Oil, gas, and coal producers’ contribution to rise of atmospheric CO2, surface temperature, and sea level is modeled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 7, 2017 Oil, gas, and coal producers’ contribution to rise of atmospheric CO2, surface temperature, and sea level is modeled New paper informs debate over carbon producers’ responsibility for climate change Snowmass, Colorado – In a peer-reviewed study published today in the leading journal Climatic Change,[i] the Climate Accountability Institute and colleagues … Read More.

European Court of Justice to Decide Legality of CETA Multilateral Investment Court

Belgium seeks legal review in the context of existing European laws and treaties FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 6, 2017 Brussels, Belgium — On Wednesday, September 6, the Belgian government requested that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rule on whether the investor-state dispute court established in the EU-Canada trade deal (CETA) is compatible with EU … Read More.

International Law Supports Youth Plaintiffs Case Continuing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 5, 2017 International Law Supports Youth Plaintiffs Case Continuing Amicus: Trump Administration’s Petition would have Catastrophic Implications San Francisco, CA – Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide – US (ELAW) filed an amicus curiae brief to support the youth plaintiffs in Juliana v. … Read More.

Green Groups Oppose Amendments to SB488 (Bradford)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 22, 2017 Today, fourteen environmental organizations submitted a letter to members of the California state senate and assembly to oppose amendments that have been added to an otherwise positive bill. The addition of these amendments that would cripple the ability of California’s Insurance Commissioner to regulate responsibly on climate make Senate … Read More.

Minamata Convention Enters into Force, Mercury Bans Become International Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2017 Today, the Minamata Convention, the world’s first legally binding global agreement to reduce mercury pollution, entered into force. CIEL welcomes the Minimata Convention into the annuls of international law. It bans new mercury mines, phases out existing mines, includes provisions for the safe handling and disposal of large mercury … Read More.

As NAFTA Negotiations Open, Doors Close on Transparency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2017 Today, negotiations for NAFTA begin. This comes amid an unfortunate, but now predictable, lack of transparency and public participation around trade negotiations, which threatens to sacrifice the public interest for corporate advantage. True transparency during negotiations means publishing draft versions of US proposals for all sections of the trade … Read More.

Report: CETA Threatens European Union Pesticide Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 6, 2017 Report: CETA Threatens European Union Pesticide Protections Washington, D.C. – A new report from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) warns that the EU-Canada trade deal (CETA) would weaken EU pesticide protections and increase human and environmental exposure to dangerous pesticides. Regulatory harmonization between the two countries would … Read More.

EU States approve criteria to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals, delivering gift to pesticide industry at the expense of human health

  On Tuesday July 4th, European Member State representatives voted in favor of the latest EU Commission proposal for criteria to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in pesticide regulation. The criteria require a high burden of proof that will allow most endocrine disrupting substances to remain undetected and evade regulation. This proposal was widely criticized … Read More.

Asian Civil Society Organizations Convene Workshop in Thailand on Accountability for Development Harms

June 14, 2017 Bangkok, Thailand – Representatives from 35 civil society organizations and community groups based in 11 countries in South and Southeast Asia participated in a workshop on how individuals and communities harmed by development projects can seek recourse. The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, NGO Forum on ADB, International Rivers, International Accountability Project, and … Read More.

Organizations call for IADB to include human rights and participatory development as focus for any regional development plans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2017 A broad cross-section of human rights, faith-based, environmental, labor, immigrant, and refugee rights organizations, as well as indigenous peoples’ councils, sent an open letter to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) today criticizing its participation in this week’s Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America. The IADB event, co-hosted … Read More.

CIEL Comment on ExxonMobil Shareholder Victory over Climate Resolution

May 31, 2017 Today, ExxonMobil shareholders voted 62% to approve a climate resolution in defiance of the company’s management. It requires Exxon to begin reporting climate-related risks to its business. Lisa Anne Hamilton, CIEL Climate & Energy Program Director, released the following statement:  Today’s shareholder victory demonstrates that while ExxonMobil management may try to evade … Read More.

CIEL Statement on API and AFPM’s Motions to Withdraw from Landmark Our Children’s Trust Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26, 2017 Late Thursday evening, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Fuel & Petrochemicals Manufacturers (AFPM) filed unilateral motions to withdraw as Intervenor Defendants in the landmark Juliana v. United States climate case. This follows a similar move to withdraw by intervenor defendant National Association of Manufacturers last Monday. Carroll Muffett, … Read More.

Guatemalan Public Prosecutor’s Office Asked to Investigate Murder of Environmental Defender by Nearly 3,000 People from 59 Countries

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2017 Washington, DC – Today, a letter was delivered to the Public Prosecutor’s office in Guatemala on behalf of nearly 3,000 people requesting an immediate and thorough investigation into the murder of 16-year-old Topacio Reynoso Pacheco and the attacks against her father, Alex Reynoso. Topacio, an environmental activist and youth leader from … Read More.

EU Supports Toxic Regulations, Immediately Creates Loopholes to Undermine Them

CIEL Statement on the 8th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Stockholm Convention May 5, 2017 At the 8th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Stockholm Convention, in Geneva, the EU continues its worrying practice of undermining its own proposals to protect human health and the environment by adding unacceptable loopholes. While the COP … Read More.

CIEL Statement on ExxonMobil’s Request for Russian Sanctions Waiver

April 19, 2017 On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that ExxonMobil has applied to the Secretary of the Treasury seeking a waiver from US sanctions against the regime of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.  The sanctions were imposed in response to Putin’s invasion of Eastern Ukraine in violation of international law, and expanded after Russia … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Exxon Failure to Disclose ‘Wayne Tracker’ Docs

On Wednesday, a New York court will hold a hearing on new information that ExxonMobil failed to disclose relevant documents in response to an ongoing investigation by the New York Attorney General into whether the company misled investors and the public about the risks of climate change. In response to revelations that ExxonMobil CEO, now … Read More.

Alto Maipo Project in Chile Under Scrutiny by Independent Accountability Mechanisms of World Bank Group and Inter-American Development Bank

FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE March 19, 2017 Santiago, Chile and Washington, D.C. – Both the Independent Mechanism for Consultation and Investigation (MICI) of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have begun to act on complaints on the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project to have met eligibility … Read More.

Mecanismos Internacionales Acogen Denuncias por el Proyecto Alto Maipo en Chile

19 de marzo 2017 Santiago, Chile y Washington, DC – Tanto el Mecanismo Independiente de Consulta e Investigación (MICI) del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) como el Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) de la Corporación Financiera Internacional (IFC) consideraron elegibles las quejas sobre el Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Alto Maipo presentadas por ONGs nacionales y extranjeras en enero … Read More.

CIEL condemns the Federal Budget Plan Released by the Trump Administration Today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 16, 2017 The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) condemns the federal budget plan released today by the Trump Administration. The budget launches an outright assault on climate progress, eviscerates research and regulatory programs critical to protecting human health and the environment, abandons our country’s commitments to human rights and human … Read More.

Over 280 Organizations with over 180 million members worldwide tell OceanaGold to abandon lost suit against El Salvador and to “Pack Up and Pay Up”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 21, 2017 Today, over 280 organizations based in five continents sent a statement to the CEO and Board of Canadian-Australian company OceanaGold demanding that it leave El Salvador and pay US$8 million to that government, as demanded by an investor-state tribunal in October. OceanaGold persisted with an outrageous suit against El … Read More.

NGOs call for single, unified system to identify hormone disruptors in cosmetics, water, children’s toys, and everywhere they appear

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 14, 2017 Brussels, Belgium — A single, unified system to identify hormone-harming chemicals is the best way to keep endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) out of our food, water, toys, and household products. This is the conclusion of a new report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and ClientEarth, and endorsed … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Rex Tillerson’s Confirmation as US Secretary of State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2017 ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is unqualified and unfit to serve as the United States’ Secretary of State. In voting today to confirm his nomination, the Senate failed the dedicated employees of the State Department, it failed the people of the United States, and it failed our allies around the … Read More.

International organizations celebrate precedent-setting step toward justice in civil suit against Tahoe Resources in Canada for violence in Guatemala

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 27, 2017 Washington, DC – Canadian and US civil society organizations wholeheartedly welcome a British Columbia Court of Appeals’ decision that Vancouver is the preferred forum for a civil suit to be heard against Tahoe Resources concerning violence against peaceful opposition to its silver mine in Guatemala. Announced yesterday, the decision … Read More.

International complaints highlight looming environmental disaster of Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project, Chile

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2017 Complaints presented before accountability mechanisms at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Financial Corporation (IFC) in Washington, DC for non-compliance with operational policies in their investment in the Alto Maipo project WASHINGTON, DC – New financial tremors are shaking the Alto Maipo Project, as two international complaints … Read More.

CIEL Response to Vote on Confirmation of Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 23, 2017 Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to recommend the nomination of former Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as US Secretary of State, sending the nomination to a full floor vote. Today’s vote marks the first time since Henry Kissinger that a Secretary of State nominee has failed to pass through committee with strong, … Read More.

EPA Nominee Would be a Disaster for People and the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 18, 2017 This morning, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will convene a hearing on the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is tasked with the enormous and vital responsibility of protecting human health and human … Read More.

Vote on EU-Canada deal disappoints health groups

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2017 Environment Committee of the European Parliament votes against recommendations to protect chemical safety Brussels  – Thirty-five organizations committed to maintaining effective chemical safety regulation in Europe are dismayed by today’s vote on the controversial EU-Canada trade and investment deal. The groups are health, environmental and other civil society organisations. … Read More.

Live Updates: CIEL Reactions to Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson’s Nomination Hearing for Secretary of State

–LIVE UPDATES– Washington, DC — Today, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson is testifying before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee to answer questions about his nomination for Secretary of State. Tillerson’s nomination has been widely criticized for his severe and pervasive conflicts of interests, lack of governmental experience, close ties to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the Nomination Hearing of Rex Tillerson for US Secretary of State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2016 Today, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson will appear before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee to answer questions about his nomination for Secretary of State. Tillerson’s nomination has been widely criticized for his severe and pervasive conflicts of interests, lack of governmental experience, close ties to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, … Read More.

Dr. Naomi Oreskes Receives 2016 Frederick Anderson Climate Change Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2016 Dr. Naomi Oreskes Receives 2016 Frederick Anderson Climate Change Award The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) today announced that it has awarded the 2016 Frederick Anderson Climate Change Award to Professor Naomi Oreskes. The award commemorates the founding Chair of CIEL’s Board of Trustees and honors those who … Read More.

CIEL Awards Dinah Shelton 2016 International Environmental Law Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 14, 2016 The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) today announced that it has awarded the 2016 International Environmental Law Award to Dinah Shelton, emeritus Manatt/Ahn Professor of Law at the George Washington University of Law. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the effort to achieve solutions … Read More.

CIEL Statement on the Nomination of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2016 On Saturday, December 10, Reuters reported that Donald Trump will nominated Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as the next Secretary of State. CIEL President Carroll Muffett issued the following statement: The nomination of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State is unconscionable, irresponsible and potentially catastrophic. But we cannot view it … Read More.

Environmental Leaders Call on President-Elect Trump to Renounce Hate, Rescind Bannon and Sessions Appointments

December 5, 2016 Washington, DC—In a statement released today, executives and board members from twenty-six leading environmental organizations spoke out against rising intolerance in the wake of the Presidential election and expressed solidarity with national and global movements for civil rights, social justice and an inclusive economy. Noting with alarm the rapid, abhorrent and dangerous … Read More.

Murder of Young Assistant from Guatemalan Environmental Organization is Evidence of Escalating Risk to Human Rights Defenders

For Immediate Release November 16, 2016 También disponible en español Ottawa/Toronto/Vancouver/Reno/Washington/Guatemala. North American organizations are dismayed and deeply troubled by the execution-style murder of 22 year-old Jeremy Abraham Barrios Lima, assistant to the director of the Guatemalan Centre for Legal, Environmental and Social Action (CALAS), on Saturday in Guatemala City. A group of Canadian and … Read More.

Bi-National Protest Calls on World Bank to Divest from Controversial Mining Company on Eve of Problematic Company Vote

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2016 The World Bank invests in the corporate extortion of Colombia, jeopardizing the water supply for millions. This was the message from concerned citizens as they gathered in simultaneous protests in Washington, DC and Bogotá, Colombia outside the International Finance Corporation (IFC). View photos here. The IFC, the private lending … Read More.

Guatemalans appeal case against Tahoe Resources in Canadian court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 1, 2016 Today, the British Columbia Court of Appeals in Vancouver, Canada will revisit a procedural motion in the case of seven Guatemalans who have brought a civil suit for battery and negligence against Tahoe Resources. The suit concerns the mining company’s role in a violent attack in April 2013, when … Read More.

Amid Escalating Repression, Dakota Access Pipeline Owners Risk Legal Liability

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 2016 Pipeline Proponents Warned Against Complicity in Human Rights Abuses Six prominent legal and advocacy organizations warned the joint owners Dakota Access Pipeline of their legal responsibility amidst the escalating violence in Standing Rock, North Dakota. The letter highlights the corporate duty of project proponents Energy Transfer and Phillips 66 under … Read More.

EU-Canada Trade and Investment Deal Fails its First Democratic Test

For Immediate Release October 21, 2016 Brussels, Belgium — Today, Belgium rejected the flawed EU-Canada trade and investment deal, which would have expanded the rights of corporations to challenge laws protecting public health and the environment. “Difficulties remain, especially on a symbolic and extremely important political issue: the dispute settlement mechanism,” the leader of the Belgian … Read More.

ICSID Tribunal Finds in Favor of Government of El Salvador in Arbitration Process

There are No Winners in Pacific Rim Mining Company vs El Salvador Investor-State Arbitration Subverts Democracy   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 14, 2016 Cabañas, El Salvador / Washington DC / Ottawa / Melbourne – Civil society groups worldwide that have allied with Salvadoran communities and organizations working on mining and environmental issues reacted to today’s … Read More.

Romania’s government agrees to a complete lack of transparency in the Rosia Montana arbitration case

For Immediate Release October 5, 2016 Rosia Montana/Romania – In late September 2016, the arbitration for the Gabriel Resources vs. Romania dispute over the stalled Rosia Montana gold mine development held a hearing at the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Disregarding official requests submitted to the tribunal by Alburnus Maior three months … Read More.

Trees Big Winners at CITES CoP17

CITES Parties Place All Proposed Timber Species on Appendix II; Decide to Increase Oversight of Court-Ordered Permits and Improve Legality For Immediate Release: October 4, 2016 Johannesburg, South Africa – This week, governments took important steps at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna … Read More.

Trade Ministers Discuss Halting or Reforming the US-EU Trade Talks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 23 September 2016 Trade Ministers Discuss Halting or Reforming the US-EU Trade Talks Brussels, Belgium — Today, the French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl and the Austrian Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner proposed halting the EU-US trade talks, known as the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP, during an informal meeting of trade ministers … Read More.

Statement of CIEL President Carroll Muffett on SEC announcement of investigation into ExxonMobil’s climate change exposure and accounting practices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 20, 2016 Today, the SEC announced an investigation into ExxonMobil’s climate change exposure and accounting practices. Statement of CIEL President Carroll Muffett: Add this to the long list of questions that ExxonMobil needs to answer – to investors, to regulators, and to humanity. For those investors still waiting for proof that … Read More.

Mecanismo del Banco Mundial alerta sobre proyecto minero riesgoso en Santurbán

Para Publicación Inmediata Mecanismo del Banco Mundial alerta sobre riesgos de proyecto minero en Santurbán La Oficina del Asesor en Cumplimiento Ombudsman, concluyó que la Corporación Financiera Internacional no previó impactos ambientales de mina Angostura y aun así invirtió, desconociendo sus políticas internas Washington/Ottawa/Bogotá/Ámsterdam. La Oficina del Asesor en Cumplimiento Ombudsman (CAO, por sus siglas … Read More.

World Bank mechanism highlights risky mining project in Colombia

For Immediate Release: September 1, 2016 También disponible en español Ombudsman finds the IFC failed to comply with its investment standards in Colombia The office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman found that the International Finance Corporation cannot guarantee that the Angostura mine will not have impacts on the environment.   Washington/Ottawa/Bogotá/Ámsterdam. The office of the … Read More.

Ombudsman finds the IFC failed to comply with its investment standards in Colombia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 1, 2016 Ombudsman finds the IFC failed to comply with its investment standards in Colombia The office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman found that the International Finance Corporation cannot guarantee that the Angostura mine will not have impacts on the environment. Washington – The office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO) has issued … Read More.

Deadly Shade of Green: New report reveals scale of threat to environmental defenders and indigenous communities in Latin America

For Immediate Release: August 9, 2016 Deadly Shade of Green New report reveals scale of threat to environmental defenders and indigenous communities in Latin America Latin America is, by far, the most dangerous region in the world for environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs). The murder of campaigner Berta Cáceres in March reverberated worldwide, but a … Read More.

Environmental Groups Petition the SEC to Require Environmental, Social, and Governance Disclosures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 22, 2016 Environmental Groups Petition the SEC to Require Environmental, Social, and Governance Disclosures WASHINGTON, DC – Environmental groups have called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to require company disclosure on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks to investors. The Center for International Environmental Law, Center of Concern, Environmental Investigation … Read More.

New Documents Reveal Denial Playbook Originated with Big Oil, Not Big Tobacco

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 20, 2016    New Documents Reveal Denial Playbook Originated with Big Oil, Not Big Tobacco Industry documents show common playbook is decades older than previously recognized Washington, DC – New research by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) not only confirms that the tobacco and fossil fuel industries used a … Read More.

NGO response: Proposed World Bank standards represent dangerous set-back to key environmental and social protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 22, 2016 NGO response to the World Bank’s proposed Environmental and Social Framework: Proposed World Bank standards represent dangerous set-back to key environmental and social protections For decades, experience has shown that sustainable development cannot be achieved through projects that impoverish communities and destroy the environment. And yet, after a four-year … Read More.

Human Rights Defenders Essential for Development

For Immediate Release July 13, 2016   Global Call to Ensure Local Communities’ Safe Participation in Bank-financed Projects Washington, DC – Development banks should respect human rights in their investments around the world and ensure their activities are not putting human rights and environmental defenders at risk, said CIEL in a joint petition signed by … Read More.

CIEL Statement on Subpoenas Announced Today by Rep. Lamar Smith

For Immediate Release: July 13, 2016 Today, Representative Lamar Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology announced that he has issued subpoenas against 2 State Attorneys General and 8 non-governmental organizations involved in the ongoing and vital investigations into the role of Exxon and other oil companies in climate deception campaigns. … Read More.

European Commission crosses Parliament’s red lines on TTIP, say 65+ organisations

For Immediate Release July 7, 2016 Brussels, Belgium – Today, over 65 civil society organisations warned European Parliament President Martin Schulz that the European Commission is failing to comply with Parliament’s 2015 Resolution on the EU-US trade agreement (TTIP). In crossing Parliament’s “red lines”, the Commission’s TTIP proposals endanger public health, the environment, and democracy. The … Read More.

InsideClimate News Story Highlights How Efforts to Undermine Smog Science Set a Framework for Oil Industry Response to Climate Change

For Immediate Release: June 6, 2016 Today, InsideClimate News released the latest in a series of investigative reports that build on documents from CIEL’s ongoing Smoke And Fumes research into the deep history of oil industry and climate change. The ICN investigation highlights how the oil industry’s early efforts to oppose air pollution regulations beginning … Read More.

Civil society demands action, not words, on nanotechnology

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 April 2016 NGOs, consumer groups and research organisations have expressed disappointment with the European Commission’s continuing failure to propose adequate measures for the collection and publication of information about nanomaterials on the EU market after a Commission meeting with stakeholders in Brussels on Monday. After an impact assessment process that lasted … Read More.

New Documents Reveal Oil Industry Knew of Climate Risks Decades Earlier Than Suspected; Suggest Coordinated Efforts to Foster Skepticism

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2016 Media Contact: Carroll Muffett, President: [email protected], 202.742.5772 Amanda Kistler, Communications Manager: [email protected], 202.742.5832 New Documents Reveal Oil Industry Knew of Climate Risks Decades Earlier Than Suspected; Suggest Coordinated Efforts to Foster Skepticism Washington, DC – Hundreds of documents uncovered by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) push back … Read More.

Declaration: Precautionary Approach Critical on Waste Containing Nanomaterials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13 April 2016 Declaration: Precautionary Approach Critical on Waste Containing Nanomaterials (Geneva) – In today’s Declaration on Waste Containing Nanomaterials, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), ECOS, and the Oeko-Institut emphasize the importance of adopting and implementing preventive measures to protect people and the environment from possible hazards of manufactured nanomaterials … Read More.

CIEL Statement on US AG’s Announcement of Climate Action Coalition and Investigation into Fossil Fuel Companies

For Immediate Release: March 29, 2016   Carroll Muffett, CIEL President, statement on US Attorneys General Press Conference on Climate Action Coalition and Investigations into Fossil Fuel Companies: “Today’s announcement demonstrates that rising public concerns over climate deception are well-founded.  It also highlights the gravity of the situation facing Exxon and other companies that spent … Read More.

European Commission Continues to Ignore Parliament on TTIP

For Immediate Release March 21, 2016  Brussels, Belgium — Today, the Commission released two new texts relating to the controversial Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (“Regulatory Cooperation” and “Good Regulatory Practices”), which continue to ignore requests by the European Parliament. In July 2015, the European Parliament demanded the European Commission neither affect the implementation of EU … Read More.

Organizations condemn Eco Oro Minerals’ warning that it could sue Colombia over efforts to protect water sources

The Canadian company’s Angostura mining project in the high-altitude wetlands, or páramo, of Santurbán, has announced that it could file an international arbitration suit against Colombia over measures to protect the páramo, which are important sources of water in the country. For Immediate Release March 14, 2016 Washington DC – Civil society organizations condemn Eco Oro Minerals’ … Read More.

Report finds development banks fail people harmed by their projects: Civil society calls on banks to strengthen their complaint mechanisms to provide remedy

For Immediate Release January 27, 2016   Report finds development banks fail people harmed by their projects Civil society calls on banks to strengthen their complaint mechanisms to provide remedy   Amsterdam—A new report launched today documents the hurdles communities and workers face in obtaining remedy from development banks whose projects cause them harm. The … Read More.

US Congress opposes World Bank plan to weaken environmental and social protections, seeks transparency about “beneficial owners” of shell companies

Environmentalists and human rights groups applaud December 23, 2015 – After withering global criticism of the World Bank’s proposal to weaken longstanding environmental and social protections, or safeguards, the US Congress has weighed in forcefully. The 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was adopted on Friday, instructs the US Treasury department to oppose any World Bank policy … Read More.

Civil Society To Climate Ministers: Put Human Rights At Core

Uphold Ecosystem Integrity, Food Security and Human Rights Of Indigenous Peoples, Women, Workers, Youth in *Purpose Paragraph* Paris, France – Monday, December 7, 2015: As ministers arrived to hammer out a climate deal, an unprecedented coalition of indigenous peoples and civil society, from trade unions to young people to women’s rights advocates, called on ministers … Read More.

Life cycle perspective for nano-materials

December 9, 2015 CIEL, the European Citizens Organisation for Standardisation and the Oeko Institute are hosting a workshop on life cycle perspectives for nanomaterials in Brussels. With speakers from the European Commission, NGOs and academia, we’ll discuss the role of circular economy, energy efficiency and the challenges of dealing with nano waste. You can follow … Read More.

Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground: A Declaration for the Health of Mother Earth

November 2015 We come together, recognizing the rights of nature and our interdependent and spiritual relationship with Mother Earth. We honor Indigenous peoples’ spiritual and sacred understanding of Mother Earth and their relationship with her. We respect their leadership in restoring humanity’s sacred and healthy relationship with the natural world. We recognize that the extraction, … Read More.

Expert Availability: CIEL Attorneys at 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris

EXPERT AVAILABILITY FOR: November 30 – December 11, 2015     Expert Availability: CIEL Attorneys at 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris To avoid catastrophic climate change, governments must agree to an ambitious, global climate agreement in Paris in December. Members of the CIEL … Read More.

Impunity Reigns, History Repeats: Anti-Mining Activist Survives Second Armed Attack

For Immediate Release: Thursday, October 22, 2015 Washington DC – Forty-eight international organizations are calling for an investigation into the second armed attack in as many years against a well-known activist who is part of the peaceful resistance to Tahoe Resources’ Escobal silver mine in southeastern Guatemala. On Saturday, October 17, Alex Reynoso – a … Read More.

Human Rights Implications of Six Toxic Chemicals Highlighted by Environmental Groups

GENEVA, Sept 30, 2015 – International environmental groups Ban Toxics and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) released a series of issue briefs highlighting the human rights implications of five highly toxic pollutants. The issue briefs were released in conjunction with the ongoing global negotiations of the 4th International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) … Read More.

TTIP Poised to Gut US States’ Ability to Protect on Toxic Chemicals

For Immediate Release: September 22, 2015 TTIP Poised to Gut US States’ Ability to Protect on Toxic Chemicals EU Proposals for EU-US Trade Deal Threaten Democratic Process for Protecting People and the Environment Washington, DC – A new report Preempting the Public Interest: How TTIP Will Limit US States’ Public Health and Environmental Protections by … Read More.

EU Wants to Allow Banned Chemicals in Household Products

Loophole will give banned flame retardants a second life in consumers’ homes For Immediate Release September 7, 2015 Geneva/Brussels – Public interest groups are calling on the European Commission to ban the recycling of materials containing toxic flame retardants.  In a letter delivered this morning, the Centre for International Environmental Law, the European Environmental Bureau, … Read More.

CIEL Vacancy Announcement: Climate & Energy Program Director

The Center for International Environmental Law seeks a seasoned leader, manager and legal campaigner to become CIEL’s next Climate & Energy Program Director. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional and proven legal strategist to lead a dynamic team of attorneys and experts working at the cutting edge of international legal advocacy on … Read More.

Groups demand rejection of anti-climate provision in US Customs Bill

For Immediate Release: July 28, 2015   WASHINGTON, DC – As Congress prepares to go to conference to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of the Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2015, a coalition of environmental and fair trade organizations are protesting the inclusion of language in the House version of the … Read More.

European Parliament’s TTIP Vote A Step Backward for Public Health

For Immediate Release July 8, 2015 Today, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution to clarify the Parliament’s expectations and redlines with regard to the ongoing Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The resolution adopted calls for negotiation to stop on “REACH and its implementation.” However, the resolution does not adequately address the threat … Read More.

Credit Rating Agencies Miscalculating Climate Risks – Report Warns that Business as Usual Could Repeat Global Credit Crisis

For Immediate Release: June 24, 2015 Washington, DC – A new report launched today, (Mis)Calculated Risk and Climate Change – Are Rating Agencies Repeating Credit Crisis Mistakes?, demonstrates that by not adequately accounting for climate risks, rating agencies could be repeating the mistakes of the credit crisis where risk was underestimated to the detriment of … Read More.

A Historic Compromise – CIEL responds to Senate’s Fast Track vote

For immediate release: June 23, 2015 Washington, DC – Today, the US Senate passed a procedural motion on a Fast Track bill that limits Congressional authority and oversight over international trade deals like the massive Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Statement from CIEL President & CEO Carroll Muffett: Today’s vote on Fast Track represents a … Read More.