Search Climate Insights Directory

The document outlines eleven reasons why the media should report on disaster risk reduction (DRR), framing it as a multifaceted issue spanning politics, economics, human rights, environment, culture, gender, and health. It emphasizes that media coverage can save lives by disseminating early warnings, holding governments accountable for bad governance or corruption, and highlighting the role of traditional knowledge in survival. The guide notes that disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to factors like climate change and environmental degradation, with 2022 damages totaling approximately $270bn.

The document outlines the need for a substantial increase in climate finance for developing countries, arguing that current profit-driven practices often undermine human rights. It presents a toolkit intended for campaigners and state actors to identify intervention points for reforming the economic system and advocating for equitable, low-carbon development.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the use of the "Anti-Protest Protocol" by the Argentine government to repress peaceful demonstrators on 12 June, resulting in over 600 injuries and 35 arbitrary detentions. The organization highlights a broader pattern of regressive laws, increased poverty, and the criminalization of protest under President Javier Milei, calling for the immediate release of detainees and an end to state violence.

The document condemns the violent repression of protests in Argentina on June 12, which resulted in over 600 injuries and 35 arbitrary detentions. It criticizes the 'anti-protest protocol' and the government of Javier Milei for increasing poverty rates, attacking labor rights, and attempting to liberalize extractive industries. The statement highlights the use of torture and false accusations of terrorism against detainees and calls for the immediate release of prisoners and an end to state violence.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the use of the "Protocolo Antiprotestas" by the Argentine government to repress manifestations on June 12, resulting in over 600 injuries and 35 arbitrary detentions. The statement links this violence to a broader pattern of regressive laws, increased poverty, and the criminalization of protest under the administration of Javier Milei.

Global Witness criticises the UK's crackdown on climate activists, citing the four-year prison sentence of Daniel Shaw and the use of the Public Order Act 2023 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2022. The organisation highlights that over 7,000 climate protesters have been arrested since 2019 and argues that the fossil fuel industry has influenced the legislation used to muzzle defenders. It calls on the new Labour government to protect the right to peaceful protest.

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) praises players of the French men's national football team, including Kylian Mbappé and Jules Koundé, for speaking out against the Rassemblement National during the July 2024 elections. The statement argues that such actions are essential for protecting democracy and advancing social and climate justice, contrasting this activism with the efforts of governing bodies like FIFA, UEFA, and CONMEBOL to 'depoliticize' the sport.

South Africa's foreign policy is centered on 'active non-alignment' and the 'universality' posture, aiming to mediate global conflicts and promote the interests of the Global South. A primary focus is the African continent, specifically through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the pursuit of Agenda 2063. The government seeks to enhance economic diplomacy by supporting South African investments in Africa and developing regional value chains for critical minerals like lithium. Additionally, South Africa maintains a commitment to human rights and self-determination, evidenced by its legal actions at the International Court of Justice regarding Palestine and its support for Western Sahara. On a multilateral level, the country advocates for the reform of the UN Security Council and leverages its membership in BRICS and the G20 to amplify African influence.

The report details the negative impacts of Ikwezi Mining's blasting operations on local communities, including structural damage to homes, psychosocial trauma in children, and cultural disruption. It highlights a lack of adequate blasting notices and a non-functional grievance mechanism, while recommending formalized blasting standards for rural South African communities.

The statement supports the Special Rapporteur's mapping report, specifically its focus on fossil fuels, loss and damage, and the risks associated with geoengineering and carbon credits. It calls for further investigation into human rights violations across the entire fossil fuel lifecycle to support a just transition and emphasizes the necessity of an intersectional approach to protect marginalized groups.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Earthjustice assert that climate change disproportionately affects marginalized populations and that the right to remedy, including reparations, is being denied to those suffering climate harm. They criticize the reliance on voluntary contributions for the UNFCCC Loss and Damage Fund and urge states to fulfill their legal obligations to provide redress, looking toward upcoming advisory opinions from the International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for clarification on state duties.

The United Nations has introduced the Global Principles for Information Integrity to address the rise of mis/disinformation and hate speech, particularly those amplified by AI. The framework calls for accountability from governments, tech companies, and the advertising industry, emphasizing human rights and the need for a trustworthy information environment. Additionally, the document notes a UN call to ban fossil fuel advertisements to protect information integrity and address the climate crisis, supported by various civil society organizations.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Earthjustice advocate for state-mandated transparent ESG data disclosure to prevent greenwashing and human rights violations. They specifically criticize the use of carbon offsets by fossil fuel companies to justify the expansion of oil and gas production, arguing that such practices rearrange rather than reduce emissions and often violate human rights.

Reclaim Finance, BankTrack, SteelWatch, and the Fair Steel Coalition have sent a letter to 21 banks that finance ArcelorMittal, the world's second-largest steel company. The coalition alerts these financiers to risks and adverse impacts documented in two reports: 'The Real Co$t of Steel', which details violence against environmental defenders and neglect of worker health in South Africa, Liberia, Mexico, and Brazil, and the 'ArcelorMittal Corporate Climate Assessment 2024', which finds the company is not aligned with a 1.5C scenario and is investing in coal-based steel production. The letter demands that banks require ArcelorMittal to publish concrete action plans, adopt a 1.5-aligned Climate Action Plan, and perform enhanced due diligence. Additionally, the coalition calls on banks to adopt sectoral policies to restrict financing for coal-based steelmaking, specifically ending services for new blast furnaces and the relining of existing ones.

The 2024 update study by Perspectives Climate Group finds that while CAR, Verra, and ACR have improved their grievance processes since 2023, significant shortcomings persist across all analysed VCM programmes. Key issues include limited accessibility, lack of independent review guardrails, and a general absence of detailed potential remedies. The report specifically highlights the case of the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) in Guyana under the ART mechanism, which was dismissed on formal grounds, illustrating the risks of ad hoc procedural changes and biased reviewer appointments. The study concludes that most VCM mechanisms remain insufficient in providing a fair, predictable, and independent path to redress for affected stakeholders.

A coalition of environmental organizations, including Greenpeace and Reclaim Finance, responded to the French Senate's inquiry into TotalEnergies. While they welcome the report's critical assessment of TotalEnergies' "climaticide" strategy and its expansion of fossil fuels, they argue that the 33 recommendations lack the binding measures necessary to align the company with the Paris Agreement. The associations specifically criticize the absence of super-profit taxation and the perceived weakness of the French state in regulating the multinational.

The author contends that direct action and civil disobedience by land defenders are critical for challenging the 'mindset of dominion' that drives environmental destruction. The text highlights the disparity in risks faced by protestors—ranging from simple citations in the US to assassination globally—and criticizes Western climate spaces for prioritizing policy and electrification over the radical systemic change and decolonization necessary for survival.

A group of scientists and researchers calls on Citi to cease financing fossil fuel expansion, citing the bank's role as the second-largest financier of fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement. The authors argue that such financing exacerbates the climate crisis and disproportionately harms frontline communities, specifically mentioning impacts in the US, the Amazon, and the Niger delta. They demand a phase-out of coal, oil, and gas financing, an end to LNG project funding, increased investment in renewable energy, and restitution for the bank's role in fueling climate chaos.

The report highlights a surplus of approximately 829 million carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), with renewable energy (RE) projects accounting for 35% of all project types. It argues that large-scale, grid-connected RE projects are generally non-additional because they are economically feasible without carbon credit revenues. The document traces this issue back to lax methodologies from the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), specifically methodology ACM0002, which has been adopted by VCM standards like Verra and Gold Standard. The report also notes human rights concerns, including forced displacements linked to large hydroelectric dams. Furthermore, it observes a trend of anonymous retirement for 89.9% of RE credits, suggesting buyers are aware of their low quality but purchase them due to low cost. The report warns that the transition of CDM projects to the Paris Agreement's Article 6 mechanism risks flooding new markets with low-quality credits.

The report finds that most voluntary carbon market standards have inadequate or non-existent grievance mechanisms, leaving local communities vulnerable. While Gold Standard and the Green Climate Fund's Independent Redress Mechanism are identified as best practices, others like the Global Carbon Council lack any mechanism, and standards such as Verra, CAR, ACR, and ART suffer from shortcomings in accessibility, transparency, and independence.