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This briefing analyzes the legal arguments and international law frameworks relevant to the WTO dispute 'EC – Biotech', specifically focusing on the definition of risk assessments (RA) under the SPS Agreement and the potential influence of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

This policy brief argues that Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), particularly those of G7 countries, prioritize energy-intensive exports over renewable energy and operate without the environmental and social safeguards required of multilateral development banks. It notes a failure by the OECD and G8 to establish binding guidelines and recommends that ECAs adopt rigorous standards, increase transparency, and set a 20% target for renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2006.

The policy brief outlines strategies to ensure the 'widest and most effective participation possible' in the negotiations for a global treaty to end plastic pollution. It identifies systemic barriers in current UN processes—such as restrictive accreditation, limited speaking rights, language gaps, and lack of funding—and recommends adopting more open models (like the Escazú Agreement) to include frontline stakeholders, including waste pickers, Indigenous Peoples, and youth.

The 'Environmental Leaders’ Statement on Civil and Human Rights, Social Justice and an Inclusive Economy' is a solidarity declaration by leaders of the U.S. environmental movement. The signatories argue that the protection of the planet is inextricably linked to the defense of human rights and social justice, condemning the rise of racist and violent acts following the U.S. election.

A coalition of environmental organizations provides detailed recommendations to the U.S. government on implementing Executive Order 13141. They argue for the full integration of environmental reviews into all stages of trade negotiations, the adoption of a comprehensive analytical framework that considers global and cumulative impacts (including greenhouse gas emissions), and a functional approach to identifying agreements that require scrutiny. The coalition emphasizes the need for transparency, public participation, and the use of specialized agency expertise over the limited capacity of the USTR.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Greenpeace analyzes the tensions between international trade rules, primarily those of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the conservation of global fisheries. It argues that current trade interpretations often hinder sustainable fisheries management by prohibiting regulations based on production and processing methods (PPMs). The authors propose a framework to integrate the precautionary approach into trade law, eliminate destructive subsidies, and ensure that investment liberalization does not undermine the ability of states to protect marine resources and traditional fishing communities.

An open letter from 252 legal experts to the participants of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, asserting that states have binding international legal obligations to phase out fossil fuels to prevent significant climate harm.

An open letter signed by 252 legal experts, academics, and professionals addressed to the participants of the First Conference for the Transition Beyond Fossil Fuels in Santa Marta, Colombia. The document asserts that states have binding international legal obligations to phase out fossil fuels to prevent significant climate damage and protect human rights.

This amicus curiae brief, submitted by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), supports petitioners Miguel Ignacio Fredes González and Andrea Tuczek Fries in their claim against Chile. The document argues that the Chilean government violated the right to access information by providing incomplete data regarding the location and nature of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) released into the environment. CIEL provides technical details on the scientific uncertainty and risks associated with GMOs and analyzes international legal frameworks—including the Cartagena Protocol and the Aarhus Convention—to assert that transparency and public participation are essential for managing biosafety risks.

This research paper analyzes the legal and policy frictions between international trade agreements, primarily the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and environmental protections. It examines how GATT principles—such as Most-Favored-Nation and National Treatment—often conflict with environmental measures, including those found in multilateral agreements like the Montreal Protocol and CITES. The authors discuss the implications of the Uruguay Round negotiations and propose options for reconciling trade and environmental goals under the framework of sustainable development.

This research paper analyzes a 1991 General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) dispute resolution panel decision regarding a U.S. embargo on Mexican tuna. The panel found that the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) violated GATT by imposing quantitative restrictions on imports. The authors examine the legal conflict between international trade rules and environmental protections, arguing that the decision limits the ability of nations to enforce environmental standards on imported products unless those standards affect the physical makeup of the product or its sale.

This document is an amicus curiae intervention submitted by the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) and the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) to the High Court of Kenya. The intervention argues that the Lamu Port – Southern Sudan – Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) project, as planned, violates the Constitution of Kenya and various international treaties regarding the right to development, environmental protection, the prohibition of forced evictions, and the rights of indigenous peoples and cultural heritage.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the human rights implications of electronic waste (e-waste), focusing on the toxic chemicals used in electronics and the health and environmental hazards associated with unregulated recycling practices, particularly in developing countries.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the human rights impacts of electronic waste (e-waste), focusing on the toxic substances released during informal recycling and their effects on health, food security, and labor rights, particularly in developing nations.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the intersection of lead pollution and human rights, detailing the severe health impacts on children and adults and how these impacts violate international legal standards regarding the right to life, health, housing, and information.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the severe health impacts of lead contamination and its implications for fundamental human rights, including the rights to life, health, adequate housing, and access to information. It highlights the extreme vulnerability of children and workers, particularly in developing countries, and identifies key sources of exposure such as leaded fuel, paint, and battery manufacturing.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the intersection of mercury pollution and human rights, detailing the neurotoxic effects of various forms of mercury and how these impacts violate the rights to life, health, food, and information, particularly for children and workers in artisanal mining.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law outlines the human rights implications of hazardous pesticide manufacture, sale, and use, emphasizing the obligations of States to protect rights and businesses to conduct due diligence to prevent harm.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the intersection of hazardous pesticides and international human rights standards, arguing that states and corporations have obligations to prevent harm caused by these substances.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the health impacts of phthalates—industrial chemicals used as plasticizers—and argues that their ubiquity and toxicity violate several fundamental human rights, including the rights to health, life, adequate housing, and information.