World Bank Will Investigate Whether Transmission Line Project in Panama Failed to Properly Consult Affected Indigenous Peoples

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 3, 2020 Panama City/Washington, DC—The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private arm of the World Bank, will be investigated for possible violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the context of its financing of an electrical transmission line in Panama. The Fourth Transmission Line (“PL IV”), which is … Read More.

Guyanese Court Fails to Hold Oil Companies to their Environmental Commitments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 13, 2020 Yesterday, a Guyanese court issued a ruling in a judicial review action brought against the government and three companies — Esso (Exxon), Hess, and CNOOC Nexen — for failing to comply with the Environmental Protection Act.  “Ironically, this ruling comes just as a new study shows the Deepwater Horizon disaster … Read More.

CIEL Denounces Reprisals Aimed at Nicaraguan Defenders for Publicly Noting IFC Divestment from Controversial Mine Project

January 2020 Washington, DC — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) denounces an ongoing wave of intimidation, retaliation, and criminalization targeting Nicaraguan environmental defenders and community leaders who have publicly opposed plans for a controversial gold mining project in Santa Cruz de la India, Nicaragua. On December 18, 2019, a group of approximately 15 … Read More.

Ninth Circuit Concludes US Government and Fossil Fuels Responsible for Grave Harms; Abdicates its Role to Remedy those Harms in Juliana v United States

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 17, 2020 Today, the Ninth Circuit delivered its ruling in Juliana v United States, the landmark climate case brought by 21 youth plaintiffs against the US government for violating their constitutional rights to a livable climate. “What is remarkable about this decision, and what will land it in legal textbooks for … Read More.

CIEL Welcomes Amanda Kistler as its Vice President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 1, 2020 Washington, DC – The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is excited to announce that Amanda Kistler will serve in a new position as CIEL’s Vice President, effective January 1. In this role, Amanda helps to shape CIEL’s strategic vision and translate it into ambitious but achievable goals and … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the Toxic Dimensions of the European Green Deal

December 12, 2019 The European Commission’s “European Green Deal” includes a Roadmap of policy initiatives on everything from reducing emissions, to implementing a circular economy, to protecting health and well-being.  Its climate chapter provides a comprehensive set of measures across key policy areas, yet the ambition and timeline for enhanced mitigation action remains below what … Read More.

Groundbreaking Inquiry in Philippines Links Carbon Majors to Human Rights Impacts of Climate Change, Calls for Greater Accountability

December 9, 2019 Madrid, Spain – At the United Nations climate negotiations (COP25) today, the national Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines announced the findings and recommendations from its path-breaking four-year inquiry into the human rights impacts of climate change in the Philippines and the contribution of 47 Carbon Major companies to those impacts. … Read More.

Lessons from CDM-Registered Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project: Impacted Communities Emphasize that Any Agreement on Climate Action Must Protect Human Rights & the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019 MADRID, SPAIN — Chilean activists present at the UN Climate Conference in Madrid (COP-25) are calling on negotiators to learn from the human rights violations and environmental damage caused by a hydroelectric project registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). They urge world leaders to ensure Article 6 of … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the Basel Convention Ban Amendment’s Entry into Force

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2019 Today, the Ban Amendment to the Basel Convention, a global prohibition on dumping hazardous waste, enters into force almost 25 years after its adoption and officially becomes international law. The Ban Amendment prohibits the world’s wealthiest countries (OECD, EU member states, Liechtenstein) from exporting hazardous waste to non-OECD countries … Read More.

New Report Confirms: Human Rights Are Integral to Climate Action

Recognition of Binding Human Rights Duties Gains Momentum in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change December 5, 2019 Madrid, Spain — Rights in a Changing Climate, a new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and funded by the Government of Luxembourg, provides the first comprehensive review of human-rights-related policies … Read More.

Legal Petition Seeks New Air Pollution Standards for Petrochemical Plants

December 3, 2019 Increasing Plastic Production Pollutes Communities, Fuels Global Warming WASHINGTON, DC ― More than 350 community and conservation organizations filed a legal petition today that demands the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopt strict air pollution standards for industrial plants that create plastic. Rising plastic production in the United States is releasing toxic air … Read More.

CIEL Expert Availability at UN Climate Conference (COP25) in Madrid

MEDIA ADVISORY November 29 – December 14, 2019 MADRID, SPAIN – CIEL experts will be in Madrid and available for comment during the 25th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) from December 1-14. Originally scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile, and cancelled just five weeks before the … Read More.

Inter-American Development Bank to Investigate Ituango Hydroelectric Project

Amid the humanitarian crisis caused by the hydropower plant in Colombia’s Cauca river basin, the IDB’s Board of Executive Directors approved an investigation of whether the Bank’s environmental and social standards were met in financing the dam. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) November 10, 2019  Washington DC—In a historic decision, the Board of Executive Directors … Read More.

Plastic Atlas Demonstrates Scale of Plastic Pollution Crisis and Solutions for a Zero-waste Future

49 detailed infographics over 19 chapters cover many aspects of plastic production, consumption, and disposal. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2019 (Originally posted at Heinrich Böll Stiftung: https://www.boell.de/en/2019/10/31/plastic-atlas-demonstrates-scale-plastic-pollution-crisis-and-solutions-zero-waste) Brussels/Manila/Washington, DC — Today, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Break Free From Plastic movement have published the international English edition of the Plastic Atlas, holding launch … Read More.

CIEL President Carroll Muffett Statement on the Trump Administration Withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2019 Statement by CIEL President Carroll Muffett: “The announcement today that the Trump Administration will withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement is another regrettable example of Mr. Trump’s approach to governance: deny reality, undermine collective action, and commit outrages in the name of corporate profits. The decision … Read More.

Green Climate Fund Pledging Summit: Civil Society Groups React to Outcome

Pledges now add up to $US 9.7 billion but countries must continue to fill the coffers through the replenishment period to meet the needs of vulnerable people and for global efforts to tackle climate crisis October 25, 2019 (Originally posted at Climate Action Network International: http://www.climatenetwork.org/press-release/green-climate-fund-pledging-summit-civil-society-groups-react-outcome) The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Pledging Conference concluded here today with … Read More.

ExxonMobil Faces Another Lawsuit: Massachusetts Sues for Climate Deception

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2019 Boston — Today, Massachusetts became the second state to sue ExxonMobil for misleading investors about climate change and the first to sue ExxonMobil for deceiving consumers. The lawsuit, filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, claims that the company knowingly deceived investors and consumers about the risks of climate … Read More.

Pre-COP25 Climate Negotiations Conclude in Costa Rica

Stronger attention to social inclusiveness and nature-based solutions, little progress on ambition October 10, 2019 San José – This week Costa Rica convened a “preCOP” climate conference to enable environment ministers and lead climate negotiators to exchange views on several key issues that will be at the core of the 2019 UN Climate Conference held … Read More.

Coalition of Environmental Groups Oppose Flawed Plastic Pollution Bill Being Voted on in U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. A group of 38 environmental organizations have banded together to urge the Committee members to reject this flawed piece of legislation and demand meaningful action. (See the joint letter below … Read More.

200 Environmental and Human Rights Leaders Pledge to Tackle Climate Emergency Together

For Immediate Release September 18, 2019 New York – In an unprecedented move, more than 200 representatives of Indigenous Peoples, workers, academia, environmental and human rights groups adopted a landmark declaration [1] calling on governments and corporations to urgently tackle the climate emergency in order to ensure the survival of humanity. Gathered for the Peoples’ … Read More.

European Civil Society Groups Raise Questions About Industry-Funded Study on E171 Toxicity and Call on Decision Makers to Support the French Ban on Unnecessary Food Additive

A crucial European meeting to discuss the French ban of E171 — the food additive version of titanium dioxide — is due to take place on Monday, September 16. Civil society groups across Europe raise questions about a new industry study released ahead of this meeting and warn against diverting decision-makers’ attention from the already … Read More.

Inter-American Development Bank Washes its Hands of Responsibility for Dangerous Hidroituango Dam and Related Human Rights Violations in Colombia

Fearing imminent collapse of the dam, communities in Antioquia, Colombia, have learned that the public lending arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will not be investigated FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) September 4, 2019 Washington, DC — Last month, the Board and management of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced it would not approve an … Read More.

Countries Must Double Pledges During Green Climate Fund (GCF) Replenishment

PRESS RELEASE August 29, 2019 As the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – the world’s largest multilateral fund for action on climate change – is holding its second consultation on the first replenishment in Ottawa, civil society welcomes the announcements by those countries including Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Norway that have doubled their pledges … Read More.

Panamanian Indigenous Organizations Call for International Investigation into Rights Violations Caused by Transmission Line in Panama

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) August 9, 2019 Panama City/Washington, DC — On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies presented a submission to the United Nations (UN) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) about the risks various indigenous communities are facing as a … Read More.

Legal Petition Seeks Ban on Plastic Pollution From Petrochemical Plants

Decades-old EPA Limits Require Update As Plastic Production Booms FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 WASHINGTON― More than 270 community and conservation organizations filed a legal petition today that demands the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopt strict new water-pollution limits for industrial plants that create plastic. Plastic plants discharged 128 million pounds of pollutants into … Read More.

Authorized to Steal: New Report Reveals Widespread Public Sector Involvement in Illegal Logging in Peru

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) July 17, 2019 Washington, DC — Public officials systematically enable criminal networks to illegally harvest timber in the Peruvian Amazon, according to a new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Authorized to Steal: Organized Crime Networks Launder Illegal Timber from the Peruvian Amazon identifies by … Read More.

Spotlight on California as Pension Funds’ Climate Risk Reporting Deadline Approaches

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 25, 2019 Anticipating the first reporting deadline for a comprehensive analysis of climate-related financial risk in the portfolios of the two largest public pension funds in the nation, five influential NGOs are proposing reporting scenarios designed to move institutional investors toward greater accountability to members, beneficiaries, and the financial markets. … Read More.

Colombian Judge Intervenes to Address Dangers Posed by HidroItuango Dam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2019 Bogotá, Colombia — On Wednesday, a judge in Bogotá, Colombia, issued a historic ruling recognizing the grave danger to local communities presented by the Ituango hydroelectric dam on the country’s Cauca River. To protect the rights of communities in the region, the judge ordered that precautionary measures be immediately … Read More.

Walking the Walk at the IFC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 13, 2019 Today, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) CEO Philippe Le Houérou announced structural and operational adjustments that aim to fundamentally change the way environmental and social issues are managed at an institution that has a significant role in financing development projects throughout the world. Having worked alongside partners to advocate … Read More.

From Colombia to Kenya, 25 Cases of Threats and Attacks Against Human Rights Defenders Reveal How Development Financiers Can Fuel Abuses or Help Fight Them

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 4, 2019 A new report from the Coalition for Human Rights in Development and the Defenders in Development Campaign, of which CIEL is a member, reveals the alarming impact that ill-planned investments in infrastructure, energy, and other development activities are having on the safety and wellbeing of human rights defenders around the world. Uncalculated … Read More.

UN Chemical Negotiations Limit Toxic Plastic Waste Exports and Ban Toxic PFOA, but Fail Yet Again to Take Action on Multiple Toxic Chemicals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2019 Geneva, Switzerland — Today, the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions concluded, with some major steps taken by parties to control the trade and management of certain toxic chemicals: Basel Convention: Countries Take Major Step to Control Plastic Waste Dumping, Stop Major Loophole for Electronic Waste Today, 187 countries took a … Read More.

UN Decides to Control Global Plastic Waste Dumping

Major Plastic Waste Producers Must Get Consent Before Exporting their Toxic Trash to Global South FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2019 Geneva, Switzerland — Today, 187 countries took a major step forward in curbing the plastic waste crisis by adding plastic to the Basel Convention, a treaty that controls the movement of hazardous waste from … Read More.

New Report Exposes Mining Companies Suing Latin American Countries Where Communities Defend Land and Environment

May 2, 2019 Washington – A new report by MiningWatch Canada, the Institute for Policy Studies, and the Center for International Environmental Law, “Extraction Casino: Mining companies gambling with Latin American lives and sovereignty” exposes how transnational mining companies file multi-million dollar suits against Latin American countries to challenge key laws and decisions protecting indigenous … Read More.

EU Parliament Calls for Concrete Regulations on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2019 Strasbourg, France — Today, the European Parliament agreed on a landmark resolution on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) by a large cross-party majority, in its final plenary session before the EU elections. The EU Parliament has called on the European Commission to “swiftly take all necessary action to ensure a high … Read More.

The Future of Accountability at the IFC is Wide Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 11, 2019 Yesterday, International Finance Corporation (IFC) CEO Philippe Le Houérou released a statement acknowledging the critical role of accountability in development finance and the need for the IFC to do better. The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes Le Houérou’s announcement and released the following statement: For more than … Read More.

Peru Corrects Course in Fight Against Illegal Logging

OSINFOR, the institution in charge of supervising the legality of timber in Peru, regains its independence today in a Supreme Decree from the Council of Ministries FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 9, 2019 Today, the Peruvian government released a decree to return the Agency for Supervision of Forest Resources and Wildlife (OSINFOR) — a key Peruvian … Read More.

Historic Climate Lawsuit Against Shell Filed in the Netherlands

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2019 The Hague — Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) filed suit today against Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands to legally compel the company to address its role in the climate crisis. The case was filed on behalf seven organizations and more than 17,000 individual plaintiffs. The plaintiffs argue … Read More.

Tyranny of the Minority Slows International Progress on Addressing Plastic Pollution

UNEA-4 Agreement Does Not Deliver at Scale and Urgency Needed March 15, 2019 Nairobi, Kenya – At the 4th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-4), member states of the UN Environment Programme failed to meet expectations to confront the ever-growing plastic-pollution crisis threatening our waterways, ecosystems, and health. At UNEA-4, member states considered … Read More.

High-Emitting, Oil-Producing Countries Block Progress on Geoengineering Governance at United Nations

Civil society reiterates call for a ban on geoengineering FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 14, 2019 Nairobi, Kenya – Under pressure from high-emitting, oil-producing countries, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) failed to advance a proposal to examine the risks of geoengineering technologies and to consider the need for a stricter governance framework.  While many countries … Read More.

UN Body Recommends UK Consider Complete Fracking Ban to Protect Human Rights

CIEL welcomes the recommendation of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women that the United Kingdom consider adopting a ban on hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Such a ban is the best and surest way to protect the human rights of affected communities and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Adopted on International … Read More.

World Bank Arbitration Tribunal Refuses to Listen to Those Affected by Mining in Santurban, Colombia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) February 27, 2019 The World Bank’s International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has declined to accept an Amicus Curiae that was to be presented by the Committee for the Defense of Water and the Páramo de Santurbán and allied international organizations. Bucaramanga, Bogotá, Washington, Ottawa, Amsterdam — National … Read More.

Plastic Threatens Human Health at a Global Scale – New Report

February 19, 2019 Washington, DC—A new report released today reveals that plastic is a human health crisis hiding in plain sight. Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet, authored by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Earthworks, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), IPEN, Texas Environmental Justice … Read More.

Rosia Montana ISDS:  World Bank Tribunal Partially Admits Romanian Villagers’ Arguments Over Controversial Gold Mine

February 6, 2019  ICSID, the World Bank tribunal, accepted an ‘amicus curiae’ brief submitted in the arbitration between Romania and the mining company Gabriel Resources over a destructive gold mine proposal in western Transylvania. Such acceptance marks an opening for the tribunal to hear the perspectives of the people directly affected by the mining project. … Read More.

CIEL Response to US Supreme Court’s Rejection of ExxonMobil’s Appeal to Block MA Attorney General Consumer Protection Probe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2019 Today, the US Supreme Court rejected ExxonMobil’s appeal to block Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s probe into what Exxon knew about the role of fossil fuels in driving climate change. The court holds that Healey has the jurisdiction to seek records and move forward with the investigation. In response, CIEL President … Read More.

Alert: The Peruvian Government backs down in the fight against illegal logging

Osinfor, the institution in charge of supervising the legality of timber in Peru, was weakened by a Supreme Decree that reduces its independence FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) December 17, 2018 LIMA, PERU – While the Agency for Supervision of Forest Resources and Wildlife (Osinfor) has continued to identify illegal harvest and trade of timber … Read More.

Katowice COP24 Outcome Incompatible with Paris Agreement

Ambition, Equity, and Human Rights Left Behind in Poland Climate Talks FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2018 Katowice, Poland—As parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change wrapped up two weeks of negotiations in Katowice, Poland, the halls of the Spodek Center echoed with the rising voices of young people, indigenous groups, vulnerable communities, … Read More.

Alerta: El Gobierno Peruano retrocede en la lucha contra la Tala Ilegal

Osinfor, la institución a cargo de supervisar la legalidad de la madera en el Perú, fue debilitada a través de Decreto Supremo que reduce su independencia PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 14 de diciembre del 2018 LIMA, PERÚ — Mientras el Organismo de Supervisión de los Recursos Forestales y de Fauna Silvestre (Osinfor) continúa identificando la extracción … Read More.

Parties Ignore Human Rights in the Implementation of Paris Agreement

Decades of climate negotiations could be undermined by rights omission FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 8, 2018 Katowice, Poland. A broad coalition spanning multiple constituencies calls on Parties to deliver on the Paris promises and guarantee that the vision of people-centered and rights-based climate action outlined in the Paris Agreement remains at the core of the … Read More.

Riot Police Descend, Local Activists Under Siege Around Nicaragua Mining Project

International Finance Corporation’s “No Retaliation” policy faces — and is failing — its first test FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 30, 2018 NICARAGUA – From November 19-22, 2018, national police in full riot gear and carrying heavy weaponry descended upon communities opposing the Condor Gold Mining project in Santa Cruz de la India, Nicaragua, as they … Read More.

New NAFTA Deal Threatens Our Air, Water, and Climate

Environmental Groups Oppose this Deal, Given Failure to Meet Basic Criteria FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 26, 2018 As leading environmental organizations, we have repeatedly named essential environmental criteria for rewriting the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to end NAFTA’s harm to communities across North America. In May 2018, when it became clear the closed-door … Read More.

ALERT—DEFENDERS AT RISK IN NICARAGUA: Thursday November 22, 2018

NICARAGUA – Police vehicles and police officers in riot gear descended in and around the town of Santa Cruz de la India, Nicaragua, as its community members prepared for planned meetings with representatives from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Monday. Since 2017, the mine area has seen an increasingly heavy police presence. The IFC’s … Read More.

Justice for Roşia Montană

Roşia Montană voices to be heard in illegal Romanian gold mine litigation November 5, 2018 On Friday, November 2, 2018, public interest law organizations filed an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the Roşia Montană community affected by an illegal gold mine project in Romania to include their perspectives in arbitration proceedings at the International … Read More.

Europeans Join Forces Calling for a Higher Level of Protection from Pesticides

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2018 European regulators are letting the citizens of the EU down by allowing the use of harmful pesticides in agriculture and public green areas based on an ‘unfit for purpose’ risk assessment regime that relies on pesticide industry-generated toxicity studies. The stated purpose of the European pesticide regulation (EC) 1107/2009 … Read More.

300+ Civil Society Organizations From 73 Countries Urge Real Reform at United Nations Discussions on Corporate Investor Rights

For Immediate Release: 30 October 2018 Vienna – Today more than 300 civil society groups and trade unions urged governments participating in United Nations meetings in Vienna this week to completely overhaul the controversial Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system contained within many international trade and investment agreements. Their public letter is the latest example of a growing … Read More.

CIEL Commends IFC’s Official Statement of Zero Tolerance for Retaliation Against Civil Society and Project Stakeholders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 25, 2018 Carla García Zendejas, Senior Attorney and Program Director at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), released the following statement: We welcome the IFC’s official, public position of zero tolerance for retaliation against those who voice their opinion about IFC projects, and its recognition that the private sector has … Read More.

CIEL Statement on State of New York Filing Suit Against ExxonMobil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2018 Today, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil for defrauding shareholders by downplaying the expected risk of climate change to its business. CIEL President Carroll Muffett issued the following statement: Today’s announcement that the state of New York has filed suit against ExxonMobil for misleading … Read More.

EU Takes Major Step Forward in Stopping Single-Use Plastic Pollution

Today’s vote by European Parliament demonstrates EU’s leadership leading up to international expert meeting on plastic pollution in December FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2018 Strasbourg, France — Today, a great majority in the European Parliament voted to strengthen EU efforts to stop pollution caused by single-use plastics. Through this vote, Parliament brought the EU … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR)’s Recommendations for the State of Argentina Regarding its Vaca Muerta Shale Gas Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2018 This week the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released its recommendations for the State of Argentina and warned that the planned development of the Vaca Muerta shale formation in the country’s Neuquén Province may be violating or threatening to violate human rights. The Committee concluded that … Read More.

CIEL Statement on IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 8, 2018 With the release today of its long-awaited Special Report on 1.5°C, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has confirmed what abundant science has long made clear: keeping temperatures increase below 1.5c is an imperative to substantially reduce risks of irreversible impacts threatening the survival of species and ecosystems … Read More.

Statement by Carla García Zendejas at the Inter-American Development Bank during Consultation on IDB Invest’s proposed Access to Information Policy in Washington, DC

September 28, 2018 IDB Invest, the private lending arm of the Inter-American Development Bank, is updating its Access to Information Policy. CIEL Senior Attorney and Program Director Carla García Zendejas released the following statement during its consultation in Washington, DC. “In March, Latin American and Caribbean States enacted a legally binding agreement to ensure that … Read More.

Climate Risk Disclosure Act Introduced to US Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 19, 2018 Today, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kamala Harris (D-CA), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the Climate Risk Disclosure Act. The Bill would require companies to disclose climate-related risks in their annual reporting to the Securities and Exchange Commission. It … Read More.

Support Grows to Control Plastic Waste in International Trade Treaty

Global Partnership for Action on Plastic Waste Also Proposed FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 6, 2018 Geneva – The 11th Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention, the world’s only international treaty on waste control, concluded with widespread and growing support for a proposal by Norway to add plastic waste to the list of … Read More.

Coalition of Organizations Denounce IFC Loan in Panama: Electric Transmission Line Violates the Rights of Indigenous Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) August 3, 2018 Panama City/Washington DC– A coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies filed a complaint with the Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO), the accountability mechanism of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank, regarding a project to construct and operate a transmission line along the Atlantic coast … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Lawsuit against Australian Pension Fund

July 26, 2018 On Tuesday, July 24, 23-year-old Mark McVeigh, represented by Environment Justice Australia, filed a lawsuit against Australia’s $50 billion Retail Employees Superannuation Trust (REST) superannuation fund. According to the plaintiff, REST has not provided him with adequate information about how the fund manages climate-related financial risks, and this suit seeks to force such disclosure. Steven … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Baltimore Climate Lawsuit

July 20, 2018 Today, the city of Baltimore filed a climate lawsuit in state court against 26 fossil fuel companies, including BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and ConocoPhillips, for damages caused by climate change. Baltimore is facing increasing costs of adapting to climate change, as rising sea levels, flooding, and more frequent and severe storms threaten … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Judge Keenan’s Dismissal of the NYC Climate Lawsuit

July 19, 2018 Today a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit brought by New York City against five major fossil fuel companies for the costs of climate impacts, less than a month after a federal judge dismissed climate lawsuits brought by the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, California. In his decision, Judge Keenan ruled that … Read More.

CIEL Statement on UNEP Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals Reports

July 11, 2018 The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes the publication of three long-awaited UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reports on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The three reports present an overview, as of 2017, of (1) worldwide initiatives to identify EDCs and potential EDCs; (2) scientific knowledge on the lifecycles, environmental exposures, and environmental … Read More.

Environmental Authority Halts Operations on Hidroituango Dam in Colombia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2018 The National Authority of Environmental Licenses (ANLA) ordered Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) to suspend operations on the Hidroituango dam in northern Antioquia, Colombia, in early June. The order requires the company to hold all non-essential operations until they complete a series of requirements, including an expert review of … Read More.