Groups Support Challenge to Dam Project in Panama for Violating Indigenous Rights
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.
Suit charges taxpayer-backed US Export-Import Bank with failure to assess environmental impacts of its coal exports
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.
Keystone XL: Public interest groups call for Sec. Kerry to throw out tainted environmental study
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.
The World Bank’s new energy strategy is both a valuable step and a missed opportunity towards alleviating poverty, tackling climate change, and investing in truly sustainable development
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.
Update from Vienna +20 Human Rights Conference
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.
Submission for Subcommittee hearing on “Regulation of New Chemicals, Protection of Confidential Business Information, and Innovation”
Statement from Carroll Muffett, CIEL President & CEO, on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan
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.
UN Representative on Indigenous Peoples Asked to Investigate Human Rights Violations Caused by Panama’s Barro Blanco Dam
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.
Ontario Securities Commission asked to Investigate Tahoe Resources After Wiretap Evidence Implicates Employees in Violence at Guatemala Mine
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.
US Court of Appeals Rules in Government Secrecy Case
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.
US unable to follow suit as global community agrees to eliminate toxic chemical
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.
Environmental, labor, and health advocates urge EU Commission to confront dangers of endocrine disrupting chemicals
Scientists urge UN to take action on chemicals in consumer products and pesticides
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.
CIEL Supports Introduction of the 2013 Safe Chemicals Act
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.
Climate Legal Action on Behalf of Youth in the Philippines
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.
Civil Society and Entrepreneurs Call on World Bank to Clean Up Energy Lending
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.
Early Warning System Launched to Alert Communities to Investments that may Affect their Rights
For Immediate Release April 18, 2013 Media Contact: Amanda Kistler, Center for International Environmental Law, [email protected], 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.
Mining license approved in wake of violence, investigation into murder pending
For Immediate Release, April 8, 2013 Media contacts: Amanda Kistler: Center for International Environmental Law, [email protected], +1 202-742-5832 Ellen Moore: Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala, [email protected], +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.
Peru’s primary newspaper, El Comercio, reports on our work that exposes the effects of oil palm production on deforestation in the Amazon
Civil society organizations urge President Obama for a timeout on natural gas exports until critical national economic, environmental and trade concerns are thoroughly analyzed and carefully addressed
New CIEL report describes a stronger global system for toxic chemicals
For Immediate Release March 11, 2013 Press Contact: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: [email protected], +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.
Urgent Action: Call for investigation and company departure in response to recurring violence in area of Canadian-owned silver project
Guatemala’s Highest Court Denies Justice to Indigenous Peoples Affected by Mining
For Immediate Release March 15, 2013 Contacts: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: [email protected], 202-742-5832 Jen Moore – MiningWatch Canada: [email protected], 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.
WHO-UNEP Report on endocrine disruptors highlights need for global action
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 [email protected] Nairobi, Kenya – A highly anticipated report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Environment Program (UNEP) underlines the … Read More.
Stronger Laws for Hazardous Chemicals Spur Innovation
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
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.
EU Commission’s proposed regulation on ship recycling is illegal under international and EU law
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.
The World Bank’s private sector financing arm doesn’t know the environmental and social impacts of nearly half its portfolio
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.
At Doha Climate Talks: Failed ambition and unfulfilled promises
For Immediate Release December 9, 2012 Contact: Niranjali Amerasinghe, +1-202-288-2204, +974-6646-9833, [email protected] Alyssa Johl, +1-510-435-6892, [email protected] 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.
EC Breaches International Law on Ship Recycling File, Independent Lawyers Say
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.
“High Time to Act” – Civil Society Organisations present Proposal for a new horizontal Nano Regulation
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.
Doha 2012: Act NOW, the climate won’t wait
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.
Statement by CIEL President Carroll Muffett on the World Bank’s Turn Down the Heat Report
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.
International Organizations Call for Better Protection for Human Rights Defenders in Guatemala
For Immediate Release November 21, 2012 Contacts: Amanda Kistler – Center for International Environmental Law: [email protected] Kelsey Alford-Jones – Guatemala Human Rights Commission: [email protected] (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.
CIEL and its partners express deep concerns about the result of the EU Commission review of the legal framework for nanomaterials
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.
Civil society fears World Bank poised to weaken its social and environmental policies and procedures
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.
CIEL advocates for transparency in investment arbitration at UNCITRAL negotiations
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.
Global chemicals conference moves forward on nanotechnology and endocrine disrupting chemicals
For Immediate Release September 23, 2012 For more information, please contact: In Geneva, Switzerland: David Azoulay: +41-75 78 75 756 (mobile); or [email protected] In Washington, D.C, USA: Baskut Tuncak: +1 206 669 7203; or [email protected] (Nairobi, Kenya) – Late Friday night, over 540 participants, representing more than 150 governments, and other SAICM stakeholders from international … Read More.
CIEL Calls on World Bank to Revisit Investment in Lonmin, Operator of Violence-Plagued South African Mine
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.
Statement on Appointment of John Knox as UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Environment
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.
Guatemala’s Highest Court to Hear Landmark Indigenous Challenge of Mining Law
For Immediate Release July 20, 2012 For more information, please contact: In Amsterdam, for CIEL, Kris Genovese: +31-65-277-3272 (mobile); or [email protected]. Follow on twitter @ciel_tweets In Ottawa, for MiningWatch Canada, Jennifer Moore: 613-569-3439; or [email protected]. Follow on twitter @miningwatch Guatemala’s Highest Court to Hear Landmark Indigenous Challenge of Mining Law (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Guatemala’s … Read More.
Complaint filed against World Bank Group for funding gold mine in fragile Columbian wetlands
International NGOs intervene to prevent human rights violations and environmental damage in Kenya
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.
International Finance Corporation to be audited for its involvement in privatizing Kosovo’s electricity grid
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.
CIEL reviews the possible impacts of a wave of new dams in the Andean Amazon, the most biologically diverse zone on Earth.
Civil society organziations call for greater scrutiny of hedge funds and banks used to finance development.
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.
United Nations Human Rights Council establishes Independent Expert on human rights and the environment
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.
CIEL’s contributes to the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.
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.
Nanomaterials “Just Out of REACH” of European Regulations
February 6, 2012 Geneva— REACH, the European Union’s primary regulation on chemicals is failing to identify or control nanomaterials. That is the conclusion of “Just Out of REACH: How REACH is failing to regulate nanomaterials and how it can be fixed,” a new report by the nonprofit Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Nanomaterials, tiny … Read More.
A wake-up call for human rights defenders in the Americas, not indicator of Goldcorp’s performance
For Immediate Release January 5, 2012 Contact Information: Jennifer Moore, MiningWatch Canada, jen(at)miningwatch.ca, 613-569-3439 Kristen Genovese, Center for International Environmental Law, [email protected], 202-742-5831 (Ottawa/Washington, D.C.) The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and MiningWatch Canada today expressed deep concern at the political pressure being brought to bear on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), … Read More.
“Sustainable Loreto”
Update, March 4, 2013 Oil palm is one of the major emerging threats in the Amazon, particularly because it often results in the clear-cutting of large tracts of remaining forest. As part of the Sustainable Loreto Project, we are analyzing satellite images to both document recent deforestation and predict future deforestation, all with the aim … Read More.
At Climate Talks: Nations agree to do tomorrow what they should have done yesterday.
For Immediate Release December 11, 2011 DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA—According to the Center for International Environmental Law, countries meeting here narrowly avoided failure this morning but fell far short of the rapid and dramatic action climate science says is needed. Negotiators agreed an 11th hour plan that kept the 20 year process from spiraling into chaos … Read More.
Negotiations on international chemicals management inch forward, and set the stage for a key conference in 2012
Belgrade, November 2011 Over 140 participants from governments, UN agencies, and NGO representatives of business and the public interest reached general agreement on the agenda for a pivotal global meeting next year on chemicals. The Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) is a non-binding international agreement to protect human health and the environment. But progress … Read More.
This is a critical moment in the development of the international climate regime as Parties negotiate to decide the fate of climate action beyond 2012 in Durban, South Africa.
Update: December 11, 2011: At Climate Talks: Nations agree to do tomorrow what they should have done yesterday The Bigger Picture The first set of commitments by developed countries to reduce emissions under the Kyoto Protocol end in 2012. It’s almost the end of 2011 and, so far, negotiations to determine climate action beyond 2012 … Read More.
Impoverishment, not development, could be end result of Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine in Guatemala, says new study
For Immediate Release November 3, 2011 Washington, D.C. and Ottawa – The legacy of Goldcorp’s Marlin mine in Guatemala “could well be ecological devastation and impoverishment” finds a new study from Tufts University’s Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAE). When the long-term environmental risks of the open-pit gold and silver mine are put in the … Read More.
CIEL welcomes new EU definition of nanomaterials as a necessary step towards assuring safety
October 2011 The European Commission adopted a recommendation for a definition of nanomaterials on October 18, 2011. The definition responds to a 2009 resolution by the European Parliament for a comprehensive, science-based definition to apply across a range of existing laws on chemicals, pesticides and other substances. David Azoulay, CIEL Managing Attorney in Geneva and … Read More.
October 2011 Basel Convention COP10 makes historic progress on preventing hazardous waste from being sent to the Global South
The Tenth Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention on the theme of “Prevention, minimization and recovery of wastes” concluded on Oct. 21, 2011, following the adoption of several momentous decisions. First, COP 10 made a historical breakthrough with respect to entry into force of the Ban Amendment. The Ban Amendment was adopted by … Read More.
Joint submission by CIEL, Earthjustice and Greenpeace USA on the national interest determination for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project
CIEL welcomes adoption of Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations in regards to human rights
CIEL welcomes the adoption of the Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations (ETOs) of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These international legal principles clarify the human rights obligations of States beyond their own borders. The Maastricht Principles constitute the outcome of the deliberations of a group of 40 distinguished experts in … Read More.
Aerial spraying of herbicides in Colombia and Ecuador: environmental and human rights impacts
Amicus Curiae Brief Focuses on Transboundary Environmental and Human Rights Impacts of Aerial Spraying of Herbicides in Ecuador For Immediate Release October 11, 2011 Contact: Dr. Marcos Orellana, Center for International Environmental Law, (202) 742-5847, or [email protected]. Update: On the 21st of November, 2011, US District Judge Richard Roberts ordered that the motion to file … Read More.
Toxic wastes mandate renewed by U.N. Human Rights Council, despite resistance
September 30, 2011 – Geneva, Switzerland At the 18th Session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, following several weeks of tense negotiations, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Toxic Wastes was renewed. Since 1996, the Special Rapporteur on Toxic Wastes has reported to the U.N. Human Rights Council on the impacts of e-waste, shipbreaking, … Read More.
CIEL Calls for the Human Rights Council not to abandon work on toxic wastes
23 September 2011 At the 18th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, CIEL and its partners are leading a civil society call to defend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Toxic Waste. This mandate is established for three years and has been regularly renewed since 1995. At the 18th session of the … Read More.
Goldcorp Removed from Dow Jones Sustainability Index
For Immediate Release September 21, 2011 Ottawa—Effective September 19th, Goldcorp has been removed from the Dow Jones North America Sustainability Index. The announcement comes in the context of ongoing allegations of human rights violations and evidence of environmental contamination in communities affected by Goldcorp’s mining activities. “Goldcorp’s removal from the Dow Jones Sustainability Index will … Read More.
UNEP release draft mercury treaty for third round of mercury negotiations.
July 22, 2011 This week, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a new draft treaty text designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury pollution. During the second round of negotiations (INC-2) in January of 2011, countries negotiating requested that UNEP prepare a new draft of the treaty to reflect the full … Read More.
UN panel calls for immediate suspension of coal power projects in the CDM
12 July 2011 Washington D.C. As an United Nations panel of technical experts prepares to deliberate on the suspension of coal projects that, if approved, could lead to hundreds of millions of artificial carbon credits under the Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM), the CDM Executive Board registers another contested “Ultra Mega” coal project. Days after the … Read More.
Senior attorney Anne Perrault and colleages discuss migratory connectivity and the conservation of mogratory animals
Migration is the repeated seasonal movement to and from a breeding area. The linking of individuals or populations of a given species within its range, including its breeding, migration, and wintering areas, is known as migratory connectivity. In this Article, we discuss how new technologies and approaches are enhancing our knowledge of migratory connectivity, which … Read More.
CIEL concludes 2011 Senate TSCA bill would enable U.S. leadership on global POPs treaty
June 24, 2011 Proposed federal legislation to revamp the outdated Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) could pave the way for the United States to join three important international treaties, according to a new CIEL publication. “U.S. Law and the Stockholm POPs Convention: Analysis of treaty-implementing provisions in pending legislation,” reviews the Safe Chemicals Act (S. … Read More.
CIEL reports on developments under the Stockholm Convention at COP5
May 2, 2011 Geneva – April 29, 2011. Over 160 countries reached agreement to phase out endosulfan, a dangerous pesticide still used around the world. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants lists 21 other chemicals that are toxic, long-lasting, and prone to accumulate in the food chain and in people. The decision was strongly … Read More.
CIEL submits report to the Basel Convention Secretariat regarding shipbreaking
On April 22, 2011, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) submitted a legal analysis of shipbreaking to the Secretariat of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. This submission, along with other submissions made by the Parties to the Basel Convention, will be discussed at the … Read More.
CIEL applauds proposed overhaul of US Chemicals law
“The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011,” a bill introduced April 14 by Senator Lautenberg and co-sponsored by Senators Schumer, Boxer and Klobuchar, would overhaul the woefully outdated Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA). CIEL welcomes this proposal because it provides an important opportunity for Congress to address the concerns of millions of Americans about … Read More.
UN Human Rights body recognizes the human rights and environment linkage
April 15, 2011 On March 18, 2011, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on human rights and the environment (A/HRC/16/L.7 available via the 16th session of the Council’s website), by consensus, highlighting the human rights impacts of environmental degradation, and calling on States to adopt a human rights-based approach to sustainable development. CIEL … Read More.
CIEL report critiques World Bank energy policy: Analysis Shows Bank Failed to Fully Consider Environmental and Health Costs in Controversial South African Project
For Immediate Release March 21, 2011 WASHINGTON, DC. The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), www.ciel.org, a leading non-profit that uses international law to defend the right to a healthy planet, today announced the release of a new report, “Fossilized Thinking: The World Bank, Eskom, and the Real Cost of Coal.” The report examines the … Read More.
Amicus Brief Highlights the Environmental and Human Rights Impacts of Mining in $77 Million Investment Arbitration Case
March 4, 2011 Washington, DC: On May 20, 2011, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), on behalf of civil society organizations of the Mesa Nacional Frente a la Minería Metálica (Mesa), filed a revised amicus curiae brief in the Pac Rim Cayman LLC v. Republic of El Salvador case, per instructions of the arbitral tribunal constituted under the International Center … Read More.
Getting the International Finance Corporation to respect and protect human rights
March 9, 2011 On March 2, 2011, CIEL, along with some 60 civil society organizations from different regions of the world, submitted a letter to the Vice President and CEO of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Lars Thunell. The Joint Civil Society Statement on IFC’s Draft Sustainability Framework expresses civil society’s concern with IFC’s failure … Read More.
The right to development is necessary to effectively address climate change
February 24, 2011 On February 24-25, CIEL participates in an expert meeting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development, and to examine the progress made to realize this right. Organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for … Read More.
Landmark judment in Ecuadorian suit against Chevron
February 15, 2011 On February 15, 2011, CIEL talked with KPCC-FM, the Los Angeles affiliate and Southern California Public Radio flagship station, about the unprecedented verdict against the Chevron Corporation for causing environmental destruction and violating human rights in Ecuador. In one of the largest judgments ever handed down in an environmental case, a judge … Read More.
World Bank Inspection Panel under threat
February 2, 2011 The World Bank currently is proposing measures that would undermine the independence and effectiveness of its Inspection Panel. The World Bank Inspection Panel is a quasi-independent mechanism created to make the Bank more accountable to people affected by Bank financing. The Panel provides a forum for people affected by a Bank-funded project … Read More.
CIEL spearheads efforts for transparency in UN arbitration body
February 11, 2011 This week, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) resumes negotiations on including transparency and access to information in its rules for investor-State arbitrations at the United Nations headquarters in New York. CIEL, together with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), has spearheaded the efforts to include transparency, access to information and … Read More.
CIEL hosts Human Rights and Private Sector Investment: Views from the Global South, February 1st, 2011
Experts from the Global South to share their experiences with human rights and private investment at the IFC February 1, 2011 Washington, DC–Multinational corporations, international financial institutions (IFIs), and free trade and investment agreements drive development projects that often violate the human rights and legitimate interests of the peoples whose lives will be affected. With … Read More.
Cancun resurrects multilateral process, says CIEL; UN climate negotiations catalyze new process forward for climate agreement
December 2010 CANCUN, MEXICO. December 11, 2010—As climate talks ended today with an important package of decisions, the Center for International Environmental Law applauded the outcome as a reaffirmation of the multilateral process. Parties meeting here took important practical steps forward, including mandates to establish a new climate fund, develop guidelines on reporting, and establish … Read More.
CIEL presents 2010 Inaugural Recipient of the Frederick R. Anderson Award for Outstanding Achievement in Addressing Climate Change: Alliance of Small Island States
2010 Inaugural Recipient of the Frederick R. Anderson Award for Outstanding Achievement in Addressing Climate Change: Alliance of Small Island States The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is pleased to award the inaugural Frederick R. Anderson Award for Outstanding Achievement in Addressing Climate Change to the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). For two … Read More.
CIEL and the European Environmental Bureau lead international NGO coalition to define nanomaterials
November 19 2010 The Center for International Environmental Law and the European Environmental Bureau submitted proposals today to the European Commission for a definition of the term “nanomaterials.” Supported by over 40 organizations from 22 countries on five continents, CIEL and EEB prepared their proposal as part of a public consultation on the European Commission’s … Read More.
Environmental Defenders describe human rights abuses linked with the mining industry at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
CIEL holds Hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on the Situation of Environmentalists in Mesoamerica On October 25, 2010, at 10.15-11.00am, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), along with five environmental defenders from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, provided testimony before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) … Read More.
Civil society organizations demand reform of World Bank Group lending to private corporations
March 11, 2010 Today, nearly 100 civil society organizations from 38 countries are demanding that World Bank Group lending to private corporations be much more responsive to environmental and social concerns. A letter submitted to the director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Lars Thunell, describes that IFC’s lack of transparency and supervision, failure to … Read More.
CIEL submits Palm Oil Strategy Review Comments to the World Bank Group
CIEL publishes climate change in the work of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Guatemala Suspends Marlin Mine: Human rights and environmental organizations applaud the decision, urge President Colom’s government to protect communities against retaliation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2010 Washington, D.C.-Guatemala’s President Alvaro Colom announced yesterday that he is suspending operations at the Marlin mine, which is operated by Vancouver-based Goldcorp, Inc. According to the Guatemalan government, the process to shut down the mine might take months. The Center for International Environmental Law and MiningWatch Canada are calling … Read More.
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes hearing webcast for first time
June 21, 2010 On May 31 and June 1, 2010, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), for the first time, webcast its hearing in real-time to the public in the Pac Rim Cayman LLC v. Republic of El Salvador case (ICSID Case No. ARB/09/12). ICSID based its decision on Article 10.21.2 of … Read More.
CIEL analyzes POPs provisions of twin chemical reform proposals in Congress
May 2010 Proposed federal legislation to overhaul U.S. regulation of chemicals could pave the way for the United States to join three important international treaties, according to the new CIEL study, “Analysis of POPs Treaty Implementing Provisions in Senate and House TSCA Reform Bills.” The CIEL analysis, prepared by Glenn Wiser and Daryl Ditz, offers … Read More.
CIEL and partner organizations fight to stop human rights abuses by Canadian mining companies operating in Guatemala
Resource Page The Center for International Environmental Law is part of an international coalition working with Guatemalan organizations to defend the rights of communities adversely affected by Goldcorp and other Canadian mining companies in Guatemala. Press Releases: Guatemala Suspends Marlin Mine: Human rights and environmental organizations applaud the decision, urge President Colom’s government to protect communities … Read More.
Civil Society organizations from around the world call on the IFC to strengthen its environmental and social standards
For Immediate Release March 11, 2010 Today, nearly 100 civil society organizations from 38 countries are demanding that World Bank Group lending to private corporations be much more responsive to environmental and social concerns. A letter submitted to the director of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Lars Thunell, describes that IFC’s lack of transparency and … Read More.
Canadian Government Accepts Complaint Against Goldcorp; Affected Communities Urge Investigation
For Immediate Release March 2010 The Canadian National Contact Point (NCP) decided last week to admit a complaint filed on behalf of affected community groups in Guatemala against Canadian gold company Goldcorp. The complaint, involving Goldcorp’s Marlin mine, was filed in Ottawa in December 2009 by two Guatemalan representatives on behalf of their community organization. … Read More.
CIEL welcomes and supports African resolution on nanomaterials
Fifty-three African governments meeting in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire on 28th January unanimously adopted an ambitious resolution on nanotechnologies and manufactured nanomaterials. CIEL played a leading role in assisting government delegates in the development and drafting of the resolution. Delegates adopted the resolution while meeting at the African regional meeting on the Strategic Approach to International … Read More.
CIEL submits brief to the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights on Access to Information regarding Genetically Modified Organisms
February, 2010 On February 16, 2010, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) filed an amicus curiae brief in the case of Miguel Ignacio Fredes Gonzales y Andrea Tuczek Fries v. Chile, involving access to information on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The case is currently before the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR). This dispute … Read More.
CIEL Calls on Governments to Adopt Precautionary Mechanisms for Nanotechnologies
December 22, 2009 Describing the current marketing of nano applications as a “life-scale experiment,” CIEL Senior Attorney David Azoulay called for the establishment of governance mechanisms based on precaution and sustainability for nanomaterials at recent workshops organized by the United Nation Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development … Read More.
CIEL Joins Health and Environmental Advocates in Call for US Leadership on Global Chemicals Pollution.
December 16, 2009 CIEL joined 45 environmental, health, and justice groups today who wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson seeking their support for congressional action on toxic chemicals. The letter asks these senior administration officials to express their support for “strong legislation that will protect all Americans from dangerous … Read More.
Guatemalan community leaders ask Canadian government to investigate human rights violations committed by Goldcorp Inc. at Marlin Mine
For Immediate Release December 9, 2009 Ottawa-A coalition of community groups from San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala filed an OECD complaint with the Canadian government today, requesting an investigation into human rights violations committed by Goldcorp Inc. at the company’s Marlin gold mine. “The Marlin mine has divided our town, harassed protesters, and made us afraid … Read More.
Proposed Ex-Im Bank carbon policy undermines US Administration’s commitment to phase-out fossil fuels. Read more in civil society letter from CIEL and others
CIEL and Bretton Woods Project formally request that the U.N. Special Representative on Business and Human Rights help ensure that the Performance Standards of the International Finance Corporation provide a robust framework for securing human rights
A Submission to the U.N. Special Representative to the Secretary General on Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises November 3, 2009 The Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability (Performance Standards) of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have become the most widely accepted framework among international project financiers to address social … Read More.