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Submission to the Scottish Parliament Re:Farm-scale Trials of Genetically Modified (GM) Oilseed Rape at Munlochy, Scotland
The document outlines several objections to GM oilseed rape trials in Scotland, citing poor trial design, the risk of creating herbicide-resistant 'superweeds', and the potential for genetic contamination of non-GM crops. It highlights the dangers of the 'Liberty' herbicide (glufosinate), alleging it causes birth defects in animals and poses a threat to wildlife in Munlochy Bay. Additionally, the submission discusses risks to bees, including horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance, and warns that the use of the cauliflower mosaic virus promoter could lead to new diseases. The authors conclude that the trials are flawed and the crops are economically and environmentally unviable.
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Document type: Statement
Ciel questions President of Inter-American Development Bank over systematic problems with the structure and procedures of the Independent Investigation Mechanism
CIEL identifies systemic failures in the IDB's Independent Investigation Mechanism (IIM), citing the Yacyreta, Cañabrava, and Termoeléctrica del Golfo cases as evidence of lack of transparency, unpredictable timelines, and inadequate remedies. The document argues that the IIM lacks an independent permanent secretariat and sufficient political commitment to accountability. Comparing the IIM to the World Bank's Inspection Panel and the Asian Development Bank's mechanisms, CIEL highlights the IIM's failure to provide public notice or clear schedules for pending claims. CIEL calls for a fundamental reform of the IIM through a transparent and participatory process to restore the IDB's credibility and ensure project-affected peoples' grievances are redressed.
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Document type: Statement
El Banco Europeo de Inversiones: el poder invisible dentro de la Unión Europea
The document argues that the European Investment Bank (EIB) operates with significant 'invisibility' and a lack of public accountability, allowing it to bypass EU principles of sustainable development and public participation. It highlights critical gaps in environmental standards, insufficient staffing for environmental oversight, and a lack of transparency in 'Global Loans' provided through intermediaries. The text details civil society campaigns, such as 'EIB: no reform no money!', which demand institutional reforms to ensure the bank serves the public interest and aligns with international agreements like the Kyoto Protocol.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Crossing the Divide
The report examines 'village demining' in Cambodia, where locals use basic tools to clear land for survival. It contrasts this with professional humanitarian mine action, which prioritizes absolute safety and standardized procedures. The author argues that professional agencies often ignore the relative risks—such as starvation and landlessness—that compel villagers to clear mines. The document recommends a paradigm shift toward community-oriented strategies, including the use of mobile quick-response teams and the integration of mine action with broader development and land-titling initiatives to reduce the vulnerabilities that make village demining necessary.
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Document type: Report
CIEL and other NGOs call on trade ministers to reject unofficial and exclusive mini-ministerials and green room meetings prior to and during the World Trade Organization's Fifth Ministerial
A coalition of NGOs argues that the WTO's use of exclusive, invitation-only meetings—such as the mini-ministerial in Australia and 'Green Room' meetings—undermines democratic principles and pressures developing countries to accept terms favorable to developed nations. The statement demands a transition to transparent, inclusive consensus-building mechanisms and a neutral WTO Secretariat.
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Document type: Statement
Environmental NGOs submit letter to Congressional Oversight Group on Trade Policy
A coalition of environmental NGOs warns the Congressional Oversight Group on Trade Policy that USTR's investment proposals could grant foreign investors excessive rights, potentially exposing the U.S. to financial liability for regulatory actions. The authors argue the proposals misrepresent U.S. Supreme Court precedents on expropriation and introduce subjective standards like "fair and equitable treatment" that do not exist in U.S. law.
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Document type: Statement
Statement on investment for the September 2002 WTO Investment Meeting
The document argues that the WTO is the wrong forum for a multilateral investment framework because its focus on trade liberalization and non-discrimination would likely restrict domestic policies essential for economic growth, human rights, and environmental protection. The authors contend that the Working Group on the Relationship between Trade and Investment (WGTI) has failed to integrate sustainable development into its processes and that any move toward an investment agreement would contradict the goals of the Doha Development Agenda. They highlight risks such as the 'chilling effect' of investment litigation and the resource imbalances that hinder developing countries in WTO dispute settlements. The statement calls for WTO Members to refrain from discussing negotiation modalities until a transparent analysis proves such an agreement would benefit developing countries and sustainable development.
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Document type: Statement
Re: Oppose H.R. 3009, the Fast Track Conference Report
The document is a joint statement from several environmental organizations urging the U.S. Congress to oppose H.R. 3009, the fast track conference report. The authors argue that the bill fails to protect environmental stewardship, lacks parity between environmental and commercial enforcement, and contains flawed investor lawsuit rules similar to NAFTA's Chapter 11. Specifically, they claim the report limits the use of trade measures to address failures in environmental law enforcement and provides inadequate protection for Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
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Document type: Statement
Decoys and Discrimination in Intercept Test IFT-8
The document analyzes the target suite for the IFT-8 missile defense test, arguing that the addition of small balloon decoys does not significantly increase the difficulty of the discrimination task. The authors contend that the kill vehicle's infrared sensors can easily distinguish these decoys from the mock warhead because their infrared signals differ substantially in brightness. Furthermore, the paper criticizes the discrimination methodology for relying on 'reference data'—detailed prior knowledge of target characteristics—which the authors describe as an unrealistic operational assumption.
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Document type: Research paper
Suggested Amendments to the Chairman’s Paper dated 12 February 2002 Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development A/Conf.199/PC/L.11
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the Chairman's Paper overemphasizes economic growth and national governance while neglecting international responsibility and the environmental and social pillars of sustainable development. CIEL proposes amendments to integrate human rights, public health, and environmental protections into the summit's framework, specifically calling for binding corporate accountability, the protection of community-based property rights, and a more balanced approach to intellectual property and trade liberalization.
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Document type: Report
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Reinstates Ayahuasca Patent
The document argues that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) erred in reinstating Loren Miller's patent for 'Da Vine,' a variety of ayahuasca. It contends the PTO ignored evidence that the plant's flower color was not distinct from existing varieties, misapplied the legal standard for patentability by using an infringement test from the Imazio case, and violated procedural rules by allowing Miller to submit new evidence after a final rejection while denying similar opportunities to indigenous organizations. The author concludes that the decision reflects a systemic failure to protect the traditional knowledge and biological resources of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin.
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Document type: Briefing
Bush energy plan violates international law
The Center for International Environmental Law asserts that the Bush energy plan would increase overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 35% or more, and power plant emissions by up to 65%, thereby breaching the UN Climate Convention's requirement for industrialized nations to reduce emissions to 1990 levels.
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Document type: Statement
Attorney Glenn Wiser discusses the disconnect between the IPCC reports concerning the impacts of global warming on future generations and proposed budget surplus fixes
The document highlights a contradiction between the IPCC's warnings of devastating climate impacts and the US government's focus on using budget surpluses for tax cuts. It argues that the cost of investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy is a small fraction of the projected $3 trillion surplus and is far lower than the future costs of climate damage.
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Document type: Statement
Open letter to the President of the World Bank concerning the International Advisory Group
Civil society representatives from Chad and Cameroon argue that the International Advisory Group (IAG) lacks a mandate to address human rights violations, lacks true independence from the World Bank and national governments, and fails to hold oil companies accountable for environmental and social damages.
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Document type: Statement
Exchanges between Mark Mills and Amory Lovins about the electricity used by the Internet
The document consists of email correspondence and letters between Amory Lovins (RMI) and Mark Mills (science advisor to the Greening Earth Society) following a Forbes article by Mills and Peter Huber. Mills argued that the Internet's energy demand is growing exponentially and will require significant continued reliance on coal-fired power. Lovins, supported by scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, challenged these claims as 'junk science,' arguing that Mills grossly overstated the power consumption of individual devices (PCs and routers) and ignored efficiency gains. The exchange concludes with Lovins accusing Mills of failing to respond to specific technical rebuttals and violating professional ethics by publishing private correspondence.
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Document type: Report
The Joint Implementation Pilot Phase: A Call for Independent Evaluation
The document argues that the Joint Implementation pilot phase requires an independent evaluation to prevent the use of 'hot air' and to ensure that emissions reductions are real, additional, and verifiable.
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Document type: Report
Negawatts: Twelve Transitions, Eight Improvements, and One Distraction
The author outlines twelve fundamental transitions in electricity efficiency, moving from fragmented equipment upgrades to integrated, whole-system optimization. He argues that 'negawatts' (saved electricity) are often cheaper than new generation and that market failures currently penalize efficiency. The paper proposes eight improvements to make efficiency programs more cost-effective and critiques the concept of 'retail wheeling' as a distraction from the more significant shift toward wholesale competition and decentralized generation via fuel cells and superflywheels.
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Document type: Research paper
Testimony of Robert Housman of the Center for International Environmental Law on Behalf of the Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife Before the Subcommittee on Foreign Commerce and Tourism Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
The testimony argues that the GATT Uruguay Round Final Agreement is undemocratic and environmentally hazardous. It claims the agreement's dispute resolution mechanisms exclude public participation and that its 'least trade restrictive' standard for Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures would jeopardize numerous U.S. environmental and food safety laws. The author further asserts that the agreement lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent a 'race to the bottom' in environmental standards and that the proposed World Trade Organization (WTO) creates an unaccountable bureaucracy.
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Document type: Statement
Profitably Stabilizing Global Climate
The editorial contends that anthropogenic climate change is a result of economically inefficient resource use and that modern technologies in energy, farming, and forestry can stabilize the climate while saving money. It rebuts ten common myths, asserting that 'no-regrets' actions make scientific uncertainty irrelevant to policy and that abatement is a profitable investment rather than a cost. The author argues that market failures, not a lack of cost-effective technology, hinder progress, and that these efficiencies are essential for equitable global development.
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Document type: Statement
FfD4 must deliver on equitable trade for development
The author argues that the FfD4 outcome document, the 'Compromiso de Sevilla', prioritises consensus over transformation and fails to provide the necessary commitments to support developing countries. Key criticisms include the weakening of trade facilitation commitments, the lack of a review mechanism for special and differential treatment (SDT) provisions, and insufficient action against unilateral trade-distorting measures like the Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism (CBAM). The text further highlights a lack of meaningful obligations for value addition in critical minerals and commodities, as well as a failure to address systemic challenges regarding technological monopolies and the need for co-development agreements to support climate-resilient development.
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Document type: Statement