting plastics crisis, including evidence that the industry intentionally misled consumers and the public about plastics recycling. Carroll Muffett, President of the Center for International Environmental Law, issued the following statement: … Read More.
CIEL President to testify on the risks and impacts of carbon capture and storage along the US Gulf Coast during upcoming House Subcommittee hearing Washington, DC — Tomorrow morning, the Center for International Environmental Law will provide expert testimony on the profound limits and growing risks of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) before the … Read More.
Washington, DC — Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Director of People, Land, and Resources, Carla García Zendejas responded to the US Supreme Court’s decision to reject Petitioners’ writ for certiorari in Budha Ismail Jam, et al v. IFC. Previously, the US Supreme Court in this case found that the International Finance Corporation … Read More.
Washington, DC — The release today of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Working Group III report on mitigating climate change again affirms that the immediate and dramatic reduction of emissions this decade, through the accelerated phaseout of all fossil fuels, is essential to avert catastrophic and irreversible impacts of global warming. Both in … Read More.
The new mandate-holder has the expertise, the opportunity & the imperative to promote ambitious, equitable, rights-based climate action Geneva, CH — Today, as part of its 49th session, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Ian Fry for the newly established position of UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights … Read More.
Washington, DC — As governments meet this week to review and approve a summary of the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) regarding climate mitigation, hundreds of organizations from around the world sent an open letter demanding that they focus on rapidly ending fossil fuel production and use. The letter, signed … Read More.
WASHINGTON, DC — Following the Nicaraguan national assembly’s official decree revoking the legal status of 25 civil society organizations, citing administrative matters, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) People, Land & Resources Program Director, Carla García Zendejas, issued the following statement: “We are appalled by the Nicaraguan National Assembly’s decision to revoke the legal status … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 17th, 2022 On Friday, Panamanian environmental defenders will testify before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) about the risks, dangers, and threats they face when denouncing violations of the right to live in a healthy environment. This IACHR hearing comes at a critical moment for environmental defenders in … Read More.
Parties at the 74th Standing Committee meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) took decisive action to address illegal trade of rosewood. Lyon, France — The 74th Standing Committee meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) took … Read More.
More than 465 organisations in 50 countries call on world governments to reject and ban the importation of Russian oil and gas, and to rapidly phase out all fossil fuels in the name of peace. View in Ukrainian | Russian | Spanish | French | German Hundreds of organisations from dozens of countries have expressed … Read More.
Fire at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, Other Environmental Impacts Could Magnify Impacts on Human Rights and Lives In an urgent open letter, more than 900 international law, environment, and peacebuilding experts and more than 155 organizations from more than 75 countries warned that Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine poses profound risks not only to the sovereignty … Read More.
NAIROBI, KENYA — The second part of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) concluded on Wednesday night, with the historic passage of a mandate to advance an international treaty on plastic production, the establishment of an Intergovernmental Panel on Chemicals, and a wide variety of measures to address chemicals and waste. Despite the hybrid … Read More.
The need for near-term emissions reductions and human-rights based approaches has never been clearer Washington, DC — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Report on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability — the second part of the Sixth Assessment Report — released today confirms that irreversible damage is already occurring to natural ecosystems, communities, and human rights, … Read More.
Washington DC/Geneva — The Center for International Environmental Law stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and we condemn all Russian military action within Ukraine’s borders. Russia’s aggressive use of force in the territory of another State is a clear and grave violation of the United Nations Charter and of international law, a violation … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) Washington, DC, USA / Baja California Sur, Mexico — Last week, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes’ Arbitration Tribunal announced their rationale for a decision to reject a non-disputing party submission (amicus curiae) filed by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción … Read More.
NAIROBI, KEN / WASHINGTON, DC – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Nairobi and available for comment during the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OECPR) and the second part of the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) from February 19th – March 2nd. UNEA 5.2 is the first hybrid meeting of … Read More.
WASHINGTON, DC — Following France and the United States’ declaration of support for a full life cycle approach to a plastics treaty, Jane Patton, Plastics & Petrochemicals Campaign Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), issued the following statement: With today’s announcement, France and the United States echo what countries, scientists, academics, businesses, … Read More.
Ongoing investigation of the project continues regardless of advance repayment of loan The IDB Group concluded the loan for Hidroituango prematurely as they face uncertainty regarding project initiating operations. The investigation process regarding non-compliance with IDB policies in Hidroituango continues, regardless of the early termination of the loan. The construction of the Hidroituango dam, a … Read More.
Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Workers and Trade Unions, Youth, Women’s Organizations Urge UN Member States to Negotiate a Global Legally Binding Agreement to Address the Plastics Crisis. December 14th, 2021 GENEVA — Today, over 700 groups from 113 countries called upon United Nations Member States to agree to establish a legally binding global instrument — … Read More.
The Good Policy Paper assesses current policy provisions at independent accountability mechanisms, identifying best practices and areas for improvement. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2021 Washington, DC — The Good Policy Paper: Guiding Practice from the Policies of Independent Accountability Mechanisms, published today, is a roadmap for financial institutions setting up new independent accountability mechanisms … Read More.
Panels to Discuss the Urgent Need to Establish a New Legally Binding International Instrument to Address the Plastic Crisis. On Wednesday, December 14th, 2021, members of governments, representative organizations, and groups from civil society, Indigenous People, workers, and trade unions will launch a call to action for United Nations Member States to agree to establish … Read More.
December 8th, 2021 BRUSSELS — In a bid to become a global leader on reducing methane emissions, the European Commission plans to table its proposal for a Methane Regulation this 14 December – but it’s expected that it will not include full coverage of supply chains, nor inclusion of petrochemicals, as the European Parliament had … Read More.
Any negotiation with the Ngäbe and Buglé Indigenous peoples over Panama’s Fourth Transmission Line must comply with Panamanian and international law (español abajo) November 24, 2021 Last Wednesday, Panama’s state-owned Electrical Transmission Company (ETESA) announced that it had reached an agreement with certain Indigenous authorities to allow Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line to cross the … Read More.
November 18, 2021 Washington, DC — Following US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s announcement that the United States supports the development of a global agreement to end plastic pollution, Jane Patton, Plastic and Petrochemical Campaign Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued the following statement: “We welcome the announcement that the United … Read More.
November 13, 2021 SCOTLAND – In Glasgow, the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) failed. It failed to recognize the urgency of the accelerating climate crisis; failed to deliver critically needed finance to the Global South; failed to close massive loopholes in a looming carbon market … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2021 Glasgow, UK — Governments should not miss their last chance to embed human rights in the outcome text of COP26, according to international charities. Climate Outreach, ActionAid, CARE, and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) told negotiators they have a responsibility to make sure human rights are not … Read More.
November 10, 2021 Glasgow, Scotland — Following the bracketing of human rights in Article 6 draft text and continued limits on public participation, Erika Lennon, Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, issued the following statement: “With only days left before the end of COP26, any attempt to conclude Article 6 negotiations without … Read More.
CIEL Director to provide expert testimony on the intersection of illegal logging and criminal activities during upcoming House Subcommittee hearing November 3, 2021 Washington, DC — Carla García Zendejas, Director of People, Land, and Resources at the Center for International Environmental Law, will provide expert testimony on the illegal timber trade during an upcoming House … Read More.
November 1, 2021 Glasgow — As global climate talks get underway in Scotland, 725 groups from nearly 100 countries are calling on governments and leading international institutions to end reliance on hollow “Net Zero” promises and commit to specific, ambitious, and immediate actions to bring emissions and fossil fuel production down to Real Zero, consistent … Read More.
October 26, 2021 GLASGOW, UK / WASHINGTON, DC – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Glasgow and available for comment during the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) from November 1 – November 12. Originally intended to serve as a litmus test for … Read More.
CIEL and Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Puerto Chale (S.C.L). file an amicus curiae related to Don Diego, a seabed mining project that raises environmental and human rights concerns October 21, 2021 (Español abajo) Baja California Sur, Mexico / Washington, DC, USA —On Tuesday, October 12, the Sociedad Cooperativa de Producción Pesquera Puerto Chale and … Read More.
A comprehensive report from the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics showcases plastics’ harms to human rights and why global responses must be rights-based. October 20, 2021 New York, NY — Following the release of the Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Professor Marcos A. Orellana’s report, “The stages of the plastics cycle and their … Read More.
A new multi-media report shows, for the first time, the Permian Basin’s huge global climate impact and environmental justice threat to communities from New Mexico to the Gulf Coast. October 19, 2021 El Paso, TX — Oil Change International, Earthworks, and the Center for International Environmental Law are releasing a new multi-media report series entitled The Permian … Read More.
October 12, 2021 (Español abajo) Bucaramanga, Bogotá, Washington, Ottawa — National and international civil society organizations are widely rejecting the decision made by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) on September 10 in the case of Eco Oro v. Colombia, for at least three reasons: we consider that (i) it is inconsistent … Read More.
In long-awaited decisions, the UN Human Rights Council recognizes the universal right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment and creates a Special Rapporteur on human rights and climate change October 8, 2021 Geneva, CH — From the opening remarks of High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet focusing on the right to a healthy environment to … Read More.
From Taiwan to Texas, Cambodia to Cancer Alley; Petrochemical Giant Poses Threat to Communities and the Environment October 6, 2021 Washington, DC — Formosa Plastics Group’s six-decade track record is riddled with environmental, health, safety, and labor violations, including devastating accidents and persistent pollution in multiple countries, according to a comprehensive new report released today. … Read More.
September 30, 2021 (Español abajo) Washington, DC — Six years after the start of the largest illegal logging case in Peru’s history, prosecutors are filing criminal charges against those allegedly responsible for having participated in the supply chain of illegal logging and timber trafficking of $1.6 million of Amazonian wood intended for export to the … Read More.
The right to science plays an essential role in both public communications regarding toxics and the science-policy interface September 21, 2021 Geneva, CH — Following the release of the Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, Professor Marcos A. Orellana’s report, “Right to science in the context of toxic substances” at the 48th Session of … Read More.
Civil society groups ask TSX Venture Exchange to set record straight on oil and gas drilling in the Okavango region September 16, 2021 (Toronto, ON) — Civil society groups have submitted a request to the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) to investigate potential misrepresentations in the disclosures and public communications of Canadian oil and gas company … Read More.
Mandate holder that addresses the link between human rights and climate change is overdue September 15, 2021 Geneva, CH — Following an announcement that a resolution to establish a Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change will come forward during the 48th Session of the Human Rights Council, Francesca Mingrone, Attorney at the Center … Read More.
The Center for International Environmental Law calls upon the Human Rights Council Member States to take urgent action in the upcoming weeks September 14, 2021 Geneva, CH — Following an announcement that the Core Group on Human Rights and the Environment is bringing forward a resolution to recognize universally the right to a safe, clean, … Read More.
International NGOs applaud the draft resolution as a significant step in addressing the plastic crisis September 3, 2021 Geneva — The first-ever Ministerial Conference on marine litter and plastic pollution saw the introduction of a groundbreaking draft resolution recommending a legally binding global mechanism addressing the plastic crisis. Now, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and … Read More.
August 19, 2021 Geneva — On World Humanitarian Day, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued the following statement: “From Nicaragua to Uganda, to Belarus, more and more human rights defenders and civil society organizations (CSOs) are facing unprecedented and increasing threats and closures due to their activities in defense of communities. For years, … Read More.
Report exposes how failure to act on the climate emergency has led to permanent climate damage August 9, 2021 Washington, DC — Following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Report on The Physical Science Basis of Climate Change —the first part of the Sixth Assessment Report— the Center for International Environmental Law … Read More.
August 2, 2021 Washington, DC — Following the introduction of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued the following statement: “The Infrastructure bill offers minimal support to accelerate the renewable energy transition while squandering tens of billions on carbon capture, fossil hydrogen, … Read More.
As the impact study for the Fourth Electrical Transmission Line moves forward, the Panamanian government must fulfill its obligation to respect Indigenous peoples’ rights FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2021 (español abajo) Today marks the deadline for companies to submit bids to perform “Analysis Services, Preliminary Studies and Consultancy for the Preparation of the Environmental … Read More.
Washington, DC — Today, nearly 70 organizations are expressing deep concern about the eruption of state violence in Eswatini. Reports out of Eswatini indicate that, since late June, the army and police forces have killed dozens of unarmed civilians and injured around 1,000 people, including by shooting indiscriminately at and wounding protesters. The government has … Read More.
500+ Organizations Call on US and Canadian Leaders to Reject Carbon Capture and Storage as a False Solution to Climate Crisis Washington, DC / Ottawa, ON — In an open letter sent today to leaders in the United States and Canada, more than 500 US, Canadian, and international organizations called on policymakers in both … Read More.
Washington, DC — Today, the World Heritage Committee added 13 cultural sites to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, including the Roșia Montană Mining Landscape in Romania. The site was simultaneously inscribed into the List of World Heritage in Danger, pending the removal of threats to its integrity posed by extractive activities. The inscription comes after years … Read More.
As new CAO policy takes effect, IFC and MIGA must also implement reforms to improve accountability and ensure access to remedy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) Washington, DC — Even as a new policy governing the work of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the accountability mechanism of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment … Read More.
New Article in Science Argues that a Bold, Comprehensive, Full Life Cycle Approach to the Plastic Pollution Crisis is Necessary Geneva — Attempts to regulate plastic through regional or piecemeal approaches are ultimately insufficient to address the scale and projected expansion of the industry. Instead, a team of attorneys and academics argue in an article … Read More.
Panels to Discuss the Growing Risks and Unequal Impact of Dangerous Technological Fixes Once relegated to the fringe of the climate debate, proposals to use solar geoengineering to mask the impacts of planetary warming are receiving increasing attention from scientists, the government, and the media. While conversations often center around “silver bullet fixes” they too … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 2, 2021 Washington, DC — Environmental groups sued the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) today for illegally exempting itself from the Sunshine Act, which requires multi-member federal agencies to open deliberations to the public. The DFC provides billions of dollars in financing each year to international projects, including fracking … Read More.
Dutch Court Rules that Shell Must Cut Direct and Indirect Emissions 45% by 2030 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26, 2021 Washington, DC — Today’s historic ruling in the Netherlands sends a clear signal to the oil and gas industry: continuing business-as-usual production of fossil fuels amidst the climate emergency is fundamentally incompatible with corporate duties to … Read More.
Washington, DC — Today, Guyanese citizens filed the first constitutional climate case in the Caribbean to challenge fossil fuel production on the grounds that it exacerbates global warming and threatens human rights. The case, before Guyana’s Constitutional Court, claims that Guyana’s approval of a massive, ExxonMobil-led oil and gas buildout off the country’s coast violates … Read More.
(Español abajo) Washington, DC— Following protests across Colombia that have been met with violence by police and security forces and led to the deaths of at least 19 people, Carla García Zendejas, Director of the People, Land, and Resources Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued the following statement: “CIEL joins in … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 29, 2021 Washington, DC — A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the mounting risks that the unmanaged shutdown of oil and gas wells poses to communities, governments, and investors, and argues that confronting the toxic legacy oil and gas leaves behind is a … Read More.
An evaluation of the bank’s accountability mechanism failed to recommend changes needed to improve the IDB’s accountability system or to respond to the needs of citizens in Latin America and the Caribbean. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2021 Washington, DC — Last week, an Office of Evaluation of Oversight (OVE) evaluation of the Independent Consultation … Read More.
Climate Leaders Summit Needs to Deliver Bold Action to Phase Out Fossil Fuels Washington, DC — Being a climate leader means keeping all fossil fuels in the ground and accelerating a just transition for workers and communities. US President Biden and other heads of state from major emitting countries gathered at the Climate Leadership Summit … Read More.
Brussels — Today, leading international health and environmental groups released a letter to European leaders urging immediate action to ban the sale and use of face masks and other personal protective equipment containing nanographene and other nanoparticles. The demand comes days after Canadian health authorities released a public advisory and ban on disposable masks containing … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 23, 2021 On Monday, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights drew attention to the impacts of transmission line projects, among other infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric dams, which have endangered the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples in Panama. The Committee further noted the importance of protecting … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) During today’s adoption of the outcome of Panama’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Indigenous Ngäbe leader Feliciano Santos addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council about the need for Panama to redouble its efforts to meet its international obligations regarding the rights of Indigenous peoples. Mr. Santos represents Indigenous Ngäbe … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) March 9, 2021 The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is initiating a periodic review of the situation of these fundamental human rights in Panama, including the right of every person to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being and to participate in the cultural … Read More.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council released a statement raising “serious concerns” about further industrialization of Cancer Alley in Louisiana, saying that the “development of petrochemical complexes is a form of environmental racism.” The statement comes after years of campaigning by Louisiana residents and the … Read More.
Geneva, Switzerland–Today, the UNFCCC released its initial Nationally Determined Contribution Synthesis Report, tallying the greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments of countries that had submitted their plans as of December 2020. The countries included in the report represent 40% of the parties to the Paris Agreement and account for 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The … Read More.
Geneva, Switzerland—Today, civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations sent a formal request to meet with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu to discuss widespread public concern with FAO’s announcement last November of plans to formalize a partnership with CropLife International (CLI) — the global trade association of the world’s biggest agrochemical … Read More.
CIEL Statement on IACHR Precautionary Measures regarding defender in Nicaragua February 9, 2021 (español abajo) Washington, DC—Recognizing the active threat to Nicaraguan environmental defender, Olman Salazar Umanor, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has requested the adoption of Precautionary Measures to protect Mr. Salazar Umanor and his family. Mr. Salazar Umanor is a member of … Read More.
A longstanding human rights and environmental advocate, Ambassador Khan has the potential to drive the Human Rights Council towards better inclusivity and accountability Geneva – On January 15, the Human Rights Council elected Fiji’s Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan as its President for 2021. In response to the election, Sébastien Duyck, Senior Attorney, Climate & Energy … Read More.
Washington, D.C. – The United States Supreme Court heard arguments today in BP PLC v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the latest salvo in the oil industry’s efforts to prevent the rising tide of climate lawsuits across the country from being heard on their merits. Relying on an arcane procedural statute, industry defendants have … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) January 6, 2021 Washington, DC — In the wake of today’s attack on the United States Congress, CIEL President Carroll Muffett issued the following statement. Donald John Trump poses a clear and present danger to public safety, democracy, constitutional order, and the rule of law in the United States. His … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 22 December 2020 Washington, DC — In a decision that disappointed climate advocates while offering little comfort to oil producers or investors, the Norwegian Supreme Court today upheld the government’s 2011 and 2013 grants of exploration licenses in the Arctic but put a big question mark on whether any oil discovered could … Read More.
U.N. review of human rights in Panama reveals a need for greater protection of territorial rights and the lack of a firm commitment to ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 13, 2020 (español abajo) During the thirty-sixth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which concludes today at the seat of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2020 Washington, DC — A new investigative report published today in Energy & Environment News reveals that leading US auto companies were on notice of links between climate change and fossil fuels by the late 1950s and actively conducting climate-relevant research nearly a half-century ago. The report couples research and … Read More.
International NGOs Welcome the Announcement, Urging Quick Take-up from the Human Rights Council October 16, 2020 Geneva — Faced with the increased human rights threats caused by climate change across the region, The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is calling upon the PIF Leaders to work towards the establishment of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2020 (Español abajo) As many Indigenous Peoples throughout the Americas observe October 12th as a Day of Resistance, the Indigenous Ngäbe, Buglé, and Campesino Peoples declare that Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line is replicating a pattern of marginalization and subjugation that has been perpetuated against their peoples for centuries. Within the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2020 (Español abajo) Washington, DC — Amid suspicions that mining interests in Nicaragua are advancing through intimidation and illegal acquisition of land, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is informing the United Nations and Inter-American human rights systems of potential abuses. The following is a statement from Carla García … Read More.
(Gothenburg, Sweden) As people and ecosystems around the world are increasingly exposed to multiple and interacting hazardous chemicals, experts from leading international law and global chemical safety organizations are releasing a groundbreaking report that offers a clear pathway to finance the control and regulate toxic chemicals and waste: a producer-pays tax on basic chemicals. The … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2020 Washington, DC — More than 40 organizations sent a letter today to US Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, US Coast Guard, and the US Occupational Health and Safety Administration urging them to address recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in the oil and gas … Read More.
Freedom of Information Act-released documents expose how US trade negotiations may undermine Kenya’s progress on plastic and chemical safety Washington, DC—Investigative reports by the New York Times and Unearthed reveal close coordination between chemical and plastic industry representatives and Trump Administration officials as they negotiate a trade deal with Kenya that would undo environmental and … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2020. Chilean organizations, Citizen Coordinator “No Alto Maipo” (CCNAM) and Ecosistemas, with US-based organization Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) applaud the recent statement issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to drinking water and sanitation, Léo Heller, where he warns that “the Chilean government would … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 10, 2020 Washington, DC–The United Nations Human Rights Committee is taking further steps to review Guyana’s human rights obligations. Following the Committee’s July meeting, they are now requesting that Guyana respond to questions about how the nation’s recent expansion into offshore oil production will impact human rights. The Committee specifically … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2020–On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies call on the State of Panama to take the necessary measures to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, territory, and health before approving any project that could affect them, including Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission … Read More.
On July 17, 2020 and as part of its forty-fourth session, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Marcos A. Orellana for the position the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Statement by David Azoulay, Environmental Health Director at the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2020 Geneva — Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability by an overwhelming majority. The following is a statement from Giulia Carlini, Environmental Health attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on today’s vote: “In the seven years since the World Health … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2020 Washington, DC—Amidst the ongoing pandemic crisis, the oil majors are racking up debt and selling off assets, in moves that aim to project stability but instead reveal the industry’s increasing fragility. A new brief released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) highlights the latest signals that … Read More.