December 5, 2019 Investments in Oil and Gas Production Over the Next Five Years Will Lock-In More than 1.5°C of Global Warming 85 Percent of Global Oil and Gas Expansion Plans are in North America Madrid, Spain – Over the coming five years, the oil and gas sector intends to invest USD 1.4 trillion developing … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2019 Madrid, Spain — Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), and Inclusiva released a new report on The Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the Context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the midst of the current climate negotiations … Read More.
Recognition of Binding Human Rights Duties Gains Momentum in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change December 5, 2019 Madrid, Spain — Rights in a Changing Climate, a new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), and funded by the Government of Luxembourg, provides the first comprehensive review of human-rights-related policies … Read More.
December 3, 2019 Increasing Plastic Production Pollutes Communities, Fuels Global Warming WASHINGTON, DC ― More than 350 community and conservation organizations filed a legal petition today that demands the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopt strict air pollution standards for industrial plants that create plastic. Rising plastic production in the United States is releasing toxic air … Read More.
MEDIA ADVISORY November 29 – December 14, 2019 MADRID, SPAIN – CIEL experts will be in Madrid and available for comment during the 25th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) from December 1-14. Originally scheduled to take place in Santiago, Chile, and cancelled just five weeks before the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 19, 2019 Saudi Arabia has announced that the long-heralded partial IPO of its national oil company, Saudi Aramco, will be drastically scaled back. The banks that were about to go on the road to sell shares to investors in Asia, Europe and North America have been told to cancel these plans … Read More.
Amid the humanitarian crisis caused by the hydropower plant in Colombia’s Cauca river basin, the IDB’s Board of Executive Directors approved an investigation of whether the Bank’s environmental and social standards were met in financing the dam. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) November 10, 2019 Washington DC—In a historic decision, the Board of Executive Directors … Read More.
49 detailed infographics over 19 chapters cover many aspects of plastic production, consumption, and disposal. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2019 (Originally posted at Heinrich Böll Stiftung: https://www.boell.de/en/2019/10/31/plastic-atlas-demonstrates-scale-plastic-pollution-crisis-and-solutions-zero-waste) Brussels/Manila/Washington, DC — Today, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Break Free From Plastic movement have published the international English edition of the Plastic Atlas, holding launch … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 4, 2019 Statement by CIEL President Carroll Muffett: “The announcement today that the Trump Administration will withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement is another regrettable example of Mr. Trump’s approach to governance: deny reality, undermine collective action, and commit outrages in the name of corporate profits. The decision … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2019 Just five weeks prior to the critical UN Climate Conference in Santiago, Chilean President Piñera announced COP-25 will not take place in December as planned due to ongoing “civil unrest” in Chile. The Conference was expected to deliver an urgent call for countries to increase their national climate ambition … Read More.
Pledges now add up to $US 9.7 billion but countries must continue to fill the coffers through the replenishment period to meet the needs of vulnerable people and for global efforts to tackle climate crisis October 25, 2019 (Originally posted at Climate Action Network International: http://www.climatenetwork.org/press-release/green-climate-fund-pledging-summit-civil-society-groups-react-outcome) The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Pledging Conference concluded here today with … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 24, 2019 Boston — Today, Massachusetts became the second state to sue ExxonMobil for misleading investors about climate change and the first to sue ExxonMobil for deceiving consumers. The lawsuit, filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, claims that the company knowingly deceived investors and consumers about the risks of climate … Read More.
Swiss Youth for Climate and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) support the Committee on the Rights of the Child in demanding that Switzerland explain its lack of commitment toward climate action. The health of younger generations is at stake. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (français ci-dessous) October 16, 2019 Geneva, Switzerland — This week, the … Read More.
Stronger attention to social inclusiveness and nature-based solutions, little progress on ambition October 10, 2019 San José – This week Costa Rica convened a “preCOP” climate conference to enable environment ministers and lead climate negotiators to exchange views on several key issues that will be at the core of the 2019 UN Climate Conference held … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will vote on the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. A group of 38 environmental organizations have banded together to urge the Committee members to reject this flawed piece of legislation and demand meaningful action. (See the joint letter below … Read More.
For Immediate Release September 18, 2019 New York – In an unprecedented move, more than 200 representatives of Indigenous Peoples, workers, academia, environmental and human rights groups adopted a landmark declaration [1] calling on governments and corporations to urgently tackle the climate emergency in order to ensure the survival of humanity. Gathered for the Peoples’ … Read More.
Collective Statement by UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies Demands Global Climate Action FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 17, 2019 Geneva — In a rare collective statement issued yesterday, five UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies called upon States to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to a level reflecting their highest possible ambition in order to comply with … Read More.
A crucial European meeting to discuss the French ban of E171 — the food additive version of titanium dioxide — is due to take place on Monday, September 16. Civil society groups across Europe raise questions about a new industry study released ahead of this meeting and warn against diverting decision-makers’ attention from the already … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2019 WASHINGTON, DC — In its final meeting this Wednesday, the board of directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will consider two major fracking projects in Argentina that would worsen the climate emergency the world is now facing. “Drilling in Vaca Muerta will accelerate the climate crisis and … Read More.
Fearing imminent collapse of the dam, communities in Antioquia, Colombia, have learned that the public lending arm of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will not be investigated FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) September 4, 2019 Washington, DC — Last month, the Board and management of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced it would not approve an … Read More.
PRESS RELEASE August 29, 2019 As the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – the world’s largest multilateral fund for action on climate change – is holding its second consultation on the first replenishment in Ottawa, civil society welcomes the announcements by those countries including Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Norway that have doubled their pledges … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) August 9, 2019 Panama City/Washington, DC — On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Panamanian indigenous organizations and international allies presented a submission to the United Nations (UN) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) about the risks various indigenous communities are facing as a … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2019 2018 was a key year for the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights in UN climate negotiations, according to a new report. Authored by the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge in the Context of … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 Geneva – Yesterday, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) raised concerns about the impacts on women and girls of Guyana’s policies on offshore oil and gas extraction and recommended the State review its climate change and energy policies to mitigate those risks. Guyana, a country … Read More.
Decades-old EPA Limits Require Update As Plastic Production Booms FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2019 WASHINGTON― More than 270 community and conservation organizations filed a legal petition today that demands the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopt strict new water-pollution limits for industrial plants that create plastic. Plastic plants discharged 128 million pounds of pollutants into … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) July 17, 2019 Washington, DC — Public officials systematically enable criminal networks to illegally harvest timber in the Peruvian Amazon, according to a new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Authorized to Steal: Organized Crime Networks Launder Illegal Timber from the Peruvian Amazon identifies by … Read More.
July 9, 2019 The Peoples’ Summit on Climate, Rights and Human Survival – the first ever global summit on human rights and climate change – will be hosted by leading civil society groups and the UN Human Rights Office in New York on 18-19 September. The Summit aims to galvanize the human rights community to … Read More.
Attention Shifts to COP25 to Deliver on Paris and Avert Climate Catastrophe CIEL PRESS STATEMENT June 27, 2019 Negotiators at SB50 delivered glacial progress that is wildly out of step with the urgency of the climate crisis, as the UN’s intersessional climate talks conclude today in Bonn, Germany. Progress. At SB50, countries made progress — … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 25, 2019 Anticipating the first reporting deadline for a comprehensive analysis of climate-related financial risk in the portfolios of the two largest public pension funds in the nation, five influential NGOs are proposing reporting scenarios designed to move institutional investors toward greater accountability to members, beneficiaries, and the financial markets. … Read More.
June 15-27, 2019 UNFCCC Intersessional SB50, Bonn, Germany Key Issues Include Human Rights Integration into Domestic Implementation (NDCs) and Market Mechanisms (Article 6) Bonn, Germany – At the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Katowice, Poland, Parties to the Paris Agreement achieved a significant milestone: adopting … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2019 Bogotá, Colombia — On Wednesday, a judge in Bogotá, Colombia, issued a historic ruling recognizing the grave danger to local communities presented by the Ituango hydroelectric dam on the country’s Cauca River. To protect the rights of communities in the region, the judge ordered that precautionary measures be immediately … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 13, 2019 Today, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) CEO Philippe Le Houérou announced structural and operational adjustments that aim to fundamentally change the way environmental and social issues are managed at an institution that has a significant role in financing development projects throughout the world. Having worked alongside partners to advocate … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 4, 2019 A new report from the Coalition for Human Rights in Development and the Defenders in Development Campaign, of which CIEL is a member, reveals the alarming impact that ill-planned investments in infrastructure, energy, and other development activities are having on the safety and wellbeing of human rights defenders around the world. Uncalculated … Read More.
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.