Search Climate Insights Directory

FSD Africa's Modern Slavery Policy defines a zero-tolerance approach to forced labour, trafficking, and servitude. It mandates annual public statements from the board, robust due diligence for third parties, and staff training. The policy applies to all staff and associated personnel, requiring adherence to a third-party code of conduct and providing a whistleblower hotline for reporting suspicions.

The Wild Coast community and civil society organisations, including Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa, are challenging an SCA order in the Constitutional Court. They argue that the order allowing Shell to seek a decision on renewing its exploration rights is unfair and fails to protect human rights, cultural beliefs, and the environment. The challenge seeks to ensure that any exploration is subject to proper environmental permission and meaningful consultation with local residents.

The report argues that the EU's pursuit of 'policy coherence' in its external migration dimension is primarily a tool for containment, often instrumentalising development aid to limit migration. It highlights the inherent tensions between migration management, development, and integration, noting that the EU's reliance on conditionality and compensation in partnerships with third countries often ignores the domestic interests of those partners and lacks evidence-based effectiveness in addressing the 'root causes' of migration.

The 2023 assessment by WWF reveals that while 31% of the 42 analyzed asset managers showed minor or moderate improvements in managing nature and biodiversity risks, specific action regarding the seafood sector remains low. Only one asset manager has publicly disclosed seafood-specific E&S expectations for investee companies. The report highlights significant gaps in expectations regarding sustainability certifications and supply chain traceability. It notes a positive trend in Japanese asset managers' progress, likely driven by national biodiversity and IUU fishing regulations. WWF recommends that asset managers formalize biodiversity risk statements into actionable policies, set time-bound sustainability targets, and develop targeted 'blue' financial products to support a sustainable blue economy.

The testimony details the devastating effects of nickel mining on Kabaena Island, Indonesia, specifically impacting the Bajau people. It reports significant environmental degradation, including deforestation and water contamination, which has led to health issues, loss of livelihoods, and child fatalities. The document argues that while electric vehicles are necessary for climate goals, the current extraction model is destructive, calling for the adoption of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance standards and a greater focus on recycling to reduce mining demand.

The report outlines a framework for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty based on three foundational values: justice, rights, and the public good. It details a vision for a post-fossil fuel future characterised by self-determination and thriving ecosystems, while identifying risks such as 'false solutions' and 'treaty fatigue'. The document proposes operationalising the treaty through national laws, regional energy sovereignty, and global targets based on historic responsibility and the 'polluter pays' principle.

The document examines the governance challenges associated with the rising demand for critical minerals in Africa, highlighting the tension between developed nations' focus on supply security and African nations' goals for socio-economic development. It emphasizes that without responsible governance, the energy transition risks causing environmental harm and human rights violations. The author recommends the expedited implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV) and calls for coordinated action among national governments, private sector companies, and civil society to ensure transparency and accountability.

Carbon Market Watch urges the UN Article 6.4 Supervisory Body to reject current drafts of the appeal and grievance processes and the sustainable development tool, arguing they contain insufficient human rights safeguards and create barriers to redress for affected communities.

The CSDDD requires large companies to ensure their operations do not have disproportionate impacts on the climate, environment, biodiversity, and human rights. However, the document highlights a critical gap: financial services are excluded from due diligence requirements, meaning financial actors are only responsible for their non-financial activities (e.g., office supplies) rather than their investments in harmful projects. While the directive mandates climate transition plans for all covered entities, including financial actors, the document warns that relying on CSRD reporting standards may result in low-quality, non-prescriptive plans that fail to stop fossil fuel expansion.

Carbon Market Watch argues that the draft Article 6.4 sustainable development tool prioritizes national legal requirements over international standards, which undermines the mandate for robust social and environmental safeguards. The organization calls for a structured consultation of at least one month with rights-holders, including Indigenous Peoples, and recommends that the tool mandate the application of safeguard criteria rather than making them optional. Key concerns include the artificial time boundary of monitoring impacts only during the crediting period and the limitation of recognizing Indigenous legal systems only when they are consistent with national legislation.

Carbon Market Watch argues that the draft appeal and grievance processes for the Article 6.4 mechanism are insufficient and not ready for adoption. The organization recommends a structured consultation period of at least one month and suggests using the Green Climate Fund's Independent Redress Mechanism as a model for accessibility, legitimacy, and rights compatibility. Key criticisms include the imposition of appeal and grievance fees, restrictive eligibility criteria for appellants and grievants, limited language options (English only), and a lack of retaliation safeguards.

Carbon Market Watch (CMW) argues for increased stringency in the Article 6.4 mechanism, specifically regarding the permanence of carbon removals and the accountability of project participants. CMW proposes a minimum 100-year monitoring period for removals, the removal of options to cease monitoring based on vague evidence, and the implementation of a reversal risk assessment tool grounded in peer-reviewed science. The response also suggests a fee-based system to fund long-term monitoring and the ability to permanently ban participants who violate human rights or repeatedly cause avoidable reversals.

The document defines the 'Agri-Food Deforestation and Conversion Free Sourcing' criteria for entities in the food value chain. It mandates a cut-off date of 31 December 2020, requiring that sourcing be free from deforestation and natural ecosystem conversion. The criteria specify different traceability and due diligence requirements based on the risk classification of the origin, with a commitment to full geolocation for all commodities by 2030. It also integrates human rights safeguards and annual verification processes to ensure climate integrity for certified entities.

The document outlines the technical requirements for agri-food entities to be certified as deforestation and conversion free (DCF). It establishes a cut-off date of 31 December 2020, mandates geolocation traceability for high-risk origins and specific commodities, and requires rigorous due diligence and annual verification. The criteria align with the EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) and the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi), extending protections to all natural ecosystems beyond forests.

Natural Justice critiques the South African government's National Biodiversity Economy Strategy, specifically targeting the establishment of 'Mega Living Conservation Landscapes' and the expansion of the game meat and marine fisheries industries. The organization argues that 'fortress conservation' models lead to human rights violations and forced displacement. It advocates for the adoption of Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs), the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and the implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). The document recommends co-management frameworks, secure land tenure, and the removal of harmful subsidies that disadvantage small-scale fishers, aligning national policy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the African Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

A coalition of 40 civil society organisations has called on World Bank Group President Ajay Banga to adopt stricter safeguards for transition mineral mining. The group recommends that the World Bank prioritise minimising mineral demand through technology life cycles, support national green industrial strategies over export-driven expansion, and enforce enhanced due diligence, including Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for Indigenous Peoples. They further argue that all transition mineral projects should be classified as 'category A high risk projects' to ensure robust application of accountability and safeguarding systems.

A joint statement by six environmental and health organizations providing recommendations to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada on the implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment (R2HE) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).

The letter urges states to phase out offshore oil and gas production to protect coastal and Indigenous communities, citing a UN report on fisheries and the right to food. It argues that these activities degrade marine biodiversity and threaten the food security of small-scale fishing communities, while contributing to global temperature rise.

The 2023 assessment of 40 banks reveals that while 23% showed improvements in managing E&S risks in the seafood sector, overall performance remains low with an average score of 21%. Asian banks drove most of the year-on-year progress and the issuance of new blue financial products, while European banks maintained the most robust policies. Despite growing awareness of nature-related financial risks, only 30% of assessed banks have seafood-specific policies, and many lack granular expectations for aquaculture and downstream clients.

Natural Justice argues that the ICJ should recognize a State's obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on a 'fair share' principle and ensure a just transition from fossil fuels. The document emphasizes that Africa is the most vulnerable continent despite contributing less than 4% of global emissions, facing projected annual loss and damage costs between US$ 290 billion and $440 billion by 2030. It asserts that high-income, high-emitting States owe legal obligations to provide financial support via grants rather than loans and must provide reparations—including compensation and restitution—for internationally wrongful acts that cause climate harm.