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The report examines the technical and economic feasibility of electrifying heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) in the US, highlighting their potential to significantly reduce NOx, PM2.5, and greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that current battery technology is sufficient for the majority of HDV operating ranges and that total cost of ownership is becoming competitive with diesel. The document recommends a combination of financial incentives, infrastructure investment, and regulatory standards to drive the transition.

The document examines the symbiotic relationship between corruption and environmental crime, arguing that corruption acts as a 'door-opener' for illegal activities and renders law enforcement an unreliable tool for conservation. It highlights how corrupt incentives lead to biased enforcement targeting low-level offenders while protecting powerful actors, and suggests that practitioners use risk analysis and extra-territorial legislation to mitigate these effects.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines a comprehensive strategy for the U.S. to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century. Key recommendations include restoring CAFE standards, investing in sustainable aviation fuels and electric aircraft, establishing national energy efficiency and renewable portfolio standards, and targeting net-zero energy for new buildings by 2050. The report emphasizes environmental justice, calling for a national climate bank and increased funding for the Rural Energy Savings Program. It also advocates for carbon pricing with border tax adjustments, the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, and a transition to a circular economy to reduce plastic pollution.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the removal of President Evo Morales in Bolivia as a coup d'état driven by right-wing forces and supported by the military and police. The organization expresses concern over human rights violations and the appropriation of the state by Jeanine Áñez, calling for international solidarity to restore democracy and the right to self-determination for the Bolivian people.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that energy storage can provide direct public health, economic, and resilience benefits to underserved communities if policymakers intentionally design targets, incentives, and utility planning processes to prioritize equity. The brief highlights the potential for storage to replace polluting 'peaker' plants, reduce demand charges for low-income residents, and maintain critical services during disasters, while warning that these outcomes require explicit policy mandates and stakeholder engagement.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing groundWork and Earthlife Africa, has formally alerted the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) to critical flaws in the EIA process for the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ) in Limpopo. The CER argues that the project's potential for 'astronomical' environmental, health, and climate impacts—including the proposed 3,300 MW thermal power plant—makes it a matter of national importance. They contend that the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) is an inappropriate competent authority and that the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries should instead oversee the process. The CER specifically highlights risks to water-stressed regions, air quality in priority areas, and South Africa's international climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, requesting that the scoping process be restarted and preceded by a strategic environmental assessment (SEA).

The statement by Friends of the Earth International asserts that systemic crises in climate and biodiversity are driven by a model that privileges transnational corporate profits over human rights and the environment. It advocates for a legally binding international instrument to hold these corporations accountable, proposing seven specific demands including the creation of an International Court for transnational corporations and the legal primacy of human rights over investment agreements.

The statement by Friends of the Earth International asserts that climate and biodiversity crises are driven by a corporate system that prioritizes profit over human rights and the environment. It advocates for a systemic shift toward societies based on sovereignty and justice, specifically calling for a legally binding UN treaty to hold transnational corporations accountable. The document outlines seven key demands for the treaty, including the establishment of an international court for transnationals, the primacy of human rights over trade agreements, and the inclusion of global value chains in the treaty's scope.

Friends of the Earth International calls for a systemic shift away from a profit-driven model that causes climate and biodiversity crises. The statement advocates for a legally binding UN treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, outlining seven specific demands to ensure corporate accountability, the primacy of human rights over trade agreements, and the establishment of an international tribunal for multinationals.

The document argues that the Executive Order on Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees arbitrarily reduces essential expert advice and public transparency without providing a sufficient rationale or evidence of cost savings.

The report argues that the Trump administration has systematically undermined science-based decision-making, which exacerbates existing environmental and health inequities for marginalized communities. It documents rollbacks in air and water pollution enforcement, the suppression of scientific data, and the dismantling of social safety nets and community participation programs. The document provides specific examples of these failures, such as the refusal to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos and the suppression of PFAS contamination data, while highlighting state and local victories where communities have successfully pushed back against these trends.

The document argues for the denial of the Tacoma LNG project, claiming it locks Washington into 40 years of fossil fuel dependence and poses significant safety and health risks. It asserts that the project's purpose has shifted from peak-shaving for utility customers to primarily serving as a marine and trucking fuel source, necessitating a new environmental review. The authors contend that the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) has underestimated greenhouse gas emissions by relying on flawed assumptions regarding methane leakage and the 'no-action' alternative. Additionally, the document highlights failures in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) to address recent LNG disasters, cumulative toxic air emissions in a densely populated urban area, and environmental justice impacts on the South Sound community and the Puyallup Tribe.

Friends of the Earth International asserts that the record-breaking fires in the Amazon, particularly in Brazil, are caused by agribusiness, mining, and logging interests supported by President Jair Bolsonaro's administration. The statement highlights a massive increase in fire detections and deforestation rates, attributing these trends to the dismantling of environmental protections and the suppression of indigenous land rights. It calls for international condemnation of these policies and criticizes the European Union for pursuing a trade agreement with MERCOSUR despite this environmental devastation.

The EPA, under administrator Andrew Wheeler, stopped collecting data on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions from large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in June 2019. This policy, which faced opposition from 99 percent of 87,473 public comments, removes a reporting requirement for farms emitting 100 pounds or more of these pollutants daily. The document asserts that this lack of data hinders the ability of emergency responders and communities—particularly low-income communities and communities of color—to protect themselves from health risks associated with CAFOs, such as respiratory issues and elevated blood pressure.

The Coalition for Healthy Ports (CHP) and Earthjustice advocate for the New Jersey DEP to adopt the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) Rule and the Heavy-Duty Omnibus Low-NOx Rule to reduce harmful emissions in environmental justice communities. They argue that MHDV electrification is economically viable and technically feasible, citing a projected $8.9 billion net societal benefit for New Jersey from 2020 to 2050 under the ACT Rule. The coalition emphasizes that the burden of pollution and the costs of vehicle upgrades fall disproportionately on misclassified contract truck drivers and low-income communities of color, particularly in the Ironbound section of Newark. They further recommend a lower fleet-reporting threshold, the adoption of cargo-handling equipment and ocean-going vessel regulations, and the implementation of zero-emission zones to address the cumulative impacts of the goods-movement industry.

The report finds that 91% of analyzed coal plants have unsafe levels of coal ash constituents in their groundwater. It highlights systemic failures in the 2015 Coal Ash Rule, such as the exemption of older dumps and inadequate monitoring of 'upgradient' wells. The analysis identifies the ten most contaminated sites in the U.S., noting that many impact low-income communities and communities of color. The authors argue that current regulations are insufficient and recommend regulating all ash dumps, requiring 'high and dry' storage, and increasing transparency and drinking water testing.

The document outlines the legal framework for accessing environmental information in the EU, including the Aarhus Convention and specific EU regulations. It details the process for submitting requests, the grounds upon which authorities may legally withhold information, and the various avenues for challenging refusals, such as confirmatory applications, complaints to the EU Ombudsman, and judicial appeals to the EU General Court. Additionally, it provides guidance on filing formal complaints with the European Commission regarding Member State failures to implement EU environmental law and discusses the limitations of direct access to EU courts for NGOs.

This document is a written contribution from Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) to the UN's open-ended working group (IGWG) regarding a proposed legally binding treaty to regulate transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises in relation to human rights. FoEI analyzes the 'Zero Draft' presented in 2018, arguing that it is too weak to end corporate impunity and represents a setback compared to previous 'Elements' papers. The document details specific legal gaps in the draft—such as the lack of direct obligations for corporations and insufficient definitions of value chains—and includes testimonies from affected peoples across different continents calling for an international court and the primacy of human rights over investment agreements.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) provides a critical analysis of the 'Zero Draft' of a proposed UN legally binding instrument to regulate transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises in relation to human rights. FoEI argues that the draft is too weak, lacks essential principles, and fails to provide effective mechanisms to end corporate impunity. The document includes general comments on the draft's structure, specific contributions from FoEI representatives across different continents, and recommendations for the revised version of the treaty to be presented at the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG).

This written submission by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) analyzes the 'Zero Draft' of a proposed UN legally binding instrument to regulate transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises in regarding human rights. FoEI argues that the Zero Draft is too weak, lacks direct obligations for corporations, and fails to provide effective mechanisms to end corporate impunity, calling for a revised version that prioritizes human rights over commercial interests.