Leading Climate Scientists, Climate Activists, Indigenous Peoples, and Youth to Speak on the Risks of Solar Geoengineering

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.

Lawsuit Seeks Public Accountability for US Financing of Climate-Damaging International Projects

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.

Watershed Decision Orders Shell to Slash Emissions to Respect Human Rights

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.

Statement on Violence During May 2021 Social Protests in Colombia

(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.

Pageantry Won’t Save the Planet

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.

Health and Environmental Groups Push European and World Leaders to Protect Citizens from Masks Containing Toxic Particle Nanographene

Brussels — Today, leading international health and environmental groups released a letter to European leaders urging immediate action to ban the sale and use of face masks and other personal protective equipment containing nanographene and other nanoparticles. The demand comes days after Canadian health authorities released a public advisory and ban on disposable masks containing … Read More.

UN Expert Body Calls Out Transmission Line Projects in Panama for Their Impacts on the Rights and Lands of Indigenous Peoples and Asks Panama to respond

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 23, 2021 On Monday, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights drew attention to the impacts of transmission line projects, among other infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric dams, which have endangered the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples in Panama. The Committee further noted the importance of protecting … Read More.

Ngäbe Leader Shines a Light on Indigenous Rights in Panama in Declaration Before UN Human Rights Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) WASHINGTON, March 16, 2021— During today’s adoption of the outcome of Panama’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR), Indigenous Ngäbe leader Feliciano Santos addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council about the need for Panama to redouble its efforts to meet its international obligations regarding the rights of Indigenous peoples. Mr. Santos … Read More.

UN Expert Committee to Examine Panama’s Human Rights Record

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) March 9, 2021 The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is initiating a periodic review of the situation of these fundamental human rights in Panama, including the right of every person to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being and to participate in the cultural … Read More.

Denouncing Environmental Racism in Cancer Alley, UN Experts Call for an End to Petrochemical Expansion

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council released a statement raising “serious concerns” about further industrialization of Cancer Alley in Louisiana, saying that the “development of petrochemical complexes is a form of environmental racism.” The statement comes after years of campaigning by Louisiana residents and the … Read More.

All Talk: New UNFCCC Report Reveals Weak Climate Commitments Spell Climate Catastrophe

Geneva, Switzerland–Today, the UNFCCC released its initial Nationally Determined Contribution Synthesis Report, tallying the greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments of countries that had submitted their plans as of December 2020. The countries included in the report represent 40% of the parties to the Paris Agreement and account for 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The … Read More.

FAO Director-General must meet with Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples and Respond to Calls to Stop #ToxicAlliance with CropLife International

Geneva, Switzerland—Today, civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations sent a formal request to meet with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu to discuss widespread public concern with FAO’s announcement last November of plans to formalize a partnership with CropLife International (CLI) — the global trade association of the world’s biggest agrochemical … Read More.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Requests State of Nicaragua to Adopt Necessary Measures to Protect Environmental Defender and His Family

CIEL Statement on IACHR Precautionary Measures regarding defender in Nicaragua February 9, 2021 (español abajo) Washington, DC—Recognizing the active threat to Nicaraguan environmental defender, Olman Salazar Umanor, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has requested the adoption of Precautionary Measures to protect Mr. Salazar Umanor and his family. Mr. Salazar Umanor is a member of … Read More.

Oil Industry Asks Supreme Court to Put its Thumb on the Scales of Justice

Washington, D.C. – The United States Supreme Court heard arguments today in BP PLC v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the latest salvo in the oil industry’s efforts to prevent the rising tide of climate lawsuits across the country from being heard on their merits. Relying on an arcane procedural statute, industry defendants have … Read More.

Ford & GM Knew, Too: New Documents Show Major Car Companies Understood the Link; Fossil Fuels Could Affect Climate a Half-century Ago

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2020 Washington, DC — A new investigative report published today in Energy & Environment News reveals that leading US auto companies were on notice of links between climate change and fossil fuels by the late 1950s and actively conducting climate-relevant research nearly a half-century ago. The report couples research and … Read More.

Ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum Join the Growing Chorus Calling for a New UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change

International NGOs Welcome the Announcement, Urging Quick Take-up from the Human Rights Council   October 16, 2020 Geneva — Faced with the increased human rights threats caused by climate change across the region, The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is calling upon the PIF Leaders to work towards the establishment of … Read More.

“We Have not Granted our Prior Consent for Panama’s Fourth Transmission Line,” Declare Indigenous Ngäbe, Buglé and Campesino Peoples Before the United Nations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2020 (Español abajo) As many Indigenous Peoples throughout the Americas observe October 12th as a Day of Resistance, the Indigenous Ngäbe, Buglé, and Campesino Peoples declare that Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line is replicating a pattern of marginalization and subjugation that has been perpetuated against their peoples for centuries. Within the … Read More.

CIEL Notifies the U.N. and Inter-American Human Rights Systems of Intimidation and Land Grabs Occurring in the Context of Condor Gold’s Mine Project in Nicaragua

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2020  (Español abajo) Washington, DC — Amid suspicions that mining interests in Nicaragua are advancing through intimidation and illegal acquisition of land, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is informing the United Nations and Inter-American human rights systems of potential abuses. The following is a statement from Carla García … Read More.

Paying for the Damage: A Tax on Chemicals to Hold Producers Financially Accountable

(Gothenburg, Sweden) As people and ecosystems around the world are increasingly exposed to multiple and interacting hazardous chemicals, experts from leading international law and global chemical safety organizations are releasing a groundbreaking report that offers a clear pathway to finance the control and regulate toxic chemicals and waste: a producer-pays tax on basic chemicals. The … Read More.

Investigation Details Industry’s Attempts to Flood Africa with Plastic Pollution

Freedom of Information Act-released documents expose how US trade negotiations may undermine Kenya’s progress on plastic and chemical safety  Washington, DC—Investigative reports by the New York Times and Unearthed reveal close coordination between chemical and plastic industry representatives and Trump Administration officials as they negotiate a trade deal with Kenya that would undo environmental and … Read More.

No Alto Maipo: The Chilean Government Must Act Upon the Call from UN Experts with Urgency, Prioritizing Water and Health Rights over Economic Interests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2020. Chilean organizations, Citizen Coordinator “No Alto Maipo” (CCNAM) and Ecosistemas, with US-based organization Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) applaud the recent statement issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to drinking water and sanitation, Léo Heller, where he warns that “the Chilean government would … Read More.

United Nations Human Rights Committee Responds to Guyana’s Carbon Bomb

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 10, 2020 Washington, DC–The United Nations Human Rights Committee is taking further steps to review Guyana’s human rights obligations. Following the Committee’s July meeting, they are now requesting that Guyana respond to questions about how the nation’s recent expansion into offshore oil production will impact human rights. The Committee specifically … Read More.

Panama Must Consider Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, Territory, and Health Before Approving Country’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  August 9, 2020–On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies call on the State of Panama to take the necessary measures to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, territory, and health before approving any project that could affect them, including Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission … Read More.

CIEL Welcomes Dr. Marcos A. Orellana as New Special Rapporteur on Toxics

On July 17, 2020 and as part of its forty-fourth session, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Marcos A. Orellana for the position the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Statement by David Azoulay, Environmental Health Director at the … Read More.

House Subcommittee Briefed on Plastics, Health and COVID-19

CIEL President Joins Expert Panel to Discuss Mounting Risks Washington, DC—Carroll Muffett, President of the Center for International Environmental Law President will address a congressional briefing this afternoon on the intersecting human health risks of plastics, COVID-19, and the climate crisis. Muffett will appear as part of the House Oversight and Reform Environment Subcommittee’s briefing … Read More.

IDB Mechanism Finds in Favor of Claimants Who Filed Case About Chile’s Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 6, 2020 The IDB’s Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism concluded in its report on the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) breached its policies, since the company implementing the project failed to: carry out any assessment of gender-differentiated impacts, despite the large number of workers brought into … Read More.

Guyana’s Carbon Bomb and Election Crisis Come Before UN Human Rights Committee

Geneva, Switzerland–Facing a mounting democratic crisis and a looming environmental crisis due to offshore oil development, Guyana will report on its human rights record before the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which convenes this week in Geneva. The Justice Institute Guyana and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) are urging the Committee to join … Read More.

Intimidation Tactics In Louisiana Won’t Silence Opposition To Formosa Plastics

40+ groups express outrage over arrests of Louisiana Bucket Brigade leaders, vow to stop Formosa’s plans to poison the Black community in St. James BATON ROUGE, LA: Two leaders of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade were charged under Louisiana’s felony “terrorizing” law today for placing a box filled with Formosa Plastics’ illegally discharged plastic pellets, called … Read More.

CIEL Applauds New International Effort to Combat Plastic Pollution

Launch of Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic is a Meaningful Step Toward a Global Treaty Geneva–The following is a statement from Andrés Del Castillo, Senior Attorney, Environmental Health Program at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on today’s launch of the Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic: “Plastic is now an … Read More.

CIEL Stands with Protestors to Demand Racial Justice and End to Police Violence

Washington, DC—The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) stands in solidarity with protestors around the world who are demanding an end to institutionalized racism, racialized police violence, and the ongoing dehumanization of people of color. CIEL condemns the violence that militarized police and security forces have used–and continue to use–against protestors, journalists, bystanders, and medical … Read More.

BP Acknowledged Climate Risk of Fossil Fuels in 1990

Film Unearthed by Dutch Researcher Demonstrates BP Knew the Risk of Its Products and the Categories of Harms they Would Create Washington, DC—Ahead of British Petroleum’s Annual General Meeting tomorrow, Dutch think tank Changerism and investigative platform Follow the Money released a new expose on What Makes Weather?, a recently unearthed climate video produced by … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the LG Polymer Gas Leak in Visakhapatnam

The following is a statement from David Azoulay, the Director of Environmental Health at the Center for International Environmental Law. “Last night’s styrene gas leak in Visakhapatnam exposed thousands of individuals to a deadly asphyxiant—-the total number of people affected will not be known for some time. Early reports indicate that the LG Polymer plant … Read More.

The US ReWIND Act Will Help Make Sure Money Gets to People Not Polluters

Climate, social justice, and progressive groups applaud the new ReWIND Act as an important measure to prevent a Big Oil Bailout FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 2020 WASHINGTON, DC—Hundreds of environmental, social justice, labor, and progressive organizations applauded the release of the ReWIND Act, new legislation introduced today that would block a Big Oil Bailout … Read More.

Nikki Reisch to Direct CIEL’s Climate and Energy Program

May 1, 2020 – Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes Nikki Reisch as Director of its Climate and Energy Program. Nikki brings more than fifteen years of experience working in the fields of human rights and environmental justice, having devoted her career to advancing the rights of marginalized populations and protecting the … Read More.

Pandemic Crisis, Systemic Decline: New Report Warns Oil, Gas and Plastic Industries are an Unfillable Sinkhole for Recovery Funds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2020 Washington, DC — As countries and communities race to address the massive health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, oil, gas, and petrochemical producers are lobbying aggressively to secure government bailouts and regulatory rollbacks from governments around the world. A new report released today by the Center for International … Read More.

Private Banks Owning Oil Companies Is A Recipe for Disaster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2020 NEW YORK, NY — The news that major US banks like JPMorgan Chase are preparing to ask regulators to allow them to take direct ownership of oil and gas companies should ring major alarm bells on Capitol Hill and across the nation, according to organizations with the Stop the … Read More.

CAN Reactions to the Postponement of COP26 to 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2020 Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network (CAN): “At this moment, all our efforts are focused on fighting the Covid19 pandemic. Governments must prioritise the health, safety and jobs of their citizens. Under these circumstances, we acknowledge the necessity to postpone the Bonn climate session to later this year … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 23, 2020 Washington, DC — This afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act, the emergency stimulus bill released in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Carroll Muffett, President of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), issued the following statement: “The Take Responsibility for Workers … Read More.

CIEL and Partners Intervene in Landmark Youth Climate Case, Calling for the Courts to Play Their Role and Protect Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 13, 2020 A coalition of environmental and human rights organizations that includes Amnesty International USA, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW), and New York University School of Law’s Global Justice Clinic, as well as four experts in international law, yesterday submitted an amicus brief to … Read More.

Global Civil Society Groups Urge Respect for Democracy and Rights in Guyana

Over 100 organizations release statement in solidarity with the people of Guyana, demanding respect for rule of law and prevention of further violence FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2020 Georgetown — More than 100 environmental and human rights organizations and eminent persons from around the world issued an urgent statement today expressing solidarity with the … Read More.

UN to Review Chile’s Human Rights Record — Statements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 9, 2020 The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) is undertaking a periodic review of the situation of fundamental human rights in Chile, such as the rights to water, to health, to adequate food and housing, and to participate in cultural life. Ahead of … Read More.

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.