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A group of Maine-based scientists urges Senators Susan Collins and Angus King to vote against the nomination of Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator, arguing that his record of challenging science-based public health standards threatens the health and safety of Maine's residents.

The Union of Concerned Scientists outlines a framework for preserving scientific integrity in the US federal government. It recommends establishing a dedicated scientific integrity coordinator within the White House OSTP, strengthening whistleblower protections via the WPEA, and reforming the OIRA regulatory review process to prioritize statutory standards over economic tests. The report also advocates for greater transparency through FOIA reforms, open data initiatives, and the removal of barriers to public participation in rulemaking, particularly regarding environmental justice.

The document analyzes the political economy of coal extraction in Colombia, noting that while production grew from 38 Mt in 2000 to 88.6 Mt in 2015, the sector now faces declining global demand and increasing domestic resistance. It details how opponents—including indigenous groups and municipal governments—have shifted from protests to using judicial mechanisms like the 'acción de tutela' and popular consultations to challenge mining titles. In response, the Colombian government and companies (such as Cerrejón and Drummond) have adopted new narratives, linking extraction to peace-building, increasing corporate social responsibility investments, and forming unified business associations like the Asociación Colombiana de Minería. The brief concludes that the sector's historically weak governance has become a liability, and a transition away from coal will require separating the mining sector from oil and gas in public discourse and developing alternative socio-economic pathways.

The document analyzes the precarious state of Colombia's coal industry, which faces declining global demand, falling prices, and increasing domestic resistance. It details how the industry has shifted from a 'development locomotive' narrative to one linking extraction to the financing of peace processes. The paper highlights a significant shift in opposition strategies, moving from protests to institutional channels like 'acciones de tutela' and local consultations, which have empowered the Constitutional Court to challenge mining governance. In response, coal companies have increased spending on public relations, formed the Asociación Colombiana de Minería (ACM) to strengthen lobbying, and accused the judiciary of 'judicial activism'. The authors argue that a successful energy transition requires separating coal from other minerals and hydrocarbons in public discourse and developing alternative development models for affected regions.

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) and Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) have issued a statement condemning the request by Ecuador's Internal Affairs Vice Minister, Dr. Diego Torres Saldaña, to close and dissolve the social organization Acción Ecológica. The statement highlights Acción Ecológica's long-term efforts in Latin America to defend the rights of nature and promote 'buen vivir'. FoEI and ATALC call for global support for the organization and urge the Ecuadorian government to ensure a democratic dialogue to resolve the situation.

Friends of the Earth International (ATI) and Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) have issued a statement of support for Acción Ecológica after the Ecuadorian government, specifically Vice Minister of Internal Security Dr. Diego Torres Saldaña, initiated administrative proceedings to close the organization. The statement highlights Acción Ecológica's history of defending the rights of nature and calls for a democratic dialogue to resolve the situation.

Friends of the Earth International and its affiliates condemn the murder of MAB activist Nilce de Souza Magalhães, whose body was found in the Jirau hydroelectric dam lake. The statement highlights a pattern of violence in Rondonia state, where 17 people were assassinated and 30 assassination attempts occurred in 2016 due to socio-environmental conflicts linked to large infrastructure projects.

Friends of the Earth International and its regional affiliates condemn the murder of fisherwoman and activist Nilce de Souza Magalhães, whose body was found in the Jirau hydroelectric dam reservoir. The statement highlights a pattern of violence in Rondonia, reporting 17 murders and 30 attempted murders in 2016 related to socio-environmental conflicts and large infrastructure works, while demanding an end to impunity and the commodification of water and energy.

Friends of the Earth International expresses solidarity with water protectors at Standing Rock, condemning the Dakota Access Pipeline for threatening Native American sacred territories and drinking water. The statement denounces the use of military tactics and weapons by U.S. security forces against peaceful protesters and calls for the U.S. government to withdraw permits and for global banks to cease financing the project.

Coal mining in Mpumalanga, South Africa, has severely contaminated water sources and degraded land, leading to health issues and increased poverty. Women are disproportionately affected due to their roles as caregivers, facing increased labor, economic instability, and risks of violence. Despite national and international legal frameworks, the document argues that economic interests and a lack of enforcement allow mining companies to operate with impunity.

The document is a joint statement condemning the execution-style murder of Jeremy Abraham Barrios Lima, an assistant to the Guatemalan Centre for Legal, Environmental and Social Action (CALAS). The signatories argue that this killing is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence against land and environment defenders in Guatemala and Latin America, specifically highlighting risks associated with Canadian-owned mining projects. They call for a full investigation into the murder and urge the Canadian government to ensure access to justice and respect for community decisions regarding large-scale mining.

Friends of the Earth U.S. vows to fight the administration of President-elect Donald Trump to protect the environment, citing previous successful resistance against the George W. Bush administration and ongoing movements such as the Standing Rock Sioux and Keep it in the Ground.

Gulfport, Mississippi, faces increasing flood risks from sea level rise, land subsidence, and the loss of coastal wetlands. These vulnerabilities are compounded by a history of racial segregation and incompatible land use, which has left low-income Black communities like Turkey Creek and North Gulfport more exposed to disasters. Recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita was uneven, with disaster aid arriving slower in communities of color and a significant decline in affordable housing. Local organizations are now advocating for wetland protection, equitable distribution of RESTORE Act funds, and better linguistic accessibility in disaster response for Vietnamese-American fishing communities.

The statement condemns the murders of José Angel Flores and Silmer Dionisio George in Honduras, attributing the violence to a context of extreme militarization and economic policies that prioritize capital accumulation over human rights.

The statement highlights the systemic failure to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate health warnings to the Latino community during the Flint water crisis. It notes that fear of deportation and a lack of Spanish-language information prevented many undocumented families from accessing safe water and medical services. The author advocates for a national lead prevention strategy and immediate federal funding of approximately 1.5 billion dollars to replace corroded water infrastructure in Flint.

The briefing advocates for a binding UN treaty to end the impunity of transnational corporations (TNCs) in Africa. It details systemic environmental degradation and human rights abuses by companies like Shell in Nigeria, Vale in Mozambique, and ArcelorMittal in South Africa, arguing that national legal systems are often insufficient to provide justice and reparations.

The report examines how the neoliberal trade and investment regime prioritizes the economic profitability of transnational corporations (TNCs) over human rights and food security. It contrasts the 'Agribusiness Model', characterized by large-scale monocrops and investor protections, with an 'Agroecology Model' based on food sovereignty and environmental justice. The document highlights how specific legal clauses in trade agreements—such as National Treatment and Investor-State dispute settlement—create a 'regulatory chilling-effect' that prevents states from protecting small-scale producers. It specifically identifies the European Union as a driver of this system through its trade strategies and funding of agroindustrial projects in Africa. The report concludes with recommendations to reform investment regimes, prioritize small-scale producers, and establish legally binding instruments to hold TNCs accountable for human rights violations.

This report by Friends of the Earth International and Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria examines the failure of the Nigerian judicial system to hold transnational oil corporations, specifically Shell, accountable for environmental degradation and human rights violations in the Niger Delta. The authors argue that systemic barriers in national courts—including high costs, strict standing requirements, and corporate stalling tactics—necessitate the establishment of a World Environmental Court with international jurisdiction to ensure environmental justice.

The report examines the catastrophic environmental and human rights impacts of transnational oil companies, specifically Shell, in Nigeria's Niger Delta. It details the persistence of gas flaring and oil spills, the resulting destruction of rural livelihoods, and the systemic barriers—such as high legal costs, burden of proof, and judicial delays—that prevent victims from accessing justice in Nigerian courts. Through case studies, it demonstrates how corporations use legal stalling and jurisdictional challenges to evade accountability, concluding that a legally binding global treaty and an international environmental court are necessary to protect human rights and the environment.

The report argues that political, ideological, and financial interests have undermined science in US federal decision making, harming public health and environmental protections. It defines scientific integrity as the practice where independent science, free from undue influence, informs policy transparently. To address persisting issues such as political interference and barriers to information flow, the document proposes a comprehensive blueprint for the next administration. Key recommendations include appointing a respected science advisor with direct access to the president, establishing a dedicated assistant director for scientific integrity within the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and requiring agencies to appoint scientific integrity officials who report publicly on violations. The report also calls for strengthening whistleblower protections, reforming the federal scientific advisory committee system to increase transparency, and ensuring that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) does not override agency scientific expertise. Additionally, it suggests enhancing public participation in rulemaking through better technology and strengthening environmental justice requirements by making scientific analysis of equity consequences mandatory for significant rules.