Search Climate Insights Directory

A joint statement by EEB, Carbon Market Watch, ECOS, and Bellona evaluating proposed carbon farming methodologies. While acknowledging minor improvements regarding risk profiles and operator liability, the group argues that the methodology remains flawed. Key concerns include the failure to mandate pesticide reductions, the lowering of uncertainty deduction factors, the lack of social safeguards against land speculation, and the omission of livestock methane emissions from associated emissions calculations.

GreenLatinos responds to an investigative report alleging sexual violence by César Chávez, calling for accountability regardless of a person's leadership history. The organization expresses support for survivors and reaffirms its dedication to the farmworker movement, highlighting ongoing challenges for workers including extreme heat, pesticide exposure, and high rates of sexual assault among women farmworkers.

The report details how industrial actors employ strategies such as suppressing harmful data, funding biased research, and using front groups to avoid regulation of toxic chemicals. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these patterns of disinformation. The document concludes that to protect public health and the environment, companies producing hazardous substances should be prohibited from influencing the formulation of the policies that regulate them.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of industry tactics used to block chemical regulations, including the suppression of harmful data, the funding of biased research, and the use of front groups. It provides detailed case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and pesticides to illustrate these patterns. The authors argue that because of this history of manipulation, chemical manufacturers and their trade associations should be prohibited from participating in the regulatory processes that govern their products, similar to the WHO's approach to the tobacco industry.

The document outlines a 'playbook' of corporate strategies used to avoid regulation of hazardous substances, including withholding data, undermining independent science, and using front groups. It provides case studies on PFAS, Bisphenol A (BPA), benzene, and neonicotinoids to illustrate these tactics and recommends banning industry participation in regulatory policymaking to protect human health and the environment.

The Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard reveals that while some grocery retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts are leading in organic sales and pollinator protections, many others are failing to communicate progress or manage pesticide risks. The report emphasizes the need for retailers to expand U.S. organic farming, eliminate nitroguanidine neonicotinoids, and adopt integrated pest management to mitigate significant financial and biodiversity risks.

Friends of the Earth conducted lab tests on Target's Good & Gather baby food in August 2025, finding 29 different pesticides across apple and pear purées. The analysis identified 16 highly hazardous pesticides, including carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, and neurotoxins, as well as five PFAS 'forever chemicals'. The report highlights that while levels were below U.S. EPA limits, these standards are outdated and fail to account for the vulnerability of developing infants. It further links the use of these pesticides to biodiversity loss, specifically harming pollinators and soil health, and advocates for a transition to organic farming to reduce toxic exposure and mitigate climate change.

Earthjustice is utilizing litigation and public mobilization to defend U.S. biodiversity and ecosystems against Trump administration policies. Key efforts include challenging oil and gas leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, fighting coal mine expansions in the Northern Rockies, and defending the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Roadless Rule. The organization is also pursuing the restoration of salmon in the Columbia River watershed and the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado, while challenging the legality of a detention center in the Everglades and the opening of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument to commercial fishing.

The document criticizes the US government for granting 'licenses to pollute' to chemical and coal companies, which exposes children to hazardous substances like PFAS, lead, and pesticides. It argues that children are uniquely vulnerable to these toxins and demands the immediate phase-out of organophosphate pesticides, stricter air and water quality standards, and the prohibition of phthalates in consumer products.

Friends of the Earth is campaigning for U.S. grocery and garden retailers to phase out pollinator-toxic pesticides and increase organic sales to 15%. The organization benchmarks 25 large retailers and reports that independent stores are currently leading in organic offerings, while warning that pesticide-driven pollinator loss poses significant financial and ecological risks to the food retail sector.

Earthjustice reports on its efforts to secure and defend health protections against pollution and toxic chemicals. The organization highlights the use of 'citizen suits' under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act to hold polluters accountable, such as litigation against Suncor Energy and the County of Hawai‘i. The report emphasizes a strategic shift toward state and local legal avenues—including constitutional 'right to a healthy environment' claims in Hawai’i and New York—to mitigate the impact of federal rollbacks by the Trump administration. Key achievements include pushing for bans on PFAS in menstrual products in New York, reducing flame retardants in Washington state, and implementing zero-emissions truck rules in California. The document also details the projected life-saving impacts of federal rules secured in 2024, such as the Air Toxics Rule and the Mercury and Air Toxics Rule Update.

The document argues that the EU agriculture and food system has substantial potential for emission reductions, with estimates ranging from 44% to 60% by 2040, provided structural changes and shifts to healthier diets are implemented. The authors oppose the use of international carbon offsets and 'technical tweaks' to the industrial model, instead advocating for a binding sector-specific emission target and a transition toward organic farming, paludiculture, and reduced reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. They emphasize that climate change already causes €28.3 billion in annual losses for farmers, making a systemic transition essential for long-term viability. The letter calls for the EU's next long-term budget to support farmers in this transition and for the entire agri-food value chain, including processors and retailers, to be held accountable.

The document examines the legal framework and compliance risks for soy and cattle in Brazil under the EUDR. It highlights systemic issues including land grabbing, illegal deforestation, and labour violations, while warning EU companies that official records and third-party certifications are often insufficient for due diligence.

The document analyzes the EUDR's legality requirement, arguing that it encompasses all laws affecting the legal status of production areas, including human rights and customary laws. It highlights systemic risks such as land grabbing, corruption, and weak enforcement in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Indonesia, and recommends that EU companies move beyond official records to consult local experts and stakeholders to verify compliance.

The document examines the legal framework for cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire to guide EU companies in conducting due diligence under the EUDR. It highlights a significant gap between formal laws and the informal reality of smallholder farming, where 90% of cocoa is produced. Key risks include the widespread production of cocoa in protected "classified" forests, the use of unregistered pesticides, and high levels of child labour. The report notes that while trade and export are well-regulated by the Conseil Café-Cacao, production-level compliance is difficult to verify due to a lack of centralized land-use maps and the informality of land tenure and labour contracts.

The document examines the legal framework governing cocoa production in Ghana to guide EU companies in conducting due diligence under the EUDR. It highlights a pluralist legal system where statutory law overlaps with unwritten customary law, particularly regarding land tenure. Key risks identified include the encroachment of cocoa farms into forest reserves, the use of unregistered pesticides, and the prevalence of child labour. The report notes that while the trade and export of cocoa are well-regulated by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), production remains largely informal, making traceability to the farm of origin difficult. It recommends that companies consult local experts and stakeholders rather than relying solely on official records to verify legal compliance.

The statement describes the systemic marginalization of approximately 2.2 million U.S. farmworkers, who face dangerous working conditions, toxic pesticide exposure, and housing insecurity. It emphasizes how the threat of mass deportation and anti-immigrant rhetoric allows employers to bypass labor laws and increases worker vulnerability to climate-driven disasters. The author calls for specific policy interventions, including banning toxic pesticides and reinstating heat safety rules, while noting that anti-immigrant crackdowns threaten the national food supply.

The brief argues that agrochemical use and misuse are increasing across Africa due to corporate profit motives, weak regulation, and climate change, posing severe risks to human health and the environment. It recommends strengthening governance, increasing investment in agroecology, and leveraging financial tools to reduce synthetic chemical dependence.

A coalition of organizations and experts is petitioning the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) to implement a mandatory pesticide data reporting system. They argue that MDA has failed to meet a statutory obligation dating back to 1989 to develop a comprehensive data program, relying instead on sporadic, voluntary surveys that undercount pesticide use and lack the detail necessary for scientific research. The petition highlights the severe risks pesticides pose to children, farmworkers, and the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, noting that climate change exacerbates these harms. The petitioners propose a system where certified applicators and restricted-use pesticide sellers submit annual records to a searchable public database, citing similar models in California and New York.

The document critiques proposed amendments to the Pest Control Products Regulations, asserting they fail to enhance environmental protections or public transparency. The authors argue that the regulations would illegally restrict access to confidential test data to Canadian residents for 'research purposes' only, undermining the Pest Control Products Act. They further claim the amendments do not mandate the consideration of cumulative environmental effects or species at risk, failing to advance Canada's commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Finally, the statement calls for separate domestic maximum residue limits (MRLs) and the elimination of the default GMRL to ensure better compliance and safety.