Search Climate Insights Directory

This document is testimony provided by Robert Housman, a Senior Attorney for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), to the Trade Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means on June 21, 1995. The testimony argues for the inclusion of environmental protections in the fast track authority for Chile's accession to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), asserting that environmental standards are necessary to prevent trade distortions and establish a sustainable template for broader hemispheric integration.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) limits the regulatory authority of EU Member States by imposing strict standards on domestic licensing processes, potentially allowing Canadian companies to challenge environmental and social protections through international arbitration.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) could allow Canadian mining companies to challenge Greek mining regulations. It argues that CETA's 'domestic regulatory disciplines'—which require licensing processes to be objective, transparent, and simple—conflict with the discretionary and evolving nature of Greek environmental and technical mining laws.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada undermines the ability of EU Member States to regulate pesticides. It contends that CETA's focus on regulatory harmonization, its requirement for scientific evidence over the precautionary principle, and its dispute resolution mechanisms create financial and procedural barriers that discourage Member States from enacting protective health and environmental measures.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) may undermine the ability of EU Member States to regulate industrial pollution, specifically within the chemical manufacturing sector, by allowing companies to challenge subjective or evolving licensing requirements before international arbitration tribunals.

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 briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how modern investment treaties and investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms can undermine environmental regulations and public health protections by allowing foreign investors to sue host states for 'indirect expropriation'.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that the investment provisions of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (Korea FTA) grant foreign investors substantive rights exceeding those of U.S. investors, thereby violating the Trade Act of 2002. The author contends that new tests for indirect expropriation and the expansion of arbitral jurisdiction over contract rights threaten the ability of governments to regulate for public health, safety, and the environment.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes a proposal by pesticide industry lobby groups CropLife America and the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) regarding the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). CIEL argues that the industry is using 'regulatory cooperation' as a mechanism to compel the European Union to lower its health and environmental standards to match the weaker standards of the United States, effectively creating a 'regulatory ceiling' that would hinder global pesticide regulation.

A letter dated February 28, 2006, from several U.S. state Attorneys General to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce opposing specific provisions of HR 4591. The bill aims to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), but the signees argue it contains overly broad preemption language and flawed EPA review procedures that would hinder state and federal environmental protections.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), also known as TAFTA, threatens to undermine public health and environmental protections regarding toxic chemicals by harmonizing regulations between the European Union and the United States.

This research paper provides a comparative analysis of the United States legal and regulatory frameworks governing the export of controlled and hazardous substances, including chemicals, drugs, pesticides, radioactive materials, and hazardous wastes. The author concludes that there is no single, unified approach to these exports, with requirements for notification, consent, and labeling varying significantly across different statutes.

This report by Friends of the Earth International analyzes the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). It argues that these 'new generation' agreements are part of a global strategy led by the US and EU to bypass the World Trade Organization (WTO), prioritize corporate interests over democratic decision-making, and dismantle social and environmental regulations.

This background paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the international arbitration case of Vattenfall v. Germany. It analyzes how the Swedish energy utility Vattenfall used the Energy Charter Treaty to challenge German environmental restrictions on a coal-fired power plant, highlighting the tension between international investment protections and a state's ability to regulate for the environment.

This 2004 research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the relationship between international investment agreements (IIAs) and sustainable development. It argues that the traditional model of IIAs, which focuses heavily on investor protections, has failed to empirically prove its ability to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and often conflicts with the regulatory needs and development priorities of host states. The paper advocates for a 'Southern Agenda' that balances private investor rights with public goods, transparency, and the specific needs of developing countries.

This policy brief, released in April 2001, proposes a 'triple-win strategy' to integrate trade liberalisation, environmental protection, and social development within the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) process. It argues for moving away from a sanctions-based approach toward a cooperation-driven model to overcome protectionist fears and civil society opposition.

This document is an excerpt from the Official Journal of the Republic of Senegal, dated June 13, 1970. The primary focus is Ministerial Order No. 5170 P.M. of May 12, 1970, which establishes the internal regulations for the Basse Casamance National Park, detailing restrictions on access, activities, and environmental protection.

A statement from Natural Justice providing comments and recommendations on the Kilifi County Solid Waste Management Bill, 2019, focusing on administrative oversight, environmental licensing, and penalty structures.

This policy brief examines the impact of Chinese investments in Tanzania's plastic recycling industry and the subsequent effects of China's 2018 import ban on waste materials. It highlights how Chinese firms have facilitated technology transfer and local business growth, while also noting significant environmental and health risks and a potential decline in local waste sourcing due to the import of cleaner waste from Europe and the US.