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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 2, 2019 Geneva — Today, the UN Human Rights Committee made public its request that the US government provide information regarding policies and measures implemented by the government to protect the right to life from the adverse impacts of climate change. This marks the first time that the oldest human rights … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 26, 2019 In 2018, the human rights treaty bodies of the United Nations (UN) made an unprecedented number of recommendations to States concerning their legal obligations to protect people from the adverse impacts of climate change, according to a new report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the … Read More.
For Immediate Release March 17, 2019 Reflecting on the outcomes of the 4th Meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya (UNEA-4), the Women’s Major Group offered the following statement: Nairobi, Kenya. The conclusion of UNEA-4 saw a landmark resolution to promote gender equality and the human rights and empowerment of women and … Read More.
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.
Thursday 14 March, 2019 – Decades of dependence on a carbon-based economy has produced grave injustices on a global scale. Our children, grandchildren and the many vulnerable communities and species on the planet now have to carry the burden of a crisis that they have not caused. The youth are forced to act like grown-ups. Faced … Read More.
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.
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.
February 27, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC — In a historic decision, today the United States Supreme Court decided 7-1 to overturn the International Finance Corporation (IFC)’s claim to absolute immunity from lawsuits. Under the Jam v. IFC decision, international organizations like the IFC and the World Bank can now be sued in US courts, including in … Read More.
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.
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.
For Immediate Release February 13, 2019 Washington/Berlin – A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Heinrich Boell Foundation exposes how a growing belief that geoengineering is needed to address climate change could actually undermine climate goals while locking in fossil fuel infrastructure for decades to come. The report, … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
PRESS AVAILABILITY ADVISORY December 1 – 16, 2019 CIEL Expert Attorneys Available for Comment at COP24 in Katowice, Poland What: World leaders are converging in Katowice, Poland, for the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from December 2-15. There, they are expected to adopt the rules and … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2018 BRUSSELS – In a move that is long overdue, the EU Commission published today the EU Communication on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, it lacks specific measures and timelines on how people and the environment can be better protected from these harmful chemicals. We welcome that the Communication has the goal … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2018 Washington, DC – Accountability Counsel, Bank Information Center (BIC), and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcome the statement from US Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin supporting many of the key advances we have been seeking with regard to accountability at the World Bank Group. In an official … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
The institution in charge of supervising the legality of Peruvian timber is at risk FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) September 12, 2018 LIMA, PERU – While the Agency for the Supervision of Forest and Wildlife Resources (OSINFOR) of Peru continues its unceasing efforts to identify the harvest and trade of illegal timber and disseminate key … Read More.
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.
En medio de la crisis humanitaria de largo plazo que se vive en cuenca del río Cauca a causa de la hidroeléctrica, el Mecanismo Independiente de Consulta e Investigación admitió la queja presentada por el Movimiento Ríos Vivos contra el proyecto Hidroituango. PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 2 de septiembre de 2018 Washington, DC — El Mecanismo … Read More.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2, 2018 Washington, DC – On Tuesday, nine NGOs and experts filed an amicus brief before the US Supreme Court in support of the Indian fishing communities and farmers who are challenging the International Finance Corporation (IFC)’s claim to absolute immunity in Jam v. IFC. The amici[1] call for the Supreme … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
July 13, 2018 Yesterday, Ireland achieved a major victory in taking the first step towards becoming the first country in the world to fully divest its public money from fossil fuels. The Fossil Fuel Divestment bill passed in the Dail (lower house) directs the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to sell off all of its approximately … Read More.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2018 Geneva — Today the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a new resolution addressing the human rights implications of climate change. Through the resolution, States reaffirmed that the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is important to protecting human rights, three months ahead of the release … Read More.
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.
June 25, 2018 Today, a federal judge dismissed lawsuits by the cities of San Francisco and Oakland against five major carbon producers for the costs of sea level rise caused by climate change. The judge granted a motion by the companies to dismiss the suit, claiming that climate change was an urgent issue but, because … Read More.
June 19, 2018 Today the United States announced that it is withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council, the most important international forum for advancing a shared understanding of fundamental human rights and exposing and addressing grave abuses of those rights. The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issued the following statement: The United … Read More.
In the midst of the humanitarian crisis caused by the Hidroituango dam project in the Cauca river basin, local communities request that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)’s accountability mechanism investigate whether the financial entity violated its environmental and social standards when investing in the project. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 5, 2018 Washington, DC — Communities … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 18, 2018 Currently under construction in northwest Colombia, the Hidroituango dam project is expected to become the nation’s largest hydroelectric plant. Since its approval in 2009, communities have voiced concerns about damming the Cauca River due to the potential for severe environmental degradation resulting from extensive deforestation, habitat loss, and impacts … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2018 Today, environmental organizations released a joint statement pledging to oppose the renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if it prioritizes the interests of polluters over environmental protection and the needs of communities. To date, closed-door NAFTA talks have not included environmental groups or responded to concerns elaborated by … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 10, 2018 Bonn, Germany — Delegations representing over 190 countries made slow progress towards the adoption of guidelines to implement the Paris Agreement at the April 2018 climate meeting. With the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, countries agreed to a series of commitments and vision for addressing climate change. … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) May 9, 2018 Communities affected by the Hidroituango dam have denounced the murder of two of their members over the past few days. In addition, a recent obstruction in one of the dam’s tunnels means the dam is at risk of overflowing, which could cause an avalanche of mud and … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) May 4, 2018 We stand in solidarity with the Movimiento, and we request that the Colombian State investigate this act and punish those responsible. Furthermore, we ask that Colombia adopt urgent and effective measures to stop ongoing violence against environmental defenders. The undersigned national and international organizations categorically condemn the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2018 Luxembourg — A report published today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and ClientEarth reveals that the recent Achmea ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) could render investment agreements between the European Union (EU) or its Member States and non-EU countries illegal. The report analyzes … Read More.
April 13, 2018 On Friday, Massachusetts’ top court rejected ExxonMobil’s effort to block Massachusetts State Attorney General Maura Healey from obtaining records to investigate whether the company concealed its knowledge of the role of fossil fuels in climate change. Carroll Muffett, President of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), released the following statement: Exxon’s … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2018 Washington, DC – CIEL’s analysis of a massive new trove of Shell internal documents unearthed by Dutch journalist Jelmer Mommers shows the global oil giant understood and acted on climate science while publicly sowing doubt as to its validity and fighting its regulation. The analysis, A Crack in the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2018 Washington, DC—A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) raises new and significant questions about the economic rationale for the massive wave of new infrastructure investments in plastics and petrochemicals. Untested Assumptions and Unanswered Questions in the Plastics Boom highlights global changes that threaten … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2018 On Thursday, a federal judge dismissed a case by Exxon Mobil against the Attorneys General of Massachusetts and New York, who are investigating whether the company misled investors and the public on climate change and the dangers of its products. CIEL President Carroll Muffett, one of several lawyers, investigators, … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 2018 GENEVA — Today, responding to concerns regarding the protection of civil and political rights during the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP-24) in Katowice, a UN Body charged with facilitating implementation of the Aarhus Convention on Environmental Democracy called on the UNFCCC Secretariat and on the Polish Government to guarantee … Read More.
As Landmark Hearing Convenes, Scientists, Lawyers, and Human Rights Experts Say the Philippines Human Rights Commission has Jurisdiction, Evidentiary Basis, and Duty to Act FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2018 Quezon City, Philippines – Today, the Philippine Human Rights Commission holds the first public hearing in its landmark inquiry into the responsibility of 47 investor-owned … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2018 Geneva — Today, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment for another three years. The resolution recognizes that “more than 100 States have recognized some form of a right to a healthy environment” and addresses the need … Read More.
March 14, 2018 CIEL is deeply concerned with the reports that UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, along with other human rights defenders, has been accused of being a terrorist by the Philippine government. This appears to be a blatant attempt to silence and criminalize Vicky Tauli-Corpuz and others for their work … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2018 CIEL President Carroll Muffett released the following statement: “In the past 14 months, Rex Tillerson and the Trump Administration have done incalculable damage to the US State Department and to the United States’ standing with partners around the world. They have moved US foreign policy dramatically backward on an … Read More.
March 7, 2018 Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected the Trump Administration’s extraordinary attempt to circumvent the normal judicial process in Juliana v. US and instead allowed the youths’ case against the government to proceed. Last summer, the Trump Administration took the extraordinary step of filing a petition for a writ of … Read More.
Regulating in the public interest at risk if Member States ratify Canada-EU trade deal FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2018 Geneva – A series of new case studies published today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reveals that the Canada-EU trade deal (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA) may strip EU Member … Read More.
March 6, 2018 CIEL welcomes the adoption of the binding agreement on access rights (to information, participation, and justice) in environmental decision making. This seminal agreement between the majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries marks a crucial step towards guaranteeing environmental democracy in the region and codifies the spirit of Principle 10 of the … Read More.
March 6, 2018 Today, a landmark ruling of the European Court of Justice could signal the beginning of the end for some 200 investment agreements that include investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) between EU Member States. The decision arises out of a dispute between the Netherlands and Slovakia over the compatibility of an investment tribunal decision … Read More.
March 6, 2018 GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment presented a new report synthesizing the international human rights obligations of states on matters related to the environment. Echoing the demands of many civil society organizations including CIEL, Professor John Knox called on States to recognize the human right to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2018 Songdo, South Korea — At its 19th Board Meeting (B.19) from February 26 to March 1, 2018, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) adopted safeguard policies to ensure that the mitigation and adaptation projects funded by the GCF respect people’s rights. Taking place in Songdo, B.19 brought … Read More.
Decision Bolsters Access Rights, Extraterritorial Obligations, and the Precautionary Principle FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 9, 2018 Yesterday, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights released a precedent-setting opinion which recognizes the right to a healthy environment as fundamental to human existence and enumerates key duties of States in protecting that and other environment-related rights. “This opinion … Read More.
(Español abajo) The Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child recommend that Spain evaluate the impacts of coal emissions on children’s health and climate change and design a well-resourced strategy to regulate the maximum emissions of air pollutants from coal power plants. This can only be achieved through an orderly coal … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2017 Washington, DC — At the end of October, ActionAid South Africa and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted a request for investigation regarding the situation of women in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment John Knox. … Read More.
(Español abajo) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2018 The Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente (IIDMA) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) have submitted a Parallel Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child concerning the adverse impacts that the energy policies of the Spanish Government have on the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2018 Today New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer announced that the city is suing five major fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change, and that by 2022 the city’s pension funds will divest from fossil fuels. New York City is suing ExxonMobil, Chevron, … Read More.
December 6, 2017 NAIROBI. Efforts to address global plastic pollution took a significant step forward today as world governments agreed to establish a specialist group tasked with examining options to combat marine plastic pollution. In a resolution adopted at the 3rd meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 3), Member States supported a series … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2017 Washington, DC — A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the plastics industry’s knowledge of the ocean plastics problem, answering the question: When did industry become aware of the problems caused by their products, and what did they do about it? The … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 4, 2017 A new report released today warns that the European Commission’s proposed Multilateral Investment Court (MIC) threatens to lock in an undemocratic investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) scheme that undermines national democratic authority and prioritizes corporate profits above all else. Authored by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Seattle to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) November 20, 2017 Washington, DC – Today the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) released the results of a year-long quantitative study into high-risk timber exports from Peru. The report, “Continuous Improvement” in Illegal Practices in the Peruvian Forest Sector, reveals that actors are exporting timber of dubious legal origin … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 20, 2017 Geneva, SWITZERLAND – Today, the UN human rights committee mandated to review states’ respect for and protection of women’s rights (CEDAW Committee*), expressed concerns about the climate impacts of oil and gas extraction in the Arctic and the adverse consequences for women’s rights. The committee noted that, given the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17, 2017 BONN, GERMANY – This year’s annual international climate conference concluded with two key messages: countries remain committed to negotiate a collective framework for international climate action (and adopted some innovative decisions on matters related to the social dimensions of climate change), but they failed to deliver strong signals that … Read More.
Smoke and Fumes: The Legal and Evidentiary Basis for Holding Big Oil Accountable FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2017 BONN – A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) synthesizes years of research exposing what the oil industry and other major fossil fuel producers knew about climate change, when they … Read More.
PRESS RELEASE 13 NOVEMBER 2017 (Bonn, Germany) 13 November, 2017 – As social movements, environmental and development NGOs, trade unions, faith and other civil society groups, we have come together to assess the climate commitments (NDCs) that have been put on the table through the UN climate negotiations, and offer solutions for how countries can fairly increase … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2017 On Monday afternoon, the Clean Air Council and two Philadelphia-area children filed suit against the Trump Administration in the US Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that Trump’s campaign of climate rollbacks and reliance on junk science pose a direct danger to US citizens. The plaintiffs assert that … Read More.
Energy policies may be inadequate to prevent climate change and fail to meet obligations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2017 GENEVA — Last month, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released a List of Issues for the governments of Germany and Argentina, in which the countries must respond to CESCR’s concerns over … Read More.
October 31, 2017 Yesterday, the Department of Justice and ExxonMobil announced that the two parties reached a settlement for ExxonMobil’s continuous and longstanding violations of Clean Air Act emissions standards. ExxonMobil had been violating these standards at eight plastics and petrochemicals plants across Texas and Louisiana, in some cases as far back as a decade … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2017 Washington, DC – The United States Government took the unprecedented step today of excluding timber from Peruvian exporter La Oroza SAC from the US market due to persistent problems of illegality. The US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) contains a unique Annex on Forest Sector Governance, which was intended to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2017 Melbourne – The Australian Government released a controversial plan to weaken the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act of 2012 (ILPA) on October 5. If accepted, wood products from overseas certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) would immediately be accepted for … Read More.
Groups challenge unconventional fossil fuel extraction in Vaca Muerta megaproject FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2017 (Buenos Aires/Neuquén/Geneva – October 10, 2017) — A report presented to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) highlights the adverse economic, social, and cultural rights impacts of fossil fuel extraction at the Vaca Muerta shale … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2017 Strasbourg – Today, the EU Parliament rejected the illegal criteria proposed by the EU Commission to identify endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in the Pesticides Regulation by a 389 to 235 majority vote. The proposed EDC criteria contained a dangerous exemption that would allow endocrine disrupting pesticides, despite an existing full … Read More.