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 those groups.
Melissa Blue Sky, Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), issued the following statement:
For years, NAFTA has supported corporations that pollute our air and water at the expense of the environment, working families, immigrants, and communities of color across borders. We join other environmental organizations in calling for a new North American trade agreement, one that finally prioritizes people and the planet. As closed-door NAFTA talks continue to exclude environmental groups and public oversight, we are steadfast in opposing a NAFTA 2.0 deal that puts polluters over people. We’re calling for a new trade pact that stops the offshoring of pollution to Mexico, supports a clean energy economy, and shields environmental policies from industrial interference.
Link to the joint statement: here.