Climate Leaders Summit Needs to Deliver Bold Action to Phase Out Fossil Fuels Washington, DC — Being a climate leader means keeping all fossil fuels in the ground and accelerating a just transition for workers and communities. US President Biden and other heads of state from major emitting countries gathered at the Climate Leadership Summit … Read More.
Brussels — Today, leading international health and environmental groups released a letter to European leaders urging immediate action to ban the sale and use of face masks and other personal protective equipment containing nanographene and other nanoparticles. The demand comes days after Canadian health authorities released a public advisory and ban on disposable masks containing … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 23, 2021 On Monday, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights drew attention to the impacts of transmission line projects, among other infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric dams, which have endangered the fundamental rights of Indigenous peoples in Panama. The Committee further noted the importance of protecting … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) 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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Español abajo) March 9, 2021 The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is initiating a periodic review of the situation of these fundamental human rights in Panama, including the right of every person to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being and to participate in the cultural … Read More.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council released a statement raising “serious concerns” about further industrialization of Cancer Alley in Louisiana, saying that the “development of petrochemical complexes is a form of environmental racism.” The statement comes after years of campaigning by Louisiana residents and the … Read More.
Geneva, Switzerland–Today, the UNFCCC released its initial Nationally Determined Contribution Synthesis Report, tallying the greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments of countries that had submitted their plans as of December 2020. The countries included in the report represent 40% of the parties to the Paris Agreement and account for 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The … Read More.
Geneva, Switzerland—Today, civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations sent a formal request to meet with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu to discuss widespread public concern with FAO’s announcement last November of plans to formalize a partnership with CropLife International (CLI) — the global trade association of the world’s biggest agrochemical … Read More.
CIEL Statement on IACHR Precautionary Measures regarding defender in Nicaragua February 9, 2021 (español abajo) Washington, DC—Recognizing the active threat to Nicaraguan environmental defender, Olman Salazar Umanor, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has requested the adoption of Precautionary Measures to protect Mr. Salazar Umanor and his family. Mr. Salazar Umanor is a member of … Read More.
A longstanding human rights and environmental advocate, Ambassador Khan has the potential to drive the Human Rights Council towards better inclusivity and accountability Geneva – On January 15, the Human Rights Council elected Fiji’s Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan as its President for 2021. In response to the election, Sébastien Duyck, Senior Attorney, Climate & Energy … Read More.
Washington, D.C. – The United States Supreme Court heard arguments today in BP PLC v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the latest salvo in the oil industry’s efforts to prevent the rising tide of climate lawsuits across the country from being heard on their merits. Relying on an arcane procedural statute, industry defendants have … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) January 6, 2021 Washington, DC — In the wake of today’s attack on the United States Congress, CIEL President Carroll Muffett issued the following statement. Donald John Trump poses a clear and present danger to public safety, democracy, constitutional order, and the rule of law in the United States. His … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 22 December 2020 Washington, DC — In a decision that disappointed climate advocates while offering little comfort to oil producers or investors, the Norwegian Supreme Court today upheld the government’s 2011 and 2013 grants of exploration licenses in the Arctic but put a big question mark on whether any oil discovered could … Read More.
U.N. review of human rights in Panama reveals a need for greater protection of territorial rights and the lack of a firm commitment to ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 13, 2020 (español abajo) During the thirty-sixth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which concludes today at the seat of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2020 Washington, DC — A new investigative report published today in Energy & Environment News reveals that leading US auto companies were on notice of links between climate change and fossil fuels by the late 1950s and actively conducting climate-relevant research nearly a half-century ago. The report couples research and … Read More.
International NGOs Welcome the Announcement, Urging Quick Take-up from the Human Rights Council October 16, 2020 Geneva — Faced with the increased human rights threats caused by climate change across the region, The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is calling upon the PIF Leaders to work towards the establishment of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2020 (Español abajo) As many Indigenous Peoples throughout the Americas observe October 12th as a Day of Resistance, the Indigenous Ngäbe, Buglé, and Campesino Peoples declare that Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission Line is replicating a pattern of marginalization and subjugation that has been perpetuated against their peoples for centuries. Within the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2020 (Español abajo) Washington, DC — Amid suspicions that mining interests in Nicaragua are advancing through intimidation and illegal acquisition of land, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is informing the United Nations and Inter-American human rights systems of potential abuses. The following is a statement from Carla García … Read More.
(Gothenburg, Sweden) As people and ecosystems around the world are increasingly exposed to multiple and interacting hazardous chemicals, experts from leading international law and global chemical safety organizations are releasing a groundbreaking report that offers a clear pathway to finance the control and regulate toxic chemicals and waste: a producer-pays tax on basic chemicals. The … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2020 Washington, DC — More than 40 organizations sent a letter today to US Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, US Coast Guard, and the US Occupational Health and Safety Administration urging them to address recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in the oil and gas … Read More.
Freedom of Information Act-released documents expose how US trade negotiations may undermine Kenya’s progress on plastic and chemical safety Washington, DC—Investigative reports by the New York Times and Unearthed reveal close coordination between chemical and plastic industry representatives and Trump Administration officials as they negotiate a trade deal with Kenya that would undo environmental and … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 21, 2020. Chilean organizations, Citizen Coordinator “No Alto Maipo” (CCNAM) and Ecosistemas, with US-based organization Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) applaud the recent statement issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights to drinking water and sanitation, Léo Heller, where he warns that “the Chilean government would … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 10, 2020 Washington, DC–The United Nations Human Rights Committee is taking further steps to review Guyana’s human rights obligations. Following the Committee’s July meeting, they are now requesting that Guyana respond to questions about how the nation’s recent expansion into offshore oil production will impact human rights. The Committee specifically … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2020–On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies call on the State of Panama to take the necessary measures to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, territory, and health before approving any project that could affect them, including Panama’s Fourth Electrical Transmission … Read More.
On July 17, 2020 and as part of its forty-fourth session, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Dr. Marcos A. Orellana for the position the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. Statement by David Azoulay, Environmental Health Director at the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2020 Geneva — Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability by an overwhelming majority. The following is a statement from Giulia Carlini, Environmental Health attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) on today’s vote: “In the seven years since the World Health … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2020 Washington, DC—Amidst the ongoing pandemic crisis, the oil majors are racking up debt and selling off assets, in moves that aim to project stability but instead reveal the industry’s increasing fragility. A new brief released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) highlights the latest signals that … Read More.
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.
Green Groups Denounce Europe’s “Do As I Say, Not As I Do” Policy In April of last year, the European Union joined Norway in co-sponsoring amendments to the world’s only waste treaty to establish new trade controls on the dirtiest and most unrecyclable plastic wastes. These amendments were passed in response to countless human rights … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
May 27, 2020 The company’s biggest play outside the US Permian Basin presents significant climate risks As ExxonMobil holds its 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) calls on the company to stop flaring gas offshore in Guyana, the site of its biggest oil development outside the U.S. Permian … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 21, 2020 New York, NY—Environmentalists are blasting attempts by oil and gas companies to hijack the Fed’s Main Street Lending Program in order to pay down their debt—debt that began skyrocketing long before the coronavirus impacted the industry. “Big Oil is looking to steal as big a piece of the stimulus … Read More.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) March 24, 2020 Santiago / Geneva — Today, the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) shined a light on the impacts of the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project, which has put Chileans’ fundamental rights at risk. In its “List of Issues” to be covered during Chile’s periodic review, … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 3, 2020 As the climate crisis worsens, human rights bodies have increasingly recognized its impacts on human rights and called on States to fulfill their human rights obligations in the context of a changing climate, reveals a new report released today. 2019 brought a new wave of statements by human rights … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 15, 2019 Madrid, Spain – UN climate talks ended today, delivering an outcome that falls woefully short of meeting the urgency and ambition needed to confront the climate crisis. The agreement, gaveled through on Sunday, adds to rising frustration that world governments have once again have failed to do what is … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
December 5, 2019 Investments in Oil and Gas Production Over the Next Five Years Will Lock-In More than 1.5°C of Global Warming 85 Percent of Global Oil and Gas Expansion Plans are in North America Madrid, Spain – Over the coming five years, the oil and gas sector intends to invest USD 1.4 trillion developing … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2019 Madrid, Spain — Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), and Inclusiva released a new report on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the midst of the current climate negotiations … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 19, 2019 Saudi Arabia has announced that the long-heralded partial IPO of its national oil company, Saudi Aramco, will be drastically scaled back. The banks that were about to go on the road to sell shares to investors in Asia, Europe and North America have been told to cancel these plans … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2019 Just five weeks prior to the critical UN Climate Conference in Santiago, Chilean President Piñera announced COP-25 will not take place in December as planned due to ongoing “civil unrest” in Chile. The Conference was expected to deliver an urgent call for countries to increase their national climate ambition … Read More.
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.
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.
Swiss Youth for Climate and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) support the Committee on the Rights of the Child in demanding that Switzerland explain its lack of commitment toward climate action. The health of younger generations is at stake. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (français ci-dessous) October 16, 2019 Geneva, Switzerland — This week, the … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
Collective Statement by UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies Demands Global Climate Action FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 2019 Geneva — In a rare collective statement issued yesterday, five UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies called upon States to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to a level reflecting their highest possible ambition in order to comply with … Read More.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC — In its final meeting this Wednesday, the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will consider two major fracking projects in Argentina that would worsen the climate emergency the world is now facing. “Drilling in Vaca Muerta will accelerate the climate crisis and … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2019 2018 was a key year for the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights in UN climate negotiations, according to a new report. Authored by the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge in the Context of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 Geneva – Yesterday, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) raised concerns about the impacts on women and girls of Guyana’s policies on offshore oil and gas extraction and recommended the State review its climate change and energy policies to mitigate those risks. Guyana, a country … Read More.
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.
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.
July 9, 2019 The Peoples’ Summit on Climate, Rights and Human Survival – the first ever global summit on human rights and climate change – will be hosted by leading civil society groups and the UN Human Rights Office in New York on 18-19 September. The Summit aims to galvanize the human rights community to … Read More.
Attention Shifts to COP25 to Deliver on Paris and Avert Climate Catastrophe CIEL PRESS STATEMENT June 27, 2019 Negotiators at SB50 delivered glacial progress that is wildly out of step with the urgency of the climate crisis, as the UN’s intersessional climate talks conclude today in Bonn, Germany. Progress. At SB50, countries made progress — … Read More.
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.
June 15-27, 2019 UNFCCC Intersessional SB50, Bonn, Germany Key Issues Include Human Rights Integration into Domestic Implementation (NDCs) and Market Mechanisms (Article 6) Bonn, Germany – At the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Katowice, Poland, Parties to the Paris Agreement achieved a significant milestone: adopting … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 21 de mayo, 2019 El movimiento Ríos Vivos, que agrupa a las personas afectadas por la represa Hidroituango, denunció el asesinato de la señora Diana Gutiérrez, en el municipio de Tarazá, Antioquia. Pedimos a las autoridades investigar prontamente los hechos y sancionar a los responsables. El pasado jueves 16 de mayo, fue … Read More.
Study Recommends Solutions, Including Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC — In 2019 alone, the production and incineration of plastic will add more than 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere—equal to the pollution from 189 new 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants, according to a new report, … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) April 24, 2019 Today, a letter signed by 227 Guatemalan and international networks and organizations was delivered to Guatemalan authorities and the US Embassy in Guatemala. The letter denounces the US$300 million-dollar suit that the US mining company Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) is bringing against the Central American country … Read More.
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.
Updated EU Regulation Allows Higher Levels of Toxic Recycling FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 18, 2019 Strasbourg — Today, the European Parliament approved the recast of the EU Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). This update to the regulation on the world’s worst chemicals will in practice allow toxic flame retardants, including DecaBDE, to be recycled … Read More.