FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 3, 2018 Washington, DC—A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) raises new and significant questions about the economic rationale for the massive wave of new infrastructure investments in plastics and petrochemicals. Untested Assumptions and Unanswered Questions in the Plastics Boom highlights global changes that threaten … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2018 On Thursday, a federal judge dismissed a case by Exxon Mobil against the Attorneys General of Massachusetts and New York, who are investigating whether the company misled investors and the public on climate change and the dangers of its products. CIEL President Carroll Muffett, one of several lawyers, investigators, … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 2018 GENEVA — Today, responding to concerns regarding the protection of civil and political rights during the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP-24) in Katowice, a UN Body charged with facilitating implementation of the Aarhus Convention on Environmental Democracy called on the UNFCCC Secretariat and on the Polish Government to guarantee … Read More.
As Landmark Hearing Convenes, Scientists, Lawyers, and Human Rights Experts Say the Philippines Human Rights Commission has Jurisdiction, Evidentiary Basis, and Duty to Act FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 27, 2018 Quezon City, Philippines – Today, the Philippine Human Rights Commission holds the first public hearing in its landmark inquiry into the responsibility of 47 investor-owned … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2018 Geneva — Today, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution renewing the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment for another three years. The resolution recognizes that “more than 100 States have recognized some form of a right to a healthy environment” and addresses the need … Read More.
March 14, 2018 CIEL is deeply concerned with the reports that UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Vicky Tauli-Corpuz, along with other human rights defenders, has been accused of being a terrorist by the Philippine government. This appears to be a blatant attempt to silence and criminalize Vicky Tauli-Corpuz and others for their work … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2018 CIEL President Carroll Muffett released the following statement: “In the past 14 months, Rex Tillerson and the Trump Administration have done incalculable damage to the US State Department and to the United States’ standing with partners around the world. They have moved US foreign policy dramatically backward on an … Read More.
March 7, 2018 Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected the Trump Administration’s extraordinary attempt to circumvent the normal judicial process in Juliana v. US and instead allowed the youths’ case against the government to proceed. Last summer, the Trump Administration took the extraordinary step of filing a petition for a writ of … Read More.
Regulating in the public interest at risk if Member States ratify Canada-EU trade deal FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2018 Geneva – A series of new case studies published today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reveals that the Canada-EU trade deal (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA) may strip EU Member … Read More.
March 6, 2018 CIEL welcomes the adoption of the binding agreement on access rights (to information, participation, and justice) in environmental decision making. This seminal agreement between the majority of Latin American and Caribbean countries marks a crucial step towards guaranteeing environmental democracy in the region and codifies the spirit of Principle 10 of the … Read More.
March 6, 2018 Today, a landmark ruling of the European Court of Justice could signal the beginning of the end for some 200 investment agreements that include investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) between EU Member States. The decision arises out of a dispute between the Netherlands and Slovakia over the compatibility of an investment tribunal decision … Read More.
March 6, 2018 GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment presented a new report synthesizing the international human rights obligations of states on matters related to the environment. Echoing the demands of many civil society organizations including CIEL, Professor John Knox called on States to recognize the human right to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 1, 2018 Songdo, South Korea — At its 19th Board Meeting (B.19) from February 26 to March 1, 2018, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) adopted safeguard policies to ensure that the mitigation and adaptation projects funded by the GCF respect people’s rights. Taking place in Songdo, B.19 brought … Read More.
Decision Bolsters Access Rights, Extraterritorial Obligations, and the Precautionary Principle FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 9, 2018 Yesterday, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights released a precedent-setting opinion which recognizes the right to a healthy environment as fundamental to human existence and enumerates key duties of States in protecting that and other environment-related rights. “This opinion … Read More.
(Español abajo) The Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child recommend that Spain evaluate the impacts of coal emissions on children’s health and climate change and design a well-resourced strategy to regulate the maximum emissions of air pollutants from coal power plants. This can only be achieved through an orderly coal … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2017 Washington, DC — At the end of October, ActionAid South Africa and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted a request for investigation regarding the situation of women in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa to United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment John Knox. … Read More.
(Español abajo) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2018 The Instituto Internacional de Derecho y Medio Ambiente (IIDMA) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) have submitted a Parallel Report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child concerning the adverse impacts that the energy policies of the Spanish Government have on the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 10, 2018 Today New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Comptroller Scott Stringer announced that the city is suing five major fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change, and that by 2022 the city’s pension funds will divest from fossil fuels. New York City is suing ExxonMobil, Chevron, … Read More.
December 6, 2017 NAIROBI. Efforts to address global plastic pollution took a significant step forward today as world governments agreed to establish a specialist group tasked with examining options to combat marine plastic pollution. In a resolution adopted at the 3rd meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 3), Member States supported a series … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 5, 2017 Washington, DC — A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the plastics industry’s knowledge of the ocean plastics problem, answering the question: When did industry become aware of the problems caused by their products, and what did they do about it? The … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 4, 2017 A new report released today warns that the European Commission’s proposed Multilateral Investment Court (MIC) threatens to lock in an undemocratic investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) scheme that undermines national democratic authority and prioritizes corporate profits above all else. Authored by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Seattle to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) November 20, 2017 Washington, DC – Today the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) released the results of a year-long quantitative study into high-risk timber exports from Peru. The report, “Continuous Improvement” in Illegal Practices in the Peruvian Forest Sector, reveals that actors are exporting timber of dubious legal origin … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 20, 2017 Geneva, SWITZERLAND – Today, the UN human rights committee mandated to review states’ respect for and protection of women’s rights (CEDAW Committee*), expressed concerns about the climate impacts of oil and gas extraction in the Arctic and the adverse consequences for women’s rights. The committee noted that, given the … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17, 2017 BONN, GERMANY – This year’s annual international climate conference concluded with two key messages: countries remain committed to negotiate a collective framework for international climate action (and adopted some innovative decisions on matters related to the social dimensions of climate change), but they failed to deliver strong signals that … Read More.
Smoke and Fumes: The Legal and Evidentiary Basis for Holding Big Oil Accountable FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2017 BONN – A new report released today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) synthesizes years of research exposing what the oil industry and other major fossil fuel producers knew about climate change, when they … Read More.
PRESS RELEASE 13 NOVEMBER 2017 (Bonn, Germany) 13 November, 2017 – As social movements, environmental and development NGOs, trade unions, faith and other civil society groups, we have come together to assess the climate commitments (NDCs) that have been put on the table through the UN climate negotiations, and offer solutions for how countries can fairly increase … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 6, 2017 On Monday afternoon, the Clean Air Council and two Philadelphia-area children filed suit against the Trump Administration in the US Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging that Trump’s campaign of climate rollbacks and reliance on junk science pose a direct danger to US citizens. The plaintiffs assert that … Read More.
Energy policies may be inadequate to prevent climate change and fail to meet obligations FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 2, 2017 GENEVA — Last month, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released a List of Issues for the governments of Germany and Argentina, in which the countries must respond to CESCR’s concerns over … Read More.
October 31, 2017 Yesterday, the Department of Justice and ExxonMobil announced that the two parties reached a settlement for ExxonMobil’s continuous and longstanding violations of Clean Air Act emissions standards. ExxonMobil had been violating these standards at eight plastics and petrochemicals plants across Texas and Louisiana, in some cases as far back as a decade … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 19, 2017 Washington, DC – The United States Government took the unprecedented step today of excluding timber from Peruvian exporter La Oroza SAC from the US market due to persistent problems of illegality. The US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) contains a unique Annex on Forest Sector Governance, which was intended to … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 13, 2017 Melbourne – The Australian Government released a controversial plan to weaken the Illegal Logging Prohibition Act of 2012 (ILPA) on October 5. If accepted, wood products from overseas certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) would immediately be accepted for … Read More.
Groups challenge unconventional fossil fuel extraction in Vaca Muerta megaproject FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2017 (Buenos Aires/Neuquén/Geneva – October 10, 2017) — A report presented to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) highlights the adverse economic, social, and cultural rights impacts of fossil fuel extraction at the Vaca Muerta shale … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2017 Strasbourg – Today, the EU Parliament rejected the illegal criteria proposed by the EU Commission to identify endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in the Pesticides Regulation by a 389 to 235 majority vote. The proposed EDC criteria contained a dangerous exemption that would allow endocrine disrupting pesticides, despite an existing full … Read More.
Cuestionan la explotación hidrocarburífera no convencional del megaproyecto Vaca Muerta (Argentina). Critican la falta de consulta a comunidades mapuche y el aporte de esa megareserva al cambio climático. PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 28 de septiembre, 2017 Neuquén/Buenos Aires/Ginebra — Un informe presentado ante el Comité de Derechos Humanos, Económicos y Sociales de la Organización de las … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 28, 2017 Brussels – On Thursday, September 28th, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) voted to uphold the objections to the EU Commission proposal for criteria to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the Pesticides Regulation. The objections to the criteria echo the findings of two … Read More.
For immediate release 28 September 2017 Washington, DC — Today, CIEL, AIPP, CARE, ITUC, IWGIA, RFN, and WEDO released Delivering on the Paris Promises: Combating Climate Change While Protecting Rights, a new report that provides a road map for how to combat climate change under the Paris Agreement in a way that integrates fundamental human … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (español abajo) September 25, 2017 BRUSSELS – New expert analysis has revealed illegal action by the European Commission in relaxing rules on the use of hormone-disrupting chemicals in pesticides. Two expert legal analyses published today by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and ClientEarth show that the European Commission went beyond … Read More.
For Immediate Release September 21, 2017 Organizations in the Gulf and across the country released a joint statement today expressing solidarity with the thousands of Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey and demanding that recovery funds flow to frontline communities, not to the oil, gas, and petrochemical companies that compounded Harvey’s impacts. This statement comes as … Read More.
Massive Petrochemical Investments Could Lock In Flood of New Plastics for Decades FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 21, 2017 Washington, DC – The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) today launched an ongoing investigative series, Fueling Plastics, examining the deep linkages between the fossil fuels and plastics industries and the products they produce, and exposing how … Read More.
September 20, 2017 Today, the cities of San Francisco and Oakland filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against five major carbon producers – BP, Chevron, ConocoPhilips, Exxon, and Shell – seeking a court order requiring the defendants to abate the costs of sea level rise that the cities must incur due to climate change. Carroll Muffett, President … Read More.
September 15, 2017 Budva, Montenegro – While no major substantive progress was made at the 6th Meeting of the Parties of the Aarhus Convention (MOP) that concluded today, the biggest message from the meeting was a reaffirmation of the importance of the principles that give rise to the Convention. Twenty years after the adoption of … Read More.
Lea este comunicado en español abajo. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 13, 2017 On September 6, Kelsey Alford-Jones of the Center for International Law (CIEL), speaking on behalf of Chilean partners Coordinadora No Alto Maipo and Ecosistemas, called forcefully for the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to withdraw from the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project in … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 31, 2017 On Wednesday morning, major media outlets reported that the Trump Administration intends to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on climate change. True to the chaos and incoherence that is the hallmark of this presidency, the news broke less than two hours after Mr. Trump tweeted that he would … Read More.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 29, 2017 CIEL Senior Attorney Melissa Blue Sky’s statement on the outcome of the #BeyondNAFTA summit in Mexico City: The people of North America—and the world—deserve a trade system that protects the environment and promotes economic equality, rather than undermining them. This can only be achieved by making human rights, economic … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2017 A new study, commissioned by CIEL, ECOS, and the Oeko-Institute shows that most of the information made available by the Sponsorship Testing Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is of little to no value for the regulatory risk assessment of nanomaterials. The study published today … Read More.
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.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2017 GENEVA – A new legal analysis by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), commissioned by the Swiss Public Eye and Friends of the Earth Netherlands – Milieudefensie, finds that Netherlands and Belgium are in breach of the Basel Convention, international customary law, and human rights obligations by allowing … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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– 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.
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.
For Immediate Release December 21, 2016 También disponible en español In an important step for protection of the páramos, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the private sector arm of the World Bank Group – divests from Canadian mining company Eco Oro Minerals. The company’s Angostura gold project is located in the Santurbán Páramo, an … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
As part of the new program, two new research reports outline legal, governance and risk assessment frameworks US pension trustees can use to manage climate change risks December 6, 2016 New York – Mercer, a global consulting leader in advancing health, wealth and careers, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC) … Read More.
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.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 14, 2016 The negotiators meeting in Marrakech for the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the UNFCCC had an important mission: keep up momentum generated by the adoption of the Paris Agreement and prove that the international community is serious about implementing the goals and commitments defined in Paris. COP22 … Read More.
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.
Marrakech, Morocco — Leading US climate experts and advocates who are part of the US Climate Action Network issued the following statements: “President-elect Trump has the opportunity to catalyze further action on climate that sends a clear signal to investors to keep the transition to a renewable-powered economy on track. China, India, and other economic … Read More.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8 November 2016 BRUSSELS – EDC-Free Europe has reacted strongly to the European Commission’s revised proposal on EDC criteria because it will fail to protect health and environment. “Despite some clarifications, the proposed criteria will not protect citizen’s health or the environment the way the law intends. The burden of proof to … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
September 28, 2016 Are human rights obligations breached by an intergovernmental organization or its governing States, when it tells a government to cut its public services? Can the obligations under the right to food be left completely to a State that is adversely affected by the climate impact of other countries? What about the human … Read More.
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.
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.
September 14, 2016 Chairman Lamar Smith of the US House of Representatives Science Committee will hold a hearing today in a misguided effort to assert subpoena authority over two State Attorneys General and eight non-governmental organizations involved in the ongoing investigations into the role of Exxon and other oil companies in climate deception campaigns. As … Read More.
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.
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.
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.
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.