WASHINGTON, DC — In just one month since the Dina Boluarte government came to power, at least 48 civilians have been killed in the context of social protests, 41 of them as the result of wounds caused by gunfire. Human rights groups have sharply criticized Peruvian security forces, which appear to be responsible for most … Read More.
12 de enero de 2023 Washington, DC – Los Emiratos Árabes Unidos (EAU) han anunciado hoy el nombramiento del Sultán Al Jaber como presidente designado de la próxima cumbre de la ONU sobre el clima COP28, que se celebrará del 30 de noviembre al 12 de diciembre en Dubai. El Sultán Al Jaber es jefe … Read More.
January 12, 2023 WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced its appointment of Sultan Al Jaber as President-Designate of the upcoming UN climate summit COP28, which is scheduled to take place from November 30-December 12 in Dubai. Sultan Al Jaber is chief of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the world’s … Read More.
PRI accountability mechanism fails, enables greenwashing by trillion dollar pension fund December 13th, 2022 New York (US) – The Board of the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) confirmed its decision to dismiss a complaint filed against the $1.2 trillion pension fund Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association (TIAA) by nearly 800 TIAA clients—faculty from a wide … Read More.
PUNTA DEL ESTE (UY) — This week, States and stakeholders from around the world gathered in Uruguay to begin the negotiations to advance an international plastics treaty. While the agenda for the first meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-1) appeared to be full of procedural matters, critical decisions ranging from the composition of the … Read More.
November 30th, 2022 GENEVA (CH) — In October, Vanuatu announced its initiative to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on human rights and climate change at the opening of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Today a core group of eighteen regionally diverse countries tabled a draft resolution … Read More.
November 30th, 2022 BRUSSELS (BE) — The European Commission today delivered a proposal for a new legislative framework to certify carbon removal offsets. Members of Real Zero Europe, a coalition campaign that together with over 200 European and international organizations, issued a statement on Monday highlighting the danger of the EU net zero strategy’s reliance … Read More.
Over 170 civil society organizations, led by a coalition campaign Real Zero Europe, have slammed the European Commission’s leaked proposal for EU carbon removal, stating it is “full of red flags.” 28th November 2022 Brussels (BE) — The criticism comes just days ahead of the Commission’s expected legislative proposal for a new Carbon Removals Certification Framework, which outlines the … Read More.
November 19, 2022 WASHINGTON, DC — In the months preceding COP27, unprecedented climate disasters around the globe were coupled with near-universal recognition that climate action must urgently accelerate to avoid even more catastrophic temperature increases. At the same time, the international community has increasingly recognized that the continued use of fossil fuels is incompatible with … Read More.
November 19, 2022 WASHINGTON, DC— As COP27 draws to a close, negotiations have centered around topics including fossil fuels, loss and damage, Article 6, public participation, and States’ climate ambition. Members of the Center for International Environmental Law COP delegation had the following responses: Nikki Reisch, Director of Climate & Energy on fossil fuels: “The … Read More.
November 16, 2022 Sharm El-Sheik — In the middle of the overlapping UN climate negotiations and the G20 summit, Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law issued the following statement: “Amidst an accelerating climate emergency and rapidly shrinking window to stay below 1.5 degrees of warming, it is time to … Read More.
Sharm El-Sheik — With the climate talks in Sharm El-Sheik officially ending on Friday, attention is turning to the final outcomes of COP27 and what will make it into the official communique: the cover decision. Parties face an urgent global call to build on, and not backslide from, the Glasgow Climate Pact, and to send … Read More.
Recommendations released at COP27 highlight greenwashing risks of ‘net zero,’ while falling short on carbon offsets and human rights November 8, 2022 Sharm El-Sheik, EGY / Washington, DC — Today, the UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (HLEG) published its long-awaited recommendations “to prevent net zero from being undermined … Read More.
November 7, 2022 Sharm El-Sheik — Following COP26, the Article 6 Supervisory Body had two tasks: develop methodologies for the overall carbon market mechanism, and second provide recommendations related to the removals. During the opening days of COP27, the Supervisory Body proposal, Removal activities under the Article 6.4 mechanism was released. Center for International Environmental Law … Read More.
October 31st, 2022 SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EG / WASHINGTON, DC – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be in Sharm El-Sheikh and available for comment during the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) from November 6 – November 18. COP27 is taking place as climate impacts … Read More.
October 19, 2022 New York, NY — Nearly 300 clients of the $1.2 trillion retirement giant TIAA filed a formal complaint today with the UN-sponsored Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, alleging TIAA’s substantial investments in fossil fuels and deforestation violate TIAA’s climate pledges and commitment to the six Principles for Responsible Investment. TIAA participants, … Read More.
October 6, 2022 Washington, DC — Chemical fertilizers derived from fossil fuels (“fossil fertilizers”) are an underrecognized driver of climate change, biodiversity loss, and toxic pollution, and yet the fertilizer industry is increasingly portraying itself as part of the solution to these converging planetary crises. Together with oil and gas companies, agrochemical producers are promoting … Read More.
6 Oktober 2022 Washington, DC — Chemische Düngemittel, die aus fossilen Rohstoffen gewonnen werden (“fossile Düngemittel”), sind ein weitestgehend unterschätzter Treiber für Klimawandel, Artensterben und Schadstoffbelastungen. Dennoch stellt sich die Düngemittelindustrie zunehmend als Teil der Lösung dieser konvergierenden planetarischen Krisen dar. Gemeinsam mit Öl- und Gasunternehmen werben die Hersteller von Agrochemikalien für die Kohlenstoffabscheidung und … Read More.
New report reveals the urgency to cut plastic production to reduce the European Union’s dependence on fossil fuels and Russian oil and gas September 27th, 2022 BRUSSELS (BE) – As the EU faces a looming gas shortage, EU countries are looking to consumers to shoulder the brunt of reductions and are pursuing deals to secure new … Read More.
September 23rd, 2022 GENEVA – Today, the UN Human Rights Committee issued a watershed decision finding that Australia’s inadequate action on climate change violates the rights of the Torres Strait Islanders and requesting that the State provide full reparation for the climate-related harms suffered, including adequate compensation and measures to prevent future violations. In response … Read More.
Washington, DC — Following reporting that JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and other US banks are threatening to leave the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) over strengthened criteria that would hamper and limit their fossil fuel financing. Center for International Environmental Law Senior Attorney Hana Heineken issued the following … Read More.
September 14, 2022 Washington, DC / New Orleans, LA — Today, a Louisiana District Court threw out the air permits issued by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to FG LA, a Formosa Plastics Group company, for the construction of a massive new petrochemical complex in St. James Parish, Louisiana. The court determined that … Read More.
September 12, 2022 Washington, DC — Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes Michelle Williams as its new Chief Financial Officer. Michelle brings over twenty years of experience as an accounting specialist with a commitment to the nonprofit sector, having led financial teams at multiple non-profit organizations, including those working in social service, … Read More.
August 15, 2022 Washington, DC —The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) expresses its solidarity with the Comité de Santurbán. We are deeply concerned to learn of reprisals, including death threats against union workers from the Sindicato del Acueducto de Bucaramanga SINTRAEMSDES for their relentless work in defending the Santurbán Páramo in Colombia. Páramos (high … Read More.
The Center for International Environmental Law mourns the passing last week of our dear friend and colleague Sandra Smithey. Sandra was a beloved member of the CIEL family, a keystone in the global fight to make development finance just and sustainable, a strategic partner, board member, mentor, and friend. In her two decades as a … Read More.
August 7th, 2022 Washington, DC — Following the Senate’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Senior Attorney Steven Feit issued the following response: “Solving the climate crisis requires eliminating fossil fuels, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 simply does not do this. The investments in renewable … Read More.
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.