The European Ocean Act has the potential to set a new course for ocean protection. Scheduled to be presented by the European Commission in late 2026, it is expected to serve as a single legal framework for governance of the European seas. To be effective, the Act must tackle the fossil economy that is driving … Read More.
Plastic pollution is not a waste management failure. It is the predictable result of a decades-long corporate disinformation campaign — one that shapes how the plastics crisis is defined, debated, and governed at every level, from consumer advertising to international treaty negotiations. The Plastics Plot: The Corporate Disinformation Tactics Behind Plastics Pollution draws on Grant … Read More.
Banks Pump over US$250 Billion into Petrochemicals Despite Growing Industry Risks Petrochemicals — including plastics, fertilizers, and synthetic chemicals — are a toxic investment for public health, the environment, and the economy. Yet, financial institutions funnel billions of dollars into propping up and expanding the global petrochemical sector. CIEL’s brief: Deep Pockets, Dirty Profits: How … Read More.
For more than three decades, governments have negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to address the climate crisis. Yet despite overwhelming scientific evidence and escalating climate impacts, progress remains dangerously slow. One major reason is the UNFCCC’s reliance on consensus-based decision-making, which allows a small number of countries to block … Read More.
Fossil fuel and fertilizer companies are planning a massive build-out of fossil gas-based petrochemical facilities across the United States, concentrated mainly in Texas and Louisiana. Driven by highly speculative markets, such as using ammonia as a shipping fuel, or energy source, at least forty-five facilities have been proposed nationwide. If built, these projects could quadruple … Read More.
Despite the scientific and legal imperative to phase out fossil fuels, oil and gas projects continue to be developed at sea and along coastlines. A new wave of offshore exploration and production is accelerating across the Wider Caribbean, posing significant ecological, social, and economic risks. The Caribbean is home to some of the world’s most … Read More.
Petrochemicals are sewn into nearly everything around us — from the production of fertilizers, to our textiles, to our everyday packaging. Yet what if this “fabric” is not clothing us, but suffocating us? What if the glue that holds much of our modern world together is poisoning us and unraveling at its seams? The global … Read More.
Petrochemical production pollutes communities, worsens the climate crisis, and deepens environmental injustice— and financial institutions are helping fund their expansion. From plastics and fertilizers to ammonia and synthetic chemicals, the petrochemical industry relies on billions in loans, underwriting, and investment to build new facilities across the United States, often in regions already overburdened by toxic … Read More.
As climate disruption, biodiversity loss, pollution, and toxic exposure intensify worldwide, the need for stronger corporate accountability is more urgent than ever. Despite growing international human rights and environmental frameworks, transnational corporations often enjoy stronger protections under trade and investment agreements than the communities affected by their operations. The FIAN International, with the support of … Read More.
On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a historic unanimous Advisory Opinion on States’ obligations in relation to climate change. Building on earlier opinions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the ICJ clarified the scope and content of States’ duties … Read More.
With the election of a new Chair in February 2026 and no agreed path forward on treaty text, the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations have reached a pivotal moment. Multiple draft texts remain on the table, and Member States continue to diverge on one of the most consequential questions facing the process: how the future Global … Read More.
Toxic chemical pollution is a global crisis, and regulation of these chemicals is not sufficient to protect human health and the environment. More than 350,000 industrial chemicals and mixtures are in use worldwide, many of which are linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, and ecological damage. Despite growing scientific evidence of harm, regulatory frameworks … Read More.
PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” contaminate water, soil, and food, harming ecosystems and posing serious risks to human health. PFAS pollution has become a major environmental and public health crisis across Europe and globally. While the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP) has existed for more than 50 years, the PFAS crisis starkly illustrates how critical it … Read More.
The world is facing the escalating triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, driven largely by unrestrained corporate extraction and profit-driven economic models. Extractive and polluting industries such as mining, large-scale agriculture, and industrial forestry degrade ecosystems, undermine the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and violate interconnected human rights, … Read More.
For decades, Indigenous Peoples have drawn on the wisdom of their Elders and knowledge keepers to understand and respond to the climate crisis. Their deep connection to the natural world provides unique knowledge systems that enabling them to understand, interpret, and react to the impacts of climate change. Their leadership has helped shape rights-based climate … Read More.
In response to a request from the UN General Assembly, on 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change. The world’s highest court confirmed that climate action is a legal duty: All States must act to prevent significant climate … Read More.
The past year made one truth undeniable: protecting human rights and our planet is more urgent—and more contested—than ever. Around the world, communities and defenders have faced rising threats from fossil fuel interests and political backlash. Yet, despite these headwinds, CIEL’s legal advocacy delivered extraordinary wins that put dignity, safety, and justice at the center … Read More.
El 3 de julio de 2025, la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos emitió una Opinión Consultiva histórica que declara que la crisis climática es una emergencia de derechos humanos. La decisión deja claro que los Estados y las empresas tienen obligaciones vinculantes, en virtud del derecho internacional, de abordar tanto las causas como las consecuencias … Read More.
On July 3, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a historic Advisory Opinion declaring the climate crisis a human rights emergency. The decision clarified that States and corporations have binding obligations under international law to address both the causes and consequences of climate change. And it left no room for doubt: protecting human … Read More.
Marine geoengineering — large-scale technological intervention in ocean systems intended to alter the global climate — is increasingly entering mainstream policy discussions. Falsely framed as climate solutions, these extreme and highly speculative technologies — including ocean alkalinity enhancement, ocean fertilization, biomass sinking, and marine cloud brightening — pose profound risks to marine ecosystems and coastal … Read More.
Petrochemicals—fossil fuel–derived substances used in plastics, fertilizers, and synthetic materials—are a major, yet overlooked, driver of Europe’s environmental, health, and climate crises. Despite the EU’s climate ambition and “zero pollution” goals, petrochemical production continues to lock the region into fossil dependency and toxic harm. Our new report, Too Toxic to Ignore: Confronting the Petrochemical Threat … Read More.
Embedded in thousands of international investment agreements, the little-known investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system allows foreign companies to sue states for damages when they take measures to protect the environment and the public. ISDS threatens climate action and undermines countries’ compliance with their legal obligations to prevent and remedy climate harm—presenting an impermissible barrier to … Read More.
When we think of fossil fuels, we often picture cars, power plants, and factories. But there’s another major player: our food system. Today, food systems consume 15 percent of global fossil fuels. More than half of the world’s fertilizer production is fossil-fueled, taking a toxic toll on our climate, environment and health. We must phase … Read More.
The federal government is moving well outside of standard processes to grant powerful corporations exemptions from potentially life-saving emissions regulations. This move, coupled with the large and fast-moving buildout of new petrochemical production facilities across the US (and globally), is further threatening communities’ right to breathe clean air and live in a healthy environment. A … Read More.
The European plastics industry is facing a sharp downturn. Between 2022 and 2023, EU plastic production dropped by 8.3%, and recycled plastics fell by 7.8%. Major facilities like TotalEnergies’ Antwerp cracker have shut down due to overcapacity, signaling deeper industry instability. This decline aligns with mounting evidence on the environmental, health, and human rights harms … Read More.
When engaging in international negotiations, parties must carefully balance competing interests, avoid unintended negative consequences, and ensure that agreements effectively address issues at hand. Multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) utilize various tools to maintain this delicate balance. These tools, collectively known as flexibility mechanisms, play a critical role in negotiations. Flexibility mechanisms encourage broad adoption by … Read More.
In 2022, United Nations Member States adopted a mandate to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. The mandate sets out a goal for the plastics treaty to be negotiated before the end of 2024. In August 2025, Member States will come together to participate in the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental … Read More.
Desde hace tres años, los gobiernos negocian un acuerdo jurídicamente vinculante sobre la contaminación por plásticos para hacer frente a esta crisis (Tratado Mundial sobre los Plásticos). Los intereses de la industria del plástico, movida por el afán de lucro, entran en conflicto directo con la salud pública, la protección del medio ambiente y los … Read More.
For the past three years, governments have been negotiating a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution to address this crisis (Global Plastics Treaty). The interests of the plastics industry, driven by profit motives, directly conflict with public health, environmental protection, and human rights, specifically opposing provisions to reduce the production of plastics or regulate the … Read More.
Oil and gas produced, processed, and transported along coastlines and at sea poses a significant threat to ocean biodiversity. From noise pollution that is fatal for dolphins and whales, to the release of dangerous chemicals that degrade food webs on which coastal populations depend, offshore oil and gas activity seriously harms vital marine ecosystems. Seasick: The … Read More.
Once touted as a model for sustainable energy, the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project became one of Chile’s most controversial infrastructure developments and a cautionary tale of environmental destruction, human rights violations, and massive financial fallout. While Alto Maipo has left lasting scars for the affected communities, it also catalyzed key policy changes aimed at preventing … Read More.
New research unveils the toxic supply chain fueling global plastic production, shedding new light on the critical players driving the plastics and climate crises. A new investigation by Stand.earth Research Group (SRG) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reveals that 25+ of the world’s largest household brands are driving fossil fuel expansion in … Read More.
Fossil fuel companies are sinking ever more money into undersea reserves, taking their operations to ever deeper and more remote waters. Today offshore projects represent more than 30 percent of global oil and gas production and they are only growing in numbers. This rising wave of offshore oil and gas activity threatens two global commons … Read More.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Azerbaijan, a petrostate with a detrimental human rights record, and framed as a “Finance COP.” When COP29 came to an end a day after planned, the outcomes were an overall lack of … Read More.
On 29 March 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution requesting the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an Advisory Opinion (AO) on States’ obligations in respect of climate change. The ICJ has now, for the first time in history, the mandate to clarify the legal obligations of States with … Read More.
The climate crisis is undeniably a human rights crisis. Intensifying extreme weather events and slow-onset effects such as rising temperatures, persistent drought, and sea-level rise are leading to widespread human rights violations. Those impacts are disproportionately affecting individuals, Peoples, and communities who are in vulnerable situations due to historical and present marginalization and intersecting forms … Read More.
The plastics crisis directly infringes on a variety of human rights, including the right to life, to the highest attainable standard of health, to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, to adequate housing, to water and sanitation, to food, and an adequate standard of living. States have an obligation to protect, respect, and promote human … Read More.
The urgent need to address climate change is hindered by legal barriers within international investment law, particularly through Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms. ISDS provisions enable foreign investors to sue governments over climate policies that affect their investments, particularly in the fossil fuel sector. This legal threat has a chilling effect on governments, deterring them … Read More.
In 2022, United Nations Member States adopted a mandate to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. The mandate sets out a goal for the plastics treaty to be negotiated before the end of 2024. In November 2024, Member States will come together to participate in the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating … Read More.
Geoengineering, once confined to the periphery of climate crisis discussions, has started to enter the mainstream discourse, creating a dangerous distraction for decision-makers from the real climate solutions that can and must be implemented today. Defined as the “deliberate intervention in the planetary environment of a nature and scale intended to counteract anthropogenic climate change … Read More.
As global temperatures rise and governments implement decarbonization policies, the fossil fuel industry is pushing for a major expansion in the production of plastic and petrochemical products. The unchecked expansion of petrochemicals would be devastating for the environment, climate, and human health. The financial sector plays a crucial role in enabling or limiting this damage. Consumers … Read More.
The governing bodies of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) are often known as the Conference of the Parties (COP). COPs are frequently given the mandate to “review, evaluate and adopt decisions related to the implementation of the treaty; consider and take any action necessary to achieve the objectives of the treaty.” While this text may make … Read More.
Decisions about how a treaty is structured impacts the treaty’s initial text and what will need to be decided in future agreements, protocols, and annexes. Structure and Elements of International Legal Instruments: Key Considerations for the Future Plastics Treaty provides an analysis of different options for treaty design and the risks associated with each. Heading … Read More.
Final provisions — the technical provisions that help describe how a treaty will enter into force, be ratified, and undergo future revisions — are critical for a future treaty’s success. The brief Final Provisions of International Legal Instruments: Key Considerations for the Future Plastics Treaty provides insight and analysis into how multilateral environmental agreements, including … Read More.
Petrochemicals are a major and escalating threat to the climate. From the extraction and processing of fossil fuels to the production, use, and disposal of petrochemicals — the petrochemical industry is a significant contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With the petrochemical sector poised for growth, its potential to exacerbate the climate crisis will only … Read More.
Después de que la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos celebrara audiencias para su Opinión Consultiva sobre la emergencia climática, los Pueblos Indígenas y Tribales, las comunidades y la sociedad civil se unieron para crear la Declaración de Manaos sobre Derechos Humanos en la Emergencia Climática. Esta declaración insta a la Corte a articular estándares mínimos … Read More.
After the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) held hearings for its climate Advisory Opinion, Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, communities, and civil society united to create the Manaus Declaration on Human Rights in the Climate Emergency. This Declaration calls on the Court to articulate minimum standards for safeguarding human rights in the context of the … Read More.
As governments and intergovernmental organizations have recognized, climate change has adverse impacts on a wide range of human rights. Consequently, existing human rights obligations defined under legally binding treaties must inform climate action. These obligations require that climate policies are designed and implemented to effectively protect the rights of those most affected by the climate … Read More.
The United Nations Environment Assembly resolution that kickstarted the process of negotiating a future plastics treaty sets out an ambitious timeline, with the goal of finishing by the end of 2024. With the end of the negotiations nearing and a substantial amount of work still needed to finalize the treaty before it can be ratified, … Read More.
On May 21, 2024, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) issued its landmark Advisory Opinion (AO) on the protection of the marine environment from pollution caused by climate change. The Opinion is a groundbreaking first in international law — clarifying the legal obligations of States to address climate change as a … Read More.
Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue; it’s a pervasive crisis that deeply impacts public health and economic stability. The burden of this crisis falls disproportionately on the shoulders of state, county, and municipal authorities, who invest vast resources managing significant challenges—from clogged water systems and littered landscapes to the immense costs of managing … Read More.
This advocacy brief underscores the importance of establishing robust, inclusive mechanisms for meaningful participation by all rightsholders, especially affected communities and groups. It also outlines the strategic modalities the Board of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF) should prioritize when developing operational policies and guidelines. This brief aims to bridge the gap between policy intentions and actionable outcomes, … Read More.
Plastic Polymers under the Full Life Cycle Approach: Key Considerations on the Scope of the Future Plastics Treaty demonstrates the central role of plastic polymers in the full life cycle of plastics from supply chain and pollution perspectives. It looks at precedents to establish that the full life cycle approach mandated in UNEA Resolution 5/14 … Read More.
Current and projected levels of plastic production are severely undermining any potential solution to end plastic pollution. To effectively address the climate crisis, safeguard human health, ensure the enjoyment of human rights, and mitigate biodiversity loss, the future plastics treaty must control and reduce the production of primary plastic polymers. Parties to other Multilateral Environmental … Read More.
In 2022, United Nations Member States adopted a mandate to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. The mandate sets out a goal for the plastics treaty to be negotiated before the end of 2024. In April 2024, Member States will come together to participate in the fourth session of the Intergovernmental … Read More.
The INC process has been riddled with questions about decision-making from the beginning. Heading into INC-4, a small handful of countries continue to insist that voting should not be used to decide on substantive matters and are blocking the final adoption of the INC Rules of Procedure unless the possibility of a vote on substantive … Read More.
The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in December 2023 in a country with closed civic space and a track record of human rights violations and was presided over by an oil executive. This context further undermined the credibility of … Read More.
Governments that take action to accelerate the transition away from oil, gas, and coal are facing an escalating risk of legal challenge from foreign investors over the perceived impacts of such measures on their investment returns or other costs imposed. Through investor-State dispute settlements (ISDS), foreign investors can bring arbitration claims against governments to obtain … Read More.
Current and planned fossil fuel production and use are incompatible with agreed temperature limits. COP28 must deliver an agreement for a just and equitable phase out of fossil fuel production and use, as well as at least a tripling of renewable energy and a doubling of energy efficiency. The fossil fuel declines required by 2030 … Read More.
Facing growing scrutiny over their contributions to climate change, polluting industries are increasingly looking for ways to cover up their continued emissions rather than phase out the fossil fuels driving them. One way companies claim the world can continue producing and using oil, gas, and coal without harming the climate is through carbon capture and … Read More.
As our window to prevent catastrophic climate impacts narrows, technological fixes like direct air capture (DAC) are gaining dangerous momentum. While pulling pollution out of the atmosphere might sound like a good idea, DAC and other carbon capture schemes are unproven, expensive, and may actually accelerate climate change. Direct Air Capture: Big Oil’s Latest Smokescreen … Read More.
Consideration of Risks and Impacts associated with Prematurely Lifting the Trade Ban for SC77 October 2023 Research from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) indicates that the CITES trade suspension of Pterocarpus erinaceus – an endangered species of rosewood found in the dry savannahs of western and central … Read More.
Treaties provide obligations for States to undertake individual or joint action to implement international legal instruments. Implementation typically refers to the process by which countries establish national laws and policies that reflect treaty obligations. Measures can range from national implementation plans (NIPs) to periodic assessments, compliance provisions and mechanisms, and national reporting. This brief outlines … Read More.
Fiscal incentives and subsidies for the production of primary plastics help to exacerbate the plastic pollution crisis by artificially reducing the cost of plastics. While there are subsidies that directly go to the production of plastic precursors, many are indirect, going to fossil fuels. For the future plastics treaty to comprehensively address the entire life … Read More.
Plastic production is currently on an upward trajectory and is projected to continue increasing exponentially. Global plastic polymer production doubled from 2000 to 2019, reaching 460 million tonnes (Mt) per year, and it is anticipated to almost triple from 2019 levels by 2050. This uncontrolled growth threatens the global climate, as well as human health, … Read More.
In 2022, United Nations Member States adopted a mandate to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. The mandate sets out a goal for the plastics treaty to be negotiated before the end of 2024. The negotiations about the treaty’s design, reach, and function began first in an ad hoc Open-Ended Working … Read More.
Treaties, including multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), provide obligations for States to undertake either individual or joint action to implement international legal instruments. Implementation refers to the process by which countries establish national policies that reflect their treaty obligations. This brief clarifies the difference between three common implementation measures: national implementation plans (NIPs), national action plans (NAPs), … Read More.
Illegal logging and associated trade is a problem of global proportions, with devastating impacts on climate, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of millions of people. Forest crime has severe adverse economic and social impacts in both producing and importing countries through the loss of much-needed tax revenues. Illegal logging can only prevail as long as international … Read More.
Bilateral and multilateral trade and investment treaties often include investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms, which enable foreign investors to sue States for taking actions that adversely affect the value of their investments. These mechanisms can undermine States’ ability to take robust climate and environmental action to respect, protect, and fulfill the human right to a … Read More.
In January 2017, CIEL supported Chilean organization Ecosistemas and the Coordinadora Ciudadana No Alto Maipo (CCNAM) to file complaints about the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project at the accountability mechanisms of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). After nearly six years of waiting, these processes are in the final stages. In … Read More.
Facing growing scrutiny over their contributions to climate change, polluting industries are increasingly looking to the ocean as a potential dumping ground for their carbon dioxide waste. Rather than phase out fossil fuels, oil, gas, and petrochemical companies claim they can, instead, capture some of their carbon dioxide emissions and inject them underground or under … Read More.
The 27th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) climate negotiations took place in November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt). COP27 ran as climate impacts raged across the globe, underscoring that climate change is a human rights crisis. The only way out is by acting urgently to keep warming below … Read More.
In March 2022, United Nations Member States adopted a mandate to negotiate a global plastics treaty at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2). The mandate, “End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument,” sets out a goal for the treaty to be negotiated before the end of 2024. While … Read More.
International treaties frequently include definitions of relevant terms. Definitions of key terms can play an important role in facilitating and supporting treaty negotiations and are often critical for implementing a treaty after its ratification. The Compilation examines over 100 terms that may be relevant for the plastics treaty, offering examples of where those terms appear … Read More.
As governments and intergovernmental organizations have recognized, climate change has adverse impacts on a wide range of human rights. Consequently, existing human rights obligations defined under legally binding treaties must inform climate action. These obligations require that climate policies effectively protect the rights of those most affected by the climate crisis, including by averting harm … Read More.
Trade is an essential aspect of the plastic crisis that led to the adoption of a mandate to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Plastic feedstocks, polymers, additives, plastic pellets, plastic products, and waste are largely traded internationally and the liberalization of trade in those products supports the rise in production … Read More.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is purported to collect or “capture” carbon dioxide generated by high-emitting activities, and is therefore commonly proposed as a technology to help meet global energy and climate goals. However, CCS does not address the core drivers of the climate crisis or meaningfully reduce greenhouse emissions, and should not distract from … Read More.
Multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) aim to address environmental issues of global concern by creating uniform and streamlined approaches and rules that apply to all parties. Treaties serve as agreements between two (or more) States that enter into an agreement, thus creating specific obligations and rights for those parties. It is generally recognized that a treaty … Read More.
As the world’s understanding of the plastics crisis grows, new facets of the problem emerge and reveal impacts on human health and the environment. Recent advances in science are allowing scientists to explore how micro- and nanoplastics form a critical piece of the plastic pollution problem. First thought to be mainly a marine pollution issue, … Read More.
The World Bank Group (WBG) has financed and incentivized up to $165 billion in fossil fuel investments since the Paris Agreement was signed. However, a combination of global scientific consensus and international political agreements now requires the WBG to set an example for both public and private financial institutions by supporting the rapid transition to … Read More.
As the world considers how to address the growing impacts of the triple planetary crises of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, many discussions point toward a circular economy approach as a much-needed solutions pathway. The term circular economy is routinely used in conversations and policy discussions that center on re-envisioning the full system of … Read More.
The Sixth Assessment Cycle (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will conclude in March 2023 with the release of a Synthesis Report (SYR) and Summary for Policymakers (SPM). This assessment cycle covers six major reports that the IPCC has released since 2014. Lost in Translation, a joint analysis produced by the Center for … Read More.
Plastics trade is an essential component of discussions to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Accordingly, trade provisions must be included in the future plastics treaty. “Non-Party Trade Provisions in Multilateral Environmental Agreements” examines how trade has been incorporated into other MEAs and provides lessons for plastics. Contents include: why States … Read More.
Integrating Human Rights in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): A Toolkit for Practitioners is a practical guide to aid States, policymakers, development agencies, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders in integrating human rights in their NDCs. Climate change threatens ecosystems, wildlife, and human rights. Many effects can already be seen today, including rising sea levels, glacial … Read More.
Fertilizers and pesticides are interdependent inputs to a destructive food production model that is contributing to catastrophic biodiversity collapse, toxic pollution, and the violation of human rights. But there is an often-overlooked dimension of the threat posed by these agrochemicals: their fossil fuel origins. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides are fossil fuels in another form, … Read More.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed, in a brutal way, Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels, particularly Russian oil and gas. In the midst of an energy crisis, EU governments demand far more action — and adaptation — from individual citizens than from industry sectors that consume the lion’s share of fossil feedstock and fossil energy, while they also … Read More.
Decades of research have resulted in the banning and severe restriction of some highly hazardous pesticides including aldrin, dieldrin, and dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) under international law. But there is no international, legally-binding agreement to phase out these highly hazardous pesticides more generally. In response, many States have adopted domestic measures to address the problem. However, many … Read More.
With plastic production expected to skyrocket in the coming years, microplastic pollution is set to become a runaway challenge if adequate preventive measures are not put in place quickly. Effective solutions that prioritize prevention must be implemented now to prevent microplastic pollution and minimize its impacts on our global ecosystems and climate for the generations … Read More.
Japanese private finance is currently backing one of the most controversial fossil fuel expansion projects in Africa: the 5 billion USD, 1443-kilometer East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), which would transport 216,000 barrels per day of electrically heated crude oil from Uganda to the port of Tanga in Tanzania for export. Construction of the pipeline … Read More.
In 2020, the International Finance Corporation (IFC, the World Bank’s private sector arm) published its “Approach to Greening Equity in Financial Institutions” (Green Equity Approach or GEA). The GEA committed the IFC to end equity investments in financial institutions that do not have a plan to phase out coal-related investments by 2030. This initiative to “green” equity investments … Read More.
We are increasingly living on a plastic planet. Due to the explosion in plastic production and use, plastic pollution has grown exponentially in recent years. Tiny particles of plastic — or microplastic — are accumulating across the planet in even the most remote areas, in the air, in water, in soil, in plants, and in … Read More.
A Systematic and Searing Indictment of the Carbon Majors; a Stark Warning to the Financial Sector; and a Vital New Tool for Courts and Human Rights Bodies In December 2015, the Philippines Commission on Human Rights (CHR) launched a landmark National Inquiry on Climate Change in response to a petition filed by Greenpeace Southeast Asia … Read More.
Following the United Nations Environment Assembly’s adoption of a mandate to negotiate an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution entitled “End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument,” it is essential to prepare the work for the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC). The INC is tasked with discussing and finalizing the objective, scope, … Read More.
The plastics and petrochemicals industry has big plans to expand its footprint around the world. If this expansion moves forward, the industry will blow through our global carbon budget, exacerbate the plastics crisis, and threaten the health and safety of frontline communities, from the Gulf Coast of the US to Southeast Asia and beyond. Pushing Back: … Read More.
Illegal logging and trade in illegal timber is a major cause of deforestation, which contributes to the global impact of climate change, depletion of natural resources, and decreasing biodiversity, thereby frustrating efforts towards sustainable forest management. It further negatively affects countries’ socio-economic growth, food security, and poverty alleviation efforts, in particular local communities who depend … Read More.
IPCC Unsummarized: Unmasking Clear Warnings on Overshoot, Techno-fixes, and the Urgency of Climate Justice is a joint analysis produced by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Heinrich Boell Foundation, examining the stark and surprising gap between IPCC consensus and the mitigation pathways emphasized in the Working Group III report, particularly in the … Read More.
Investment law and policy can play a significant role in either addressing — or exacerbating — some of the world’s greatest challenges, from climate change to human rights and environmental protection. In light of this, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has developed a work program on “The Future of Investment Treaties,” which … Read More.
As governments and intergovernmental organizations have recognized, climate change has adverse impacts on a wide range of human rights. Consequently, existing human rights obligations defined under legally binding treaties must inform climate action. These obligations require that climate policies effectively protect the rights of those most affected by the climate crisis. They also require that … Read More.
The right to effective remedy for harm is a core tenet of international human rights law, with substantive and procedural dimensions. Despite the principle’s wide recognition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to remedy, and every situation is predicated on a wide array of factors, demanding tailored approaches that depend on the nature of the harm, … Read More.
A joint publication of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Heinrich Boell Foundation, “Beyond the Limits: New IPCC Working Group II Report Highlights How Gambling on Overshoot is Pushing the Planet Past a Point of No Return” examines the IPCC Working Group II report’s findings and significance for: overshoot scenarios, technologies and approaches … Read More.