Search Climate Insights Directory

The report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) details over 100 incidents of violence against environmental defenders across 27 countries. It identifies a systemic pattern of criminalization, physical attacks, and state repression linked to large-scale extractivist projects. The document advocates for legally binding international norms for transnational corporations and the recognition of environmental defense as a fundamental human right.

The policy brief examines the potential for leveraging private sector activity to enhance Africa's 'rising' economic phenomenon, emphasizing that non-inclusive growth can exacerbate insecurity. It identifies a shift toward more explicit business engagement in sustainable development driven by commercial risk management, a desire to be a 'partner of choice', and investor impatience with state capabilities. The author recommends that governments create transparent platforms for business engagement in national development plans and that donors link foreign investment to local private sector development.

The document examines the evolution of democratic governance in Africa from the OAU era to the AU era, focusing on the APRM and ACDEG. It argues that while the continent has shifted from 'politics of the bullet' to 'politics of the ballot', significant challenges remain, including 'illiberal democracies' and slow implementation of governance reviews. The author advocates for stronger synergies between the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), increased domestic funding for National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), and a balanced role for non-state actors to prevent 'state capture' of these initiatives.

The African Governance Architecture (AGA) was established in 2011 to address inefficiencies, duplication, and a 'democratic deficit' within the African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs). It serves as a coordinating framework to align various treaty-monitoring bodies and norms—including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG)—to improve compliance and citizen engagement. The AGA operates through a Platform consisting of two concentric circles of AU organs and external stakeholders, organised into five thematic clusters. A key priority is the synergy between the AGA and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), leveraging the APRM's assessment tools while utilizing the AGA's link to binding treaty commitments. Despite milestones like the 2012 launch of the AGA Platform in Lusaka, the Secretariat faces challenges regarding inadequate human and financial resources.

The document is a statement of solidarity from Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) regarding the persecution of activists and legislators in Honduras. It highlights the violent repression of peasant, environmental, and feminist movements, specifically citing the attack on deputy Rafael Alegría and police repression within the Honduran Parliament as evidence of a broader assault on human rights and nature.

The indigenous Jogbahn clan in Liberia successfully forced the UK-based company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) to retreat from their land following advocacy by the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) and Friends of the Earth Liberia. In a March 5 meeting, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf committed the Liberian government to protecting over 20,000 hectares of community land from further encroachment. This is significant as over 50% of Liberia's land (5.02 million hectares) has been leased to corporations. The conflict escalated between 2012 and 2013 when EPO cleared community farmland and conducted forced land surveys, leading to reports of intimidation and violence by company security and the Liberia National Police's Police Support Unit (PSU). In response, the communities filed a complaint with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) on September 18, 2013, demanding an end to land surveys and expansion onto customary land.

The document argues that South Africa has been reluctant to use its economic power to push for democratic reforms in Zimbabwe and Swaziland, preferring a policy of 'quiet diplomacy' and non-interference. This approach is driven by realpolitik concerns regarding regional stability, personal ties between political elites, and a desire to avoid being perceived as a hegemon. While South Africa's foreign policy officially commits to human rights and democracy, the author finds a disconnect in implementation, noting that economic diplomacy is primarily used for domestic wealth aggregation rather than as a tool for political influence. The paper suggests that South Africa could more effectively advance its agenda by integrating economic statecraft into its foreign policy, potentially through public sector financial institutions or the reformulation of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenue-sharing formula.

The document assesses various voluntary guidelines, principles, and financing mechanisms designed to mitigate the negative impacts of 'land grabs' and promote sustainable rural development. It highlights the roles of the Committee on World Food Security, the African Union, the World Bank, and the OECD, while noting that the primary challenge remains translating these voluntary principles into concrete national reforms and genuine support for small-scale farmers.

The document assesses the international response to the increase in agricultural land and water investments following the 2008 food crisis. It details various voluntary guidelines and principles established by intergovernmental bodies, international organizations, and the private sector, while also examining financial mechanisms designed to support smallholder farmers. The author notes that while a consensus exists on the need for responsible investment, most frameworks remain voluntary and lack enforcement mechanisms.

The report finds that Indonesia's SVLK certification system is fundamentally flawed, failing to guarantee that certified timber is legal or sustainable. It identifies systemic weaknesses in audit design, a lack of transparency, and the certification of companies involved in corruption, human rights abuses, and illegal deforestation of protected habitats and peatlands.

The document argues that the GCF's proposed safeguards are insufficiently detailed and overly reliant on the IFC Performance Standards, which the authors claim do not represent international best practice. It advocates for a differentiated accreditation system based on project risk levels, the adoption of a mandatory 'do no harm' principle, and the creation of an 'exclusion list' for high-risk activities such as fossil fuel extraction. The submission emphasizes that environmental, social, and gender safeguards must be developed with the same rigor and independent oversight as fiduciary standards, specifically calling for mandatory requirements on land tenure, indigenous peoples' free, prior and informed consent, and gender-responsive stakeholder engagement.

The statement supports the Independent Expert's mapping report on human rights obligations regarding environmental protection and advocates for the formal recognition of a freestanding right to a healthy environment to improve accountability and ecosystem preservation. It emphasizes the importance of extraterritorial obligations (ETOs) and the protection of environmental rights defenders.

The report analyzes the systemic power imbalances in compensation processes for extractive industries, where benefits often accrue at the state level while costs are borne by local communities. It evaluates several mechanisms for improving outcomes: Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in mining, strategic human rights litigation, and Biocultural Community Protocols. A specific case study of the Chad-Cameroon Oil & Pipeline Project illustrates the failures of individual-based monetary compensation and argues for a paradigm shift toward livelihood restoration and 'land for land' replacement.

The report evaluates 30 companies on their palm oil sourcing policies, finding that while some leaders like Nestlé and Unilever have strong commitments, many others rely on inadequate RSPO standards or have no commitments at all. It highlights the severe climate impact of palm oil production, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, where peatland drainage and forest clearing release massive amounts of carbon dioxide. The authors argue for a new industry standard requiring traceable, deforestation-free, and peat-free palm oil to protect biodiversity and mitigate global warming.

The report examines the five-year campaign by the Save Mapungubwe Coalition to protect the Mapungubwe World Heritage Site from the Vele Colliery project operated by Coal of Africa (CoAL). It analyzes three primary engagement strategies: strategic litigation to challenge mining licenses, bilateral negotiations to establish best-practice environmental standards, and multilateral participation in the Vele Colliery Environmental Management Committee (EMC). The document concludes that while litigation and negotiations have limitations, they provide essential leverage, and that inclusive multi-stakeholder governance via EMCs can effectively monitor corporate compliance. It also highlights the correlation between CoAL's non-compliance with environmental laws and the decline of its JSE share price.

The document critiques the EBRD's draft Environment and Social Policy for removing commitments to international human rights law, limiting transparency, and failing to implement robust human rights due diligence. It specifically highlights concerns regarding forced evictions, the definition of indigenous peoples, and gaps in the Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM).

The report uses the IISD Supply Risk Tool to analyze China's copper supply chain, finding high vulnerability due to heavy reliance on a few major producers like Chile, Peru, and Australia. It identifies resource nationalism and environmental/social governance (ESG) issues—specifically greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency, and labor rights—as critical risks that could disrupt supply. The document recommends that the Chinese government enhance the capacity of its embassies, align with international standards, and integrate supply chain sustainability into green procurement and national planning.

The report analyzes China's high vulnerability in its palm oil supply chain, which is heavily concentrated in Indonesia and Malaysia. It identifies critical sustainability risks, including deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and human rights abuses, and suggests that while these may not immediately disrupt supply, they pose significant reputational risks for Chinese brands and long-term security risks. The document proposes five policy interventions, including capacity building for embassies and alignment with international sustainability standards like the RSPO.

The document serves as a manual for NGOs to navigate the process of filing amicus curiae submissions in ICSID proceedings. It explains the legal nature of international investment arbitration, the specific rules (such as Rule 37(2)) governing non-disputing party participation, and the challenges of integrating human rights law into investment disputes. It provides best practices for drafting petitions and submissions, emphasizing the need for legal arguments grounded in applicable law and the importance of demonstrating the petitioner's independence and expertise. The guide also includes several case studies and actual petitions and orders from cases such as Biwater Gauff v. Tanzania and Suez v. Argentina to illustrate the practical application of these rules.

The document explains the role of amicus curiae in ICSID proceedings, detailing the legal requirements under Rule 37(2) for non-disputing parties to file written submissions. It highlights the tension between investment protection and human rights, arguing that amicus interventions are critical for introducing public interest perspectives into a system that often prioritizes investor rights. The guide provides best practices for drafting petitions and submissions, emphasizing the need for legal grounding and the demonstration of the petitioner's independence and expertise.