Emissions from new petrochemical projects surpass US commercial aviation. WASHINGTON, Sept 24, 2024 — The US is poised for a petrochemical buildout that threatens critical climate targets and locks us into dangerous levels of greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come, according to a new report from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Emissions … Read More.
NEW YORK, September 23, 2024—The UN Summit of the Future, which concludes today, brought together leaders from 193 UN member states on September 22-23 to revisit global governance in the face of escalating crises such as climate change, geopolitical tensions, and inequality. The resulting Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration … Read More.
WASHINGTON, September 18, 2024—Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in New York and available for comment during the UN Summit of the Future from September 22-23, and Climate Week NYC 2024 from September 22-28. As New York City hosts both the opening of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly … Read More.
WASHINGTON, 29 de agosto del 2024—El Centro para el Derecho Internacional Ambiental (CIEL, por sus siglas en inglés) celebra la decisión unánime de la Corte Constitucional de Colombia que declaró este miércoles la constitucionalidad del Acuerdo de Escazú, y por lo tanto su entrada en vigor en el país. Este Acuerdo regional sobre el acceso … Read More.
WASHINGTON, August 29, 2024—The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) celebrates the unanimous decision by Colombia’s Constitutional Court on Wednesday declaring the constitutionality of the Escazú Agreement, thereby affirming its entry into force in the country This regional agreement on access to information, public participation, and justice in environmental matters represents a significant breakthrough for … Read More.
GENEVA, August 29, 2024 – The Swiss government’s August 28 statement rejecting the European Court of Human Rights’s groundbreaking climate ruling is an embarrassment for Switzerland, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). On April 9, the Court found that Switzerland violated the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to implement sufficient … Read More.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, 20 de agosto de 2024—Hoy, más de 400 comunidades, pueblos, y actores de la sociedad civil entregan a la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (Corte IDH) la “Declaración de Manaos sobre los Derechos Humanos en la Emergencia Climática”. El documento, que recibió un amplio respaldo, insta a la Corte a que … Read More.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, August 20, 2024 – Today, a coalition comprising over 400 communities, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, and representatives of civil society presented the “Manaus Declaration on Human Rights in the Climate Emergency” to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR). The widely endorsed declaration calls on the Court to articulate, in its … Read More.
WASHINGTON, August 14, 2024 — Following a Reuters story announcing the Biden-Harris Administration’s shift to favor production reduction in the ongoing global plastics treaty negotiations, Rachel Radvany, Environmental Health Campaigner at the Center for International Environmental Law issued the following statement: “We welcome the story that the United States is open to changing some of … Read More.
OTTAWA, Canada / TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE, July 24, 2024 — Export Development Canada (EDC) has renewed a $200- to $300-million loan to oil and gas giant Enbridge Inc., despite environmental organizations raising the alarm about the serious climate consequences and human rights concerns of this financing. EDC is a federal … Read More.
SOFIA, Bulgaria, July 23, 2024 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Sofia, engaging in the 61st session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the UN body responsible for climate science — from July 26 to August 2 and are available for comment. The IPCC meeting in Sofia … Read More.
BRUSSELS, July 18, 2024 — Despite divisions among European Union (EU) Member States, Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as President of the European Commission after securing enough votes from the European Parliament. In reaction to von der Leyen’s appointment and in light of the EU’s Strategic Agenda and Political Guidelines 2024-29, Lili Fuhr, … Read More.
WASHINGTON, 16 de julio de 2024–Mañana, el Comité para la Eficacia en el Desarrollo (CODE) del Directorio Ejecutivo del Banco Mundial debatirá el proyecto del Marco de Remediación y Salida Responsable de la CFI, que pretende esbozar cómo la institución ofrecerá remedio a las comunidades perjudicadas por los proyectos que financia. Esta sería la … Read More.
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2024–Tomorrow, the Committee on Development Effectiveness (CODE) of the World Bank Board of Executive Directors will discuss the IFC’s draft Remedy and Responsible Exit Framework, which is intended to outline how the institution will deliver remedy to communities harmed by projects it finances. This would be the first policy to focus … Read More.
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2024 – Even as awareness of the scale of the plastics crisis grows, the financial and economic impacts of that crisis on governments have received far less attention. A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) — Making Plastic Polluters Pay: How Cities and States Can Recoup … Read More.
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2024 — The Center for International Environmental Law today announces that CIEL President and CEO Carroll Muffett will be stepping down from his role to become the new Executive Director of the Foundation for International Law for the Environment (FILE). Since joining CIEL in 2010, Carroll has led CIEL in greatly expanding its … Read More.
GENEVA, June 20, 2024 — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is deeply alarmed by the findings of the recent UNEP report detailing the extensive environmental damage in Gaza. The report reveals that ongoing conflict has severely impacted Gaza’s energy, water, sanitation, and waste management systems, leading to dire consequences for human health and … Read More.
Negligible progress by negotiators at SB60 is wildly out of step with the urgency of the climate crisis BONN, Germany, June 13, 2024 — States gathered for climate talks in Bonn once again failed to take the steps needed to urgently tackle the key drivers of the climate crisis, deliver the necessary finance, and ensure … Read More.
Environmental and health advocates call for strong conflict of interest policies, open access, and transparency in global policy deliberations GENEVA, June 10, 2024 — Ahead of the third open-ended working group (OEWG) meeting of a UN Environment Assembly process to develop a Science-Policy Panel for informing global policy development around chemicals, waste, and the prevention … Read More.
ALAMEDA, Calif, June 5, 2024 — The Center for International Environmental Law welcomed the Alameda City Council’s decision to say no to a highly contentious geoengineering experiment, echoing concerns from civil society organizations from across the world. Alameda City Council members voted unanimously on June 4 against the go-ahead of a controversial experiment to test … Read More.
GENEVA, June 4, 2024 — CIEL’s experts react to this week’s launch of the University of Oxford-led “State of Carbon Dioxide Removal report” a global assessment of the state of carbon dioxide removal technologies worldwide. Lili Fuhr, CIEL’s Fossil Economy Program Director, released the following statement: “The launch of the State of CDR report highlights … Read More.
ALAMEDA, Calif, May 30, 2024 — Today, Friends of the Earth US and the Center for International Environmental Law call on the Alameda City Council to reject a highly contentious geoengineering experiment, echoing concerns from civil society organizations from across the world. Alameda City Council members are due to vote on June 4 on whether … Read More.
GENEVA, May 30, 2024 —Today, the Council of the European Union adopted the European Union’s proposal to leave the controversial Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), an international agreement protecting fossil fuel investments. After years of campaigning for an exit, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) celebrates this victory for people, the environment, and the climate. … Read More.
BONN, Germany, May 30, 2024 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts are in Bonn, Germany, engaging in international climate negotiations during the 60th session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB60) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from June 2-13, and available for comment. The climate talks in Bonn take place against … Read More.
HAMBURG, Germany, May 21, 2024 — Today, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued a historic Advisory Opinion clarifying countries’ obligations to protect oceans from climate change. In the first-ever climate advisory opinion from an international court, ITLOS clearly stated that greenhouse gas emissions pollute the marine environment and States must … Read More.
WASHINGTON, May 20, 2024—Today, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) applied for arrest warrants for leaders of both Hamas and the State of Israel for war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by Hamas from at least October 7 and by Israel on an ongoing basis since October 8. The Prosecutor announced reasonable … Read More.
HAMBURG, Germany, May 13, 2024 — Experts from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are closely monitoring and available to comment on an international court opinion expected to clarify actions required of States to protect oceans from climate change. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) opinion, expected on May 21, … Read More.
NEW YORK, May 2, 2024 — On April 26, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) once again called on Canada and the US to decommission Line 5. In its report, the UNPFII included the following recommendation: “The Permanent Forum reiterates that the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline jeopardizes the Great Lakes … Read More.
Undermined By Deep-Rooted Industry Influence — Plastics Treaty Negotiations Fall Short Of What Is Required to Fullfill Their Mandate OTTAWA, Canada, April 30, 2024 — A week of negotiations in Ottawa has ended, failing to sufficiently advance the plastics treaty ahead of the final talks later this year. The fourth session of the intergovernmental negotiating … Read More.
GENEVA, April 29, 2024 — This week, Azerbaijan, host of this year’s UN climate summit (COP29), announced that they intend to defend the right of oil and gas-producing nations to invest in the sector. As the host of COP29 in November, Azerbaijan will oversee negotiations among nearly 200 countries on how to raise more … Read More.
OTTAWA, Canada, April 25, 2024 — 196 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists have registered for the critical fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to advance a global plastics treaty. A new analysis from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), in collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples Caucus, Greenpeace, the Break Free From … Read More.
Break Free From Plastic members and allies peacefully demand a human-rights based approach to the Plastics Treaty ahead of fourth round of negotiations OTTAWA, Canada | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People, April 21, 2024— Today, hundreds of impacted community leaders and experts from around the world came together in the streets of Ottawa … Read More.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, April 18, 2024 — Less than two weeks after the top European human rights court condemned Switzerland’s inadequate action to combat climate change in a landmark ruling, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will hold a first public hearing on its forthcoming Advisory Opinion on State obligations related to the climate emergency … Read More.
OTTAWA, Canada, April 10, 2024 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Ottawa and available for comment during the Fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to advance a plastics treaty from April 23-29, 2024. CIEL experts will closely follow negotiations, tracking progress toward advancing a draft of the treaty text. In particular, they will … Read More.
STRASBOURG, France, April 9, 2024 — Today, the European Court of Human Rights issued a groundbreaking ruling in the Verein Klimaseniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland climate case. The Court found Switzerland in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights for failing to implement sufficient measures to combat climate change. Center for International … Read More.
Astrid Puentes and Elisa Morgera have been Appointed as UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to a Healthy Environment and on Human Rights and Climate Change, respectively GENEVA, April 5, 2024 — Today, during its 55th session, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Astrid Puentes for the position of UN Special Rapporteur on the right … Read More.
STRASBOURG, France, April 4, 2024 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will attend the April 9 public hearings at the European Court of Human Rights and will be available to comment on three forthcoming climate change and human rights rulings by the Court. The three landmark climate lawsuits are: KlimaSeniorinnen v. Switzerland … Read More.
AMSTERDAM / SYDNEY / Suva, Fiji, March 22, 2024 — Today marks a significant milestone in the historic campaign to take climate change to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the deadline for State written submissions closes. This moment follows on from the landmark resolution to seek an advisory … Read More.
WASHINGTON, March 11, 2024 — In a historic decision by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Canadian mining company Gabriel Resources lost its damage claim against the government of Romania. The company was ordered to reimburse Romania for the cost of arbitration, as well as a portion of the government’s legal costs. … Read More.
CIEL welcomed today’s report by UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri, and his call for States to reject or suspend any offshore oil and gas activity that deprives small-scale fishers and fish workers of their fundamental human rights. GENEVA, March 7, 2024 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts are … Read More.
WASHINGTON, March 6, 2024 — Today, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its long-awaited climate disclosure rule, falling short of the robust standards that investors need and that the agency has the authority and responsibility to set. SEC Chair Gary Gensler had initially promised a rule that would provide investors with “consistent, comparable, … Read More.
DUBAI, UAE, March 5, 2024 — The Thirteenth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) closed with a Ministerial Statement on Plastic Pollution. The Ministerial Statement proposes a series of actions to curb trade in plastics, promotes “alternatives” and “substitutes” to plastics, and recognizes the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) process of the plastics treaty as … Read More.
The Mandate to Advance Negotiations for a Plastics Treaty Still Stands — Despite Efforts to Undermine the Upcoming Negotiations NAIROBI, Kenya, March 1, 2024 — The Ministerial Declaration of the Sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) was adopted earlier today. The declaration includes a reaffirmation of UNEA resolution 5/14 — the mandate to create … Read More.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, February 29, 2024 — The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has formally announced two public hearings regarding their forthcoming Advisory Opinion on State obligations related to the climate emergency and human rights. The hearings, which will be held in Bridgetown, Barbados (April 23-25), and in Brasilia and Manaus, Brazil (May … Read More.
NAIROBI, Kenya, FEBRUARY 29, 2024— Climate-vulnerable states successfully blocked a dangerous push to legitimize solar geoengineering technologies, in a significant development welcomed by the Center for International Environmental Law during the sixth United Nations Environment Assembly, UNEA-6, in the Kenyan capital. Efforts by Switzerland, Monaco, Georgia, and Israel, which sought to establish an Expert Scientific … Read More.
WASHINGTON, February 9, 2024—The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) condemns Israel’s declared intention to forcibly transfer more than 1 million civilians from Rafah, Gaza. Forcible transfer of civilian populations is universally recognized as a war crime; and claims that such transfers are intended to protect civilians from hostilities do not withstand scrutiny. CIEL calls … Read More.
BRUSSELS, February 1, 2024 — Commenting on the European Union’s 2040 climate target and a proposed Industrial Carbon Management Strategy due to be presented by the EU’s executive Commission on February 6, CIEL Fossil Economy Program Director Lili Fuhr said: “‘Carbon management’ is a new code word for climate inaction and fossil fuel subsidies. … Read More.
NAIROBI, Kenya, December 15, 2023 — The second session of the Ad hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-2) on the Science-Policy Panel — to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution — has ended with Member States taking promising steps toward creating the Panel. OEWG-2 has been tasked … Read More.
NEW YORK, December 15, 2023 — Today the Global Coalition of Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Social Movements, and Local Communities for the Universal Recognition of the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment accepted the prestigious 2023 United Nations Human Rights Prize. This month also marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration … Read More.
In the face of mounting climate chaos, incremental steps and loophole language are a leap backward. Experts are available to comment in Dubai as well as in the United States DUBAI, UAE, December 13, 2023 – The COP28 United Nations climate summit, which concluded today in Dubai, revealed a stark contrast between what people power, … Read More.
DUBAI, UAE, December 9, 2023 — A new analysis conducted by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uncovered the presence of at least 475 lobbyists at COP28 specializing in Carbon Capture (Utilization) and Storage (CC(U)S) projects. This analysis comes three days after the Kick Big Polluters Out Coalition reported a record 2,456 fossil … Read More.
DUBAI, UAE, November 29, 2023 — As we convene at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reaffirms its dedication to fostering a world where the interdependence of humans and the environment, and the dignity, equality, and human rights of all are recognized and respected. As … Read More.
DUBAI, UAE, November 22, 2023 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be available for comment during the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP28, from November 30 – December 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. CIEL experts will be closely following the negotiations and … Read More.
Absent a Major Course Correction, Ottawa will host a “Polite but Massive Failure.” NAIROBI, Kenya, November 19, 2023 — A week of negotiations in Nairobi left all options on the table for a proposed Global Plastic Treaty but fell far short of the progress needed to deliver an ambitious treaty on an equally ambitious timeline. Governments … Read More.
New report exposes offshore CCS as a dangerous distraction from real progress on climate change WASHINGTON, November 16, 2023 — Offshore Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is no solution to fossil fuel pollution, according to a new report from the Center for International Environmental Law. Deep Trouble: The Risks of Offshore Carbon Capture and Storage … Read More.
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 15, 2023 — 143 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists have registered to attend the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) to advance a global plastics treaty, gaining access to the negotiations at a time when the talks are entering a critical phase. A new analysis from the Center … Read More.
WASHINGTON, November 15, 2023 —The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) stands in solidarity with partners, colleagues, and all of those who have peacefully demonstrated in Panama. Thousands of people in both urban and rural areas of Panama have taken to the streets to demonstrate their rejection of metallic mining in response to g recent … Read More.
15 de noviembre de 2023 WASHINGTON, DC —El Centro para el Derecho Ambiental Internacional (CIEL, por sus siglas en inglés) se une en solidaridad con compañeros, compañeras, colegas, y todos aquellos quienes se han manifestado de forma pacífica en Panamá. Miles de personas tanto en las ciudades como en zonas rurales de Panamá, han salido … Read More.
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 8, 2023 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Nairobi and available for comment during the Third Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) to advance a plastics treaty from November 13 – 19. CIEL experts will closely follow negotiations, tracking progress toward adopting a mandate to advance the draft of … Read More.
More Than 100 Countries Announced their Intention to Regulate Harmful Technologies GENEVA / BERLIN, October 16, 2023 —The Center for International Environmental Law and the Heinrich Böll Foundation have welcomed a statement that indicates the intention to regulate four highly problematic marine geoengineering technologies. The Parties to the London Convention and Protocol, international treaties that regulate … Read More.
BONN, Germany, October 3, 2023 — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomed the adoption of the Global Framework on Chemicals and Waste (GFC*), on September 30 at the Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5) in Bonn, Germany. The new framework, for a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste, is … Read More.
STRASBOURG, France, September 27, 2023 — In a landmark climate lawsuit, the European Court of Human Rights heard today six youth plaintiffs from Portugal who argue that government inaction in 33 countries discriminates against young people and poses a risk to their lives and health. The first hearing of the historic lawsuit Duarte Agostinho … Read More.
HAMBURG, Germany, September 25, 2023 —Today, two weeks of public hearings regarding state responsibility for addressing the climate crisis came to a close at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). More than 50 states and organizations, including the Center for International Environmental Law, weighed in through written submissions and/or oral arguments. … Read More.
BONN, Germany, September 23, 2023 — Experts from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are available for comment on the future of global chemicals policy and how policymakers worldwide can work toward a toxic-free future. From September 23 to September 29, CIEL attorneys will participate in the negotiations to adopt a new international … Read More.
New ‘Climate Overshoot Commission’ Report Endorses Unproven Carbon Removal, Leaves Door Open to Risky Solar Geoengineering Experiments NEW YORK, September 14, 2023 – The Center for International Environmental Law today expresses serious concerns about the new report released by the biased “Climate Overshoot Commission.” The Commission itself has been criticized by experts and its own participants. Several … Read More.
Authoritative statements and language from recent human rights expert reports MEDIA BRIEF September 11, 2023 Geoengineering technologies – carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar geoengineering or solar radiation modification (SRM technologies) – pose significant, unprecedented risks to a wide range of human rights. These risks disproportionately affect vulnerable and marginalized communities, and the technologies remain … Read More.
HAMBURG, Germany, September 11, 2023 — From September 11 to September 25, experts from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are following the public hearings at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on its advisory opinion related to state responsibility in the context of climate change and are available … Read More.
GENEVA, August 29, 2023 – This week, as United Nations Member States prepare to review Canada’s human rights record as part of the Universal Periodic Review, Indigenous communities and their allies are urging the government of Canada to respect their rights and oppose the Line 5 oil pipeline. Owned and operated by the Canadian … Read More.
GENEVA, August 28, 2023 — CIEL welcomed today’s new authoritative United Nations guidance which recognizes the grave impacts of environmental crises on children’s rights and provides guidance on what governments must do to prevent, mitigate, and remediate such harms as a matter of their legally binding obligations. The UN Committee on the Rights of the … Read More.
August 25, 2023 GENEVA, CH — This month, an international human rights expert appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council released a report in which he recommends that Canada “cease construction or operation of the Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain and Line 5 pipelines, until the free, prior and informed consent of the Indigenous Peoples … Read More.
14 de agosto de 2023 WASHINGTON, DC — En un caso histórico de litigio climático, un tribunal del estado de Montana dictaminó hoy a favor de unos jóvenes demandantes quienes alegaron que el Estado violaba su derecho a un “ambiente limpio y saludable” al permitir la explotación de combustibles fósiles sin tener en cuenta su … Read More.
WASHINGTON, August 14, 2023 — In a landmark climate litigation case, a Montana state court ruled today in favor of youth plaintiffs who alleged the state violated their right to a “clean and healthful environment” by allowing fossil fuel development without considering its effect on the climate. The trial was the first of its … Read More.
WASHINGTON, August 9, 2023 — The leaders of State Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT) gathered in the Brazilian city of Belém for a two-day summit, with the aim of reaching an agreement to address the threats to the Amazon rainforest and highlight its significance in confronting the climate crisis. The Amazon Summit, … Read More.
GENEVA, July 20, 2023 — The Global Coalition of Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Social Movements, and Local Communities for the Universal Recognition of the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment has been awarded the prestigious 2023 United Nations Human Rights Prize. The coalition is recognized for its vital role in advocating … Read More.
The New Principles Clarify and Crystalize International Law As It Applies To The Human Rights of Future Generations NEW YORK, JULY 13, 2023 — As courts and governments worldwide increasingly grapple with finding a balance between pressing challenges and obligations to future generations, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes a new set of … Read More.
Europe’s Response to the Threat of Solar Geoengineering Must Uphold the Precautionary Principle and Strengthen Restrictive Governance GENEVA / BRUSSELS, June 29, 2023 — The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted on 28 June, 2023 a Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council laying … Read More.
GENEVA, June 28th, 2023 — In an unprecedented step, States at the Annual Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention — an agreement on access to information and environmental decision-making — acknowledged the need to curb corporate capture in international decision-making spaces to guarantee meaningful environmental democracy. At the end of the meeting, … Read More.
Despite Mounting Pressure and Momentum for Fossil Phaseout Globally, Once Again, the Talks Failed to Advance Urgent, Ambitious, and Equitable Climate Action BONN, Germany, June 15, 2023 — Governments at the climate negotiations at the 58th session of the Subsidiary Bodies to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (SB58) shamefully failed to reflect the urgent … Read More.
Delay Tactics and Rules of Procedure Debate Remain a Threat to the Future of the Plastics Treaty PARIS, June 2, 2023 — The second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) to develop a treaty to end plastic pollution was dominated by delay tactics and maneuvers to neuter any possibility of an effective treaty before negotiations of the … Read More.
BONN, Germany, June 1, 2023 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts are in Bonn, Germany, engaging in international climate negotiations during the 58th session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB58) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from June 5 to June 15, and available for comment. The climate talks in Bonn … Read More.
PARIS, May 31, 2023 — Following the adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the Second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) to develop the future plastics treaty, David Azoulay, Director of the Environmental Health Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), issued the following statement: “We have lost a day and a half of … Read More.
PARIS, May 29th, 2023 — At the start of the second intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-2) to advance an internationally legally binding agreement on plastics pollution, delegates and observers are coming together to brief the media on what is needed to advance a treaty with high ambition. The work of INC-2 will focus on the decisions … Read More.
PARIS, May 24, 2023 — Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts are in Paris and available for comment during the Second Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) to advance a plastics treaty from May 29th – June 2nd. CIEL experts will closely follow negotiations, tracking progress toward establishing a mandate for developing a zero draft of … Read More.
STRASBOURG, France, May 17, 2023 — This week, Council of Europe (CoE) nations gathered for a once-in-a-generation summit in Reykjavik, Iceland. To demonstrate their unity in the face of the devastating Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, European governments met to reaffirm their commitment to core European values, including the rule of law, democracy, and human … Read More.
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2023 — Today’s announcement that UNEP will limit observer participation at the upcoming second intergovernmental negotiations committee to advance a plastics treaty (INC-2) was immediately met with objections from civil society organizations. Jane Patton, Plastics and Petrochemicals Campaign Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law, issued the following statement: “Observer … Read More.
GENEVA, May 12, 2023 — States at the United Nations Triple Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs) made progress on key issues related to chemicals management. Parties voted to ban three highly toxic chemicals and introduce compliance mechanisms after more than 15 years of inaction. However, they once … Read More.
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Experts Track the UN Triple Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions May 1st, 2023 GENEVA (CH) – CIEL experts are participating in and tracking the United Nations chemicals and waste negotiations at the Triple Conferences of the Parties of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm … Read More.
April 13, 2023 WASHINGTON, DC — This week, 4,577 individuals from around the world demanded that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) guarantee justice for communities harmed by international development projects. An alliance of civil society organizations (CSOs) hand-delivered the thousands of signatures in a petition to the IFC Board. The call echoes a similar statement … Read More.
Órganos de Tratados de las Naciones Unidas expresan su preocupación frente al proyecto de la Cuarta Línea de Transmisión Eléctrica de Panamá, exigiendo a Panamá el respeto al derecho de los pueblos indígenas al consentimiento libre, previo e informado 10 de abril de 2023 (English here) GINEBRA — En el mes de marzo, dos órganos … Read More.
UN Treaty Bodies express concern about Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line Project, call on Panama to respect Indigenous peoples’ right to free, prior & informed consent April 11, 2023 (español aquí) GENEVA (CH) — In March, two United Nations bodies issued their findings about the situation of human rights in Panama, revealing that the Panamanian … Read More.
April 4th, 2023 GENEVA (CH) – Today, the UN Human Rights Council adopted its first resolution following the UN universal recognition of the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. The fact that this resolution was adopted by consensus demonstrates that momentum continues to build towards the effective legal protection of the human … Read More.
March 29, 2023 NEW YORK (US) / STRASBOURG (FR) – Today, two critical developments at international institutions are advancing efforts to clarify and enforce states’ human rights obligations in the face of climate change. One is the first-ever public hearings at the European Court of Human Rights on climate cases addressing the duty of states … Read More.
March 20, 2023 Geneva and Interlaken (CH) – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the UN body responsible for climate science — released its latest Synthesis Report, including a Summary for Policymakers, summarizing key findings from six major IPCC reports published since 2014. In this latest report, the IPCC once again unequivocally warns … Read More.
Export of Toxic Pesticides Harms Indigenous Peoples, Vulnerable Populations March 8, 2023 WASHINGTON (US) — The Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for International Environmental Law filed a legal petition today urging the Environmental Protection Agency to forbid the export of pesticides banned in the United States to any country without prior consent of … Read More.
March 3, 2022 NAIROBI (KE) — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomed the incremental steps taken by States and stakeholders to establish a new framework to promote global chemical safety at United Nations negotiations this past week. The resumed fourth meeting of the intersessional process considering the Strategic Approach and sound management of chemicals … Read More.
March 2, 2023 GENEVA (CH) — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) celebrates yesterday’s announcement that 105 countries co-sponsored a UN resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on human rights and climate change. The advisory opinion was initially requested following an initiative by the island country Vanuatu. CIEL’s … Read More.
February 22, 2023 Washington, DC — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) joins an alliance of civil society organizations to assert that a newly released proposal on remedial action by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) falls short of expectations and fails to provide a comprehensive plan for … Read More.
February 21, 2023 GENEVA (CH) — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomed the tabling of a UN resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on human rights and climate change, which had been requested following an initiative by Vanuatu. CIEL’s Climate and Energy Program Director Nikki Reisch said: … Read More.
February 16, 2023 WASHINGTON, DC — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes the announcement that the Trump-appointed president of the World Bank, David Malpass, is resigning from his position. In response, Carla García Zendejas, the Director of People, Land, and Resources at CIEL issued the following statement: “The World Bank’s credibility has been … Read More.
February 3, 2022 BANGKOK (TH) —The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomed steps taken by States gathered in Thailand to advance the establishment of a new Science-Policy Panel on the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution. Despite a limited agenda and some challenges in the run-up to the meeting, States … Read More.