Peru’s Logging Interests Threaten to Overrule Science at Global Wildlife Summit

This piece was co-authored by Julia Urrunaga, Director of the Peru Program at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA); Susanne Breitkopf, Deputy Director of Forest Campaigns at EIA, and Melissa Blue Sky, Senior Attorney at CIEL. Peruvian scientists have been warning for years about the need to protect the country’s threatened shihuahuaco trees. But the government … Read More.

Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples Statement Regarding the Affront Against Institutionality and Forest Governance

CIEL joined 45 organizations and individuals on a statement regarding the dismissal of the Executive Director of the Peruvian forest authority SERFOR. The statement is below. We, the undersigned, reject the breach in forest sector institutionality committed by the Ministry of Agriculture in its dismissal of the Executive Director of the Peruvian forest authority SERFOR … Read More.

A Win for Advocacy: Court Dismisses SLAPP Suit Against Environmental Activists

Around the world, threats against those who speak out to defend their environment and human rights are growing. In 2018, 321 human rights defenders were killed — a rate of six people every week. Environmental and human rights activists are also criminalized and face trumped-up criminal charges, defamation, and arbitrary detentions. And corporations are diversifying their … Read More.

Rosewood, Pangolins, and Whales: CITES Standing Committee Meets in Geneva

On November 27 through December 1, the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) met to discuss measures countries are taking worldwide to halt the illegal trade of endangered species.   With substantive discussions around protections for rosewood, pangolins, sei whales, and other at-risk species, CITES affirmed its vital role … Read More.

Legal Acquisition Findings: A Game-Changer for Stopping Deforestation

This week, CIEL is in South Africa for the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES is tasked with regulating the trade of endangered species in order to protect them. One of the most important decisions that will be taken … Read More.

Reflections on Getting A Global Climate Agreement

Now that I have had some time to reflect on (and recover from) our time in Paris, I want to share some thoughts on what we achieved through our unprecedented campaign to include human rights protections in the 2015 Paris Agreement, and how we got there. This effort was long in the making. Since 2009, … Read More.

2015 Highlights: Top 10 Accomplishments

Your energy and advocacy sparked a global momentum shift over the past year, and we are on the cusp of true, transformative change. On all fronts, you have defended your right to a healthy planet. With your support, you help CIEL… Advance Climate Justice For three years, we’ve highlighted the growing legal and financial risks … Read More.

Share Your Work: Early Warning System Survey Offers Opportunity to Collaborate

The Early Warning System Survey aims to minimize the existing knowledge gap by ensuring that communities have the information they need to understand proposed projects and their impacts early in the development process, to identify the banks and corporations involved in financing these projects, and to learn about advocacy strategies they can incorporate into their … Read More.

A heavy burden to bear: REDD+ is “complete” but now the work begins

In one of my last posts, I noted that for years, Parties, civil society, and indigenous groups have been working out how to simultaneously protect forests and combat climate change, and that the June 2015 climate negotiations would provide a great opportunity to ensure that rights and ecological integrity were at the forefront of this … Read More.

A key tool for your toolkit: International law can advance women’s land tenure rights in REDD+

How can REDD+ be implemented without intensifying existing inequalities for women? Given that REDD+ is an international climate initiative with required social, environmental safeguards, how can advocates and community members use international law to advance women’s tenure rights in REDD+? Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) was designed to use forests to address … Read More.

Mexico as a Model? The Value of International Guidance on REDD+

Mexico is on a roll in demonstrating its commitment to address climate change. This week, it was the first developing country to submit its official contribution to the United Nations to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions as part of a new international climate agreement. This contribution pledge is also the first and only one to … Read More.

CITES Authorized Trade in DRC Timber Continues at Unsustainable Levels

Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata) is a rare variety of tropical tree valued worldwide for its usefulness as beautiful interior hardwoods. Since 1992, Afrormosia has been listed under Appendix II of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which concerns species that experts fear could verge on extinction if their trade … Read More.

Green Climate Fund Dos and Don’ts: The Case of REDD+

Last month, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) met in Barbados for its 8th session.  What’s the GCF? It’s a financial institution that is expected to channel billions of dollars to developing countries to help them in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. (Check out some of our blogs for … Read More.

Dear Tri-Caucus: Introducing the Tri-Caucus (Part II)

Dearest Friends, Colleagues, It is hard to believe that a year has passed since we formed the Tri-Caucus to improve coordination between those who focus specifically on rights related to REDD+. As we finalize last-minute logistics for the upcoming UN climate negotiations – the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) in Lima, Peru – I … Read More.

Introducing the Tri-Caucus: “It takes a village”

In the world of UN climate negotiations, in which 194 official parties, as well as hundreds of observers and representatives from civil society and indigenous groups, have different and complex agendas and priorities, meaningful progress to reduce emissions is a challenging feat. Ensuring that progress respects human rights and environmental integrity is even more so. … Read More.

Not just for Barons anymore! Dan Magraw joins #CIELat25 for Magna Carta Discussion

As we near the 800th birthday of the Magna Carta—and CIEL’s 25th—how does Magna Carta influence the realm of international environmental law today? CIEL welcomed President Emeritus and Distinguished Scholar Dan Magraw as the second speaker in its 25th Anniversary Discussion Series Defending the Planet in the 21st Century. Currently a professorial lecturer and fellow … Read More.

Years of Living Dangerously

For twenty five years, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society.  One of the most critical issues we work on is climate change.  Day in and day out, we work on designing and strengthening the laws and policies to combat climate … Read More.

#Spring4HumanRights – The 2014 Spring Meetings of the World Bank

Each Spring, thousands of government finance ministers, economists, civil society representatives, and community members from around the world convene in Washington, DC, for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings. It is often a hectic week of seminars, press conferences, civil society events, and side-line meetings. This year, the Spring Meetings and civil … Read More.

Going back to Bali, to Bali, to Bali…

We’re reporting back  from Bali, Indonesia, where the February meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board took place, and excited to share an update on the progress we made and the challenges we face ahead! The GCF was created by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change  in 2010 to serve as the primary … Read More.

GREEN CLIMATE FUND: Show me the money (and safeguards!)

Today, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) meets for its 5th board meeting in Paris, France. Established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010, the GCF promised to be the main vehicle for channeling billions of dollars pledged by developed counties to support climate mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries. … Read More.

Great Rainforest or the Greatest Rainforest?

On Thursday, January 12th, 2012 CIEL scientist Matt Finer presented as part of Amazon Watch’s GreenBag Lunch series with this auspicious title, riffing off Stephen Colbert’s rhetorical question he poses to anyone that might not agree with his hyperbolic categorization. However, even Colbert would find few, if any, who would call the region of Loreto, … Read More.

What’s hot in climate change

By the CIEL Climate Team Climate negotiations resume in Bonn, Germany this week with a full agenda and against a backdrop of reports that last year’s global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were at record levels despite the global economic downturn.  While the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) in Cancun, Mexico last December … Read More.

US Clears Test of Genetically Modified Trees in Southern US

The test is meant to see if the trees, eucalyptuses with a foreign gene meant to help them withstand cold weather, can become a new source of wood for pulp and paper, and for biofuels, in the Southern timber belt. Eucalyptus trees generally cannot now be grown north of Florida because of occasional freezing spells. … Read More.