For Immediate Release April 23, 2015 Today, Indian fishing communities and farmers represented by EarthRights International (ERI) are suing the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private lending arm of the World Bank Group, in United States federal court in Washington, D.C. The plaintiffs allege that the IFC, which provided a critical loan for the Tata … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 20, 2015 Press contact: David Azoulay, dazoulay@ciel.org, 011 41-22-789-0500 According to a leaked European Commission proposal in the ongoing EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, EU member state legislative initiatives will have to be vetted for potential impacts on private business interests. The proposal forms part of a wider … Read More.
April 17, 2015 When government officials from around the world meet in Washington DC to direct a new wave of investments, civil society groups are demanding a different type of development – one that responds to the needs and priorities of local communities and respects their human rights. The World Bank is revising its safeguard … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 16, 2015 Press Contact: Amanda Kistler, akistler@ciel.org, +1 202-742-5832 Today, Senators Hatch (R-Utah), Wyden (D-Ore.), and Ryan (R-Wis.) introduced the Trade Promotion Authority legislation (TPA-2015), which would extend “fast track” negotiating authority for trade deals, including the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). With fast-track, … Read More.
April 14, 2015 WHAT: Demonstration – Civil society groups encircle the World Bank in “Caution” tape, demanding strong human rights safeguards WHEN: Friday April 17, 10:00 – 11:30am WHERE: Edward R Murrow Park, in front of World Bank, H St and 18th St NW Washington DC – As finance ministers from across the globe gather … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 14, 2015 Press contact: Jocelyn Medallo, Center for International Environmental Law, jmedallo@ciel.org, 202-742-5850 Washington, DC – As the World Bank Spring Meetings kick off in Washington, DC, more than 10,000 people from 90 countries are calling on World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to integrate human rights into the Bank’s safeguard … Read More.
For Immediate Release March 31, 2015 Washington DC – Today, the United States announced that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels in 2025 as part of the new international climate agreement to be adopted in Paris this December. Climate & Energy Program Director Niranjali Amerasinghe said: As the country that … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 10, 2015 Press Contacts: Eva Filzmoser, Carbon Market Watch, + (32) 499212081 Kathrin Petz, Urgewald, + (49) 15202149341 María José Veramendi Villa, AIDA, + (51) 954114393 Alyssa Johl, CIEL, +(1) 5104356892 Tania Arosemena Bodero, CIAM, + (507) 236-0866 PANAMA CITY, Panama and GENEVA, Switzerland In a landmark decision, Panama’s National Environmental … Read More.
January 7, 2015 Washington, DC / Geneva – A new analysis exposes how the American and European pesticide industry is using ongoing EU-US trade negotiations to lower human health and environmental standards in order to increase trade in toxic pesticides. A new study by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Lowest Common Denominator: How … Read More.
For Immediate Release December 2014 Press Contact: Amanda Kistler, akistler@ciel.org, 202.742.5832 Lima, Peru – Climate talks in Lima ended today, squandering the opportunity to set the stage for an ambitious 2015 climate agreement and for more urgent action to protect the rights of peoples and communities impacted by climate change. The Lima conference was an … Read More.
For Immediate Release December 10, 2014 More than 200 civil society organisations representing hundreds of thousands of people from 40+ countries, and 76 leading human rights experts, are calling on ministers meeting in Lima to enshrine ‘human rights for all’ in the next year’s global climate agreement. In the letter to top decision-makers published today, … Read More.
For Immediate Release December 1, 2015 The 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Lima, Peru represents a crucial moment for policymakers to commit to ambitious action to address the climate crisis. COP20 is the last decision-making meeting before next year’s COP in Paris, where … Read More.
November 21, 2014 The negotiations between the EU and US on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) stand to fundamentally change the ways in which states, countries, and regions reflect the preferences of their citizens when regulating toxic chemicals in their food, homes, workplaces, and environments. While CIEL welcomes the disclosure of these documents … Read More.
November 14, 2014 Washington DC – Shortly after announcing a new bilateral climate deal between the US and China, President Obama is expected to commit $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund at the G20 Summit this weekend. CIEL’s Climate & Energy Program Director, Niranjali Amerasinghe, said: The US has obligations to lead in the … Read More.
For Immediate Release 1 October 2014 A leaked restricted access text for the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) from August 2014 from the European Commission confirms that negotiations continue to favour business interests over the protection of citizens’ health and of the environment. The Commission’s text, previously accessible only to members of the … Read More.
For Immediate Release, October 9, 2014 Media Contact: Marcos Orellana, Center for International Environmental Law, morellana@ciel.org, +001 202 742 5847 Washington, DC – The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted an amicus brief to support the legal arguments in a case on behalf of a small farmers association in Colombia that is suing for … Read More.
19 August 2014 CIEL and 27 organizations sent a letter to the new head of the EU Commission today reiterating a call for healthy debate on how scientific policy advice is structured in the EU. In particular, the letter asks the new president of the Commission to put an end to the position of Chief … Read More.
For Immediate Release August 12, 2014 An internal investigation released last night finds that World Bank Group staff kept quiet about a plantation company’s role in a violent land conflict in Honduras, when proposing loans to one of Central America’s top ten banks which funded it. The investigation by the World Bank Group’s Office … Read More.
For Immediate Release July 14, 2014 Geneva – International trade in Afrormosia wood should be suspended and a drastic improvement in enforcement is required if the species is not to remain at great risk of overexploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) according to Greenpeace International and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). … Read More.
For Immediate Release July 10, 2014 (Brussels/Washington DC) – Analysis published today shows that government proposals for the chemical sector under a potential Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement reflect those of the chemical industry, which would enable a Toxic Partnership on both sides of the Atlantic. The report coincides with a letter sent … Read More.
For Immediate Release June 30, 2014 Geneva, Switzerland — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) welcomes the appointment of Baskut Tuncak as the next UN Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes. The vacancy arose due to the untimely and … Read More.
June 18, 2014 Today, a study by HEAL showed that endocrine- or hormone-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be responsible for 31 billion Euros in costs borne by EU taxpayers. This amount radically overshadows hypothetical, worst-case scenario estimates cited by the pesticide industry of trade impacts from stronger measures to protect human health and the environment. … Read More.
May 12, 2014 Washington, DC – According to a leaked position paper and statements by trade officials, current proposals being floated as part of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP, also known as “TAFTA”) negotiations would grant foreign governments and corporations an increased opportunity to influence public protections in both the European Union … Read More.
For Immediate Release May 28, 2014 Corporate executives of major fossil fuel companies could face personal liability for funding climate denialism and opposing policies to fight climate change, say NGOs. Greenpeace International, WWF International and the Center for International Environmental Law have written to the executives of large insurance corporations as well as fossil … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 17, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC (April 17, 2014)—The megadiverse Peruvian Amazon is a globally important arena when it comes to promoting sustainable logging. Despite efforts to achieve sustainability, including a modern Forestry Law and an important Forestry Annex in the US–Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, illegal logging continues to plague the region. … Read More.
*ClientEarth, The European Environmental Bureau, European citizen’s Organization for Standardisation, The European consumer voice in Standardisation –ANEC, and Health Care Without Harm, Bureau of European Consumers April 2014 Nanomaterials are different from their bulk counterparts. They are specifically engineered to exploit the novel properties deriving from their size. The European Commission’s 2012 Second Regulatory Review … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 7, 2014 Three recent World Bank funded projects cases demonstrate the catastrophic consequences of World Bank failures to conduct adequate assessments prior to approving and implementing projects. In 2012, the World Bank approved a $40 million loan to the Uzbek government for a project that directs funds to Uzbekistan’s agriculture sector. … Read More.
March 2014 In view of the fast development of nanotechnologies, it is crucial to ensure that these technologies bring about true societal and environmental benefits with limited risks for health and the environment. Supported by the VELUX foundations, CIEL and ECOS (the European Citizen’s Organization for Standardization) are launching a three-year project aiming to ensure … Read More.
For Immediate Release March 10, 2014 (Brussels/Washington DC) – A leaked document from the December 2013 round of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations exposes the extent of chemical industry influence over secretive ongoing US-EU trade negotiations. Chemicals industry proposals to TTIP would have a chilling effect on the regulatory environment, slowing … Read More.
“Open discussion on the human rights obligations related to environmental protection” Thursday 13th March 2014, 9.00-10.30 AM, Room VIII The permanent missions of Costa Rica, Switzerland, Slovenia and the Maldives with the cooperation of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Environment Programme will hold a public side … Read More.
March 11, 2014 Dr. Marcos A. Orellana from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) presented a statement at the United Nations Human Rights Council during the interactive dialogue that followed the second report by Professor John Knox, the Independent Expert on Human Rights and the Environment. The statement was delivered on behalf of … Read More.
February 2014 At the break of dawn today and building on an initiative launched on Earth Day 2013, a group of young Filipinos walked and biked to the Philippine Supreme Court to file an unprecedented legal action against the Philippine Government to deliver on its promise to protect the rights of future generations to … Read More.
Joint Statement by Accountability Counsel, Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, CEE Bankwatch Network, Center for International Environmental Law, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), and Human Rights Watch March 5, 2014 The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s new draft Environment and Social Policy weakens the Bank’s existing safeguards on human rights, according to … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 20, 2014 Washington D.C. – Environmental and human rights organizations submitted an urgent appeal to United Nations Special Rapporteurs on behalf of members of the indigenous Ngöbe community – the community faces imminent forced eviction from their land for the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam project in western Panama. The eviction … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 11, 2014 Managua, Nicaragua – Over a thousand people call on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to approve the construction of a renal clinic in Chichigalpa to provide life-saving dialysis treatment for those suffering from an epidemic of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the region. Through negotiations, ASOCHIVIDA, an association of more … Read More.
January 15, 2014 Washington, D.C. — Polluter-funded politicians are attempting to use Omnibus Appropriations legislation to increase taxpayer support for building coal plants overseas. This would undermine President Obama’s new climate policy, which stops many of these dirty subsidies through U.S. development and trade finance agencies — the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Export-Import … Read More.
January 29, 2014 Today, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the International Human Rights Program at the University Of Toronto Faculty Of Law announce the publication of a new tool to aid non-governmental organizations defending the public interest in international investment litigation. The Guide for Potential Amici in International Investment Arbitrations explains when … Read More.
January 23, 2014 The World Bank has been forced to backtrack on a controversial investment in Corporación Dinant, a palm oil company implicated in serious human rights abuses in Honduras. Following the January 10th release of one of the most damning investigations ever issued by the Bank’s internal watchdog, the Office of the Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman … Read More.
World Bank funding a company implicated in human rights abuses in Honduras For Immediate Release January 10, 2014 An internal investigation has revealed that the World Bank has invested in a palm oil and food company implicated in serious rights abuses in Honduras. The investigation is one of the most damning ever issued by the … Read More.
December 2013 On Thursday 12 December at the UN Headquarters in NYC, Dr. Marcos Orellana will speak at a side-event jointly organized by UN Environment Program and the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The panel will address the role of human rights and the environment in the post-2015 development agenda currently … Read More.
November, 2013 UN CLIMATE TALKS: WARSAW, POLAND – Despite some modest gains, countries again failed to set a clear and ambitious path for taking the urgent action that is needed to address climate change. Nations adopted a last-minute plan for the future climate agreement that invites governments to make “nationally determined contributions” without a meaningful … Read More.
November 22, 2013 Groundbreaking new research published today in the journal Climatic Change traces nearly two-thirds of all industrial emissions of greenhouse gases to just 90 entities that have been the largest producers of fossil fuels and cement. The result of more than eight years’ research by Richard Heede at the Climate Accountability Institute, the … Read More.
November 2013 There is an urgent need for a comprehensive, global climate action plan to avoid the most catastrophic impacts climate change. At the Conference of Parties in Warsaw (COP19), countries will be negotiating a new legally binding agreement to address long-term climate action as well as solutions for much-needed short-term mitigation. Specific commitments on … Read More.
November 1, 2013 This week, the US Treasury Department issued revised guidelines on US support for coal projects proposed through multilateral development banks. It is intended to reflect President Obama’s June 2013 Climate Action Plan that commits to reduce public finance for new coal-fired power plants overseas save in exceptional circumstances. The guidance falls far … Read More.
October 11, 2013 Washington, D.C. – In Minamata, Japan, a city whose residents still suffer the devastating effects of mercury pollution from the 1960s, 92 countries have signed a new global treaty to address mercury pollution. The Minamata Convention on Mercury reflects a global consensus on the threat posed to human health and environment by … Read More.
For Immediate Release September 27, 2013 The scientific case for taking urgent action to address climate change has been beyond dispute for at least two decades. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report, released today, confirms with greater certainty what communities around the world know from first-hand experience: “Human influence on the climate … Read More.
For Immediate Release August 29, 2013 Panama City, Washington D.C. – Civil society organizations filed an amicus brief yesterday in Panama’s Supreme Court of Justice in support of a challenge by indigenous people to the environmental review of the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam. Supporting a lawsuit filed by the Environmental Advocacy Center, Panamá (CIAM), the … Read More.
For Immediate Release July 31, 2013 SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Environmental groups today filed the first-ever lawsuit challenging the federal government’s financing for the export of Appalachian coal from the United States. The U.S. government approved this financial support for coal exports without considering the increased toxic air and water pollution that could affect communities … Read More.
July 30, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline today asked Secretary John Kerry to throw out the State Department’s environmental review of the proposed tar sands pipeline because consultants in charge of the review lied about conflicts of interests, including working for TransCanada, the company behind the planned pipeline from Alberta … Read More.
May 28, 2014 Corporate executives of major fossil fuel companies could face personal liability for funding climate denialism and opposing policies to fight climate change, say NGOs. Greenpeace International, WWF International and the Center for International Environmental Law have written to the executives of large insurance corporations as well as fossil fuel and other carbon … Read More.
July 2013 In June 2013 CIEL joined the Vienna+20 Conference: “Strengthening the Human Rights Movement Globally”. The Conference adopted the Vienna+20 CSO Declaration, which identifies the shortcomings in the implementation of the Vienna 1993 Programme of Action. The Vienna+20 Conference also identified today’s challenges in respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights. In regards to human … Read More.
June 25, 2013 In announcing his new Climate Action Plan today, President Obama acknowledged that “we have a moral obligation to future generations to leave them a planet that is not polluted and damaged.” The President’s Climate Action Plan announces an array of steps the administration will take to cut carbon pollution, protect our children’s … Read More.
June 18, 2013 Washington, DC – On Friday, 12 civil society organizations urged the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, to conduct a formal investigation into the human rights impacts of the Barro Blanco dam located on the Tabasará River in Panama. The Panamanian and international organizations also … Read More.
June 3, 2013 Toronto/Ottawa, June 3, 2013 – On Friday, the Justice and Corporate Accountability Project (JCAP) submitted a complaint to the Ontario Securities Commission regarding Tahoe Resources’ (TSX: THO; NYSE: TAHO) poor disclosure about violence in connection with the company’s only mine project in southeast Guatemala. On April 27, security personnel shot and wounded … Read More.
Decision allows US trade agency to continue denying public access to document related to protection of environment and public health June 10, 2013 WASHINGTON, D.C. — A panel of federal judges last week ruled that the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) was justified in keeping secret a document that set out US positions on the interpretation … Read More.
May 14, 2013 Geneva, Switzerland – Over 160 countries attending the 6th Conference of Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have agreed to phase out hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD or HBCDD) – a highly toxic brominated flame retardant. HBCD is widely used in building insulation, upholstery and electronics around the world. The chemical … Read More.
April 23, 2013 Today, a group of influential scientists called for swift action by the UN system to prevent harm from a wide variety of synthetic chemicals in consumer products and pesticides that play a role in increased incidences of reproductive diseases, cancer, obesity, and type-2 diabetes worldwide. The scientists include authors of a recent … Read More.
April 10, 2013 Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the 2013 Safe Chemicals Act in the U.S. Senate. The Safe Chemicals Act would provide necessary reform to America’s woefully outdated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) by establishing stronger laws to protect people and the environment from exposure to hazardous chemicals. A CIEL … Read More.
April 22 2013 Washington, D.C. – On Earth Day 2013, youth leaders and a team of climate lawyers are gathering on Bantayan Island in the Philippines to take legal action on behalf of youth and future generations. Frustrated by the failure of the present generation to take meaningful action to address the climate crisis, these … Read More.
April 3, 2013 WASHINGTON, DC – Over 55 development, faith, human rights, community, and environmental groups from more than 20 countries teamed up today to ask World Bank President Jim Kim to end Bank support for all fossil fuel projects unless the projects are solely focused on directly increasing energy access for the poor. The … Read More.
For Immediate Release April 18, 2013 Media Contact: Amanda Kistler, Center for International Environmental Law, akistler@ciel.org, 202.742.5832 Washington, D.C.. Today, the Center for International Environmental Law and International Accountability Project launched the beta version of a new online tool that alerts communities to projects funded by multilateral development banks (MDBs) that could affect their rights. … Read More.
For Immediate Release, April 8, 2013 Media contacts: Amanda Kistler: Center for International Environmental Law, akistler@ciel.org, +1 202-742-5832 Ellen Moore: Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala, ellen@nisgua.org, +1 510-868-0612 UPDATE: Call for investigation and company departure in response to recurring violence in area of Canadian-owned silver project (Washington, D.C.) – After more than … Read More.
For Immediate Release March 11, 2013 Press Contact: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: akistler@ciel.org, +1 339.225.1623 Mikael Karlsson – Swedish Society for Nature Conservation: + 46 70 316 727 22 Washington, D.C. – A new report released by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Swedish Society for … Read More.
For Immediate Release March 15, 2013 Contacts: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: akistler@ciel.org, 202-742-5832 Jen Moore – MiningWatch Canada: jen@miningwatch.ca, 613-569-3439 (Washington, D.C./Guatemala City/Ottawa) – On March 1, Guatemalan national press reported that the country’s highest court upheld the 1997 Mining Law against a constitutional challenge brought by the Western Peoples’ … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 19 2013 Press contact: Baskut Tuncak Staff Attorney, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Member, IPEN working group on endocrine disrupting chemicals +1 202 742 5854 or btuncak@ciel.org Nairobi, Kenya – A highly anticipated report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Environment Program (UNEP) underlines the … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 2013 Washington, D.C. – A new report released by The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) illustrates how stronger laws to regulate hazardous chemicals spur innovation, with potential benefits for national economies, as well as human health and the environment. Driving Innovation: How stronger laws help bring safer chemicals to market … Read More.
U.S. Court of Appeals Hears Government Secrecy Case U.S. trade agency continued secrecy denies public access to document related to protection of environment and public health For Immediate Release February 21, 2013 Contact: Martin Wagner, Earthjustice, (510) 917-0434 Kari Birdseye, Earthjustice, (415) 217-2098 Carroll Muffett, Center for International Environmental Law, (202) 425-2934 Amanda Kistler, Center … Read More.
January, 2013 On March 23, 2012, the European Commission adopted a proposal for regulating ship recycling. The objective of the Proposed Regulation is to integrate the provisions of the International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (the Hong Kong Convention) into the law of the European Union. The Commission’s proposal on … Read More.
For Immediate Release February 8, 2013 Campaigners are calling for a fundamental overhaul of World Bank lending to financial markets actors, following the publication of an Ombudsman audit. The World Bank’s Compliance Advisor/Ombudsman (CAO) released an audit earlier this week (5) showing that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) “knows very little” about the environmental … Read More.
For Immediate Release December 9, 2012 Contact: Niranjali Amerasinghe, +1-202-288-2204, +974-6646-9833, namerasinghe@ciel.org Alyssa Johl, +1-510-435-6892, ajohl@ciel.org DOHA, QATAR—Today, countries again recognized the need for urgent action to respond to climate change, and again failed to take that action, says the Center for International Environmental Law. The last-minute deal lacks meaningful commitments and leaves critical … Read More.
NGO Platforms Calls for Public Disclosure of European Council Legal Analysis 17 December 2012 (Brussels) – The European Commission’s proposed regulation on ship recycling is illegal, according to two independent legal experts whose legal opinions were publicly released today. The NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a global coalition of environmental, human rights and labour rights organisations, … Read More.
For Immediate Release, November 13, 2012 Today the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) released their proposal for a European Union legislation to address the risks of nanomaterials. The NGO proposal comes in reaction to a recent Communication of the EU Commission on the regulation on … Read More.
CIEL’s Climate Change Program will be in Doha, Qatar for negotiations under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol Nov 26 to Dec 7, 2012 Update: For CIEL’s analysis of the Doha outcome, view Human Rights Analysis of the Doha Gateway (UNFCCC 18th Conference of the Parties), April 2013 Update: At Doha Climate Talks: Failed ambition … Read More.
For Immediate Release November 19, 2012 Contact: Niranjali Amerasinghe, 202-288-2204 Washington, DC – A new report released today by the World Bank, “Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C World Must be Avoided,” delivers a clear-eyed assessment that continued inaction by the world’s governments is putting us on a trajectory to a world that … Read More.
For Immediate Release November 21, 2012 Contacts: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: akistler@ciel.org Kelsey Alford-Jones – Guatemala Human Rights Commission: kajones@ghrc-usa.org (Washington, D.C.) – In the context of growing threats against human rights defenders, particularly those working in defense of the rights of indigenous peoples and the right to a healthy environment, … Read More.
For Immediate Release 23 October 2012 CIEL, together with a broad coalition of environmental, consumer and labor organizations, expressed deep concerns today about the conclusions of the second regulatory review of nanomaterials, published by the European Commission on October 3rd. Today, in the open letter sent to the European Commission, CIEL and partner non-governmental organizations … Read More.
Proposed Policies at World Bank at Odds with Kim’s New Vision: Civil Society Fears World Bank Social and Environmental Policies will be Weakened For Immediate Release October 11, 2012 TOKYO – As participants at the Annual Meeting of the World Bank wait for President Kim’s announcement on major changes at the World Bank, civil society … Read More.
October, 2012 From the 1-5th of October 2012, the UNCITRAL Working Group II on arbitration and conciliation (WG) met in Vienna to negotiate a legal standard on transparency in treaty-based investor-state arbitration. The WG continued with the second reading of the draft rules on transparency currently under consideration. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Norway, South … Read More.
For Immediate Release September 23, 2012 For more information, please contact: In Geneva, Switzerland: David Azoulay: +41-75 78 75 756 (mobile); or dazoulay@ciel.org In Washington, D.C, USA: Baskut Tuncak: +1 206 669 7203; or btuncak@ciel.org (Nairobi, Kenya) – Late Friday night, over 540 participants, representing more than 150 governments, and other SAICM stakeholders from international … Read More.
For Immediate Release August 17, 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C.—In the wake of tragic violence at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa this week, the Center for International Environmental Law is calling on the World Bank to revisit its investment in the company that operates the mine. The World Bank Group owns at least $15 … Read More.
For Immediate Release 6 July 2012 Geneva–The Center for International Environmental Law welcomes the appointment Professor John Knox as the first United Nations Independent Expert on Human Rights and the Environment. The United Nations Human Rights Council established the Independent Expert mandate in a landmark resolution on Human Rights and the Environment in April, and … Read More.
For Immediate Release July 20, 2012 For more information, please contact: In Amsterdam, for CIEL, Kris Genovese: +31-65-277-3272 (mobile); or kgenovese@ciel.org. Follow on twitter @ciel_tweets In Ottawa, for MiningWatch Canada, Jennifer Moore: 613-569-3439; or jen@miningwatch.ca. Follow on twitter @miningwatch Guatemala’s Highest Court to Hear Landmark Indigenous Challenge of Mining Law (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Guatemala’s … Read More.
For Immediate Release 6 June 2012 The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR), the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Katiba Institute have intervened as amici curiae before the High Court of Kenya in a legal challenge of the Lamu Port – Southern Sudan – Ethiopia Transport project. The GI-ESCR … Read More.
Compliance Advisor Ombudsman will undertake an audit of project after a complaint on IFC’s involvement was received from Kosovo’s Energy Union For Immediate Release 23 May 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group, has been providing advice to the Government of Kosovo on how to … Read More.
Private funds often lack transparency, accountability and can lead to land grabs April 18, 2012 Oxfam and CIEL today call for greater scrutiny and control of the funding for development channeled through financial intermediaries such as private equity funds, banks and credit agencies. The international agency is concerned that the new model of lending, increasingly … Read More.
March 23, 2012 CIEL and Earthjustice, working closely with Maldives, Costa Rica and Switzerland, obtained from the UN Human Rights Council a resolution on Human Rights & Environment that establishes an Independent Expert on Human Rights and the Environment. This Council resolution was adopted by consensus in its recently concluded 19th Session, with more than … Read More.
5 March 2012 CIEL’s report on Environmental Impact Assessments in Practice contributes to the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food regarding “Guiding principles on human rights impact assessments of trade and investment agreements“. Additional info on CIEL’s contribution to the expert seminar on Human Rights Impact Assessments for Trade and … Read More.