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Competing Water Claims in Biofuel Feedstock Operations in Central Kalimantan
The study identifies significant community grievances in Central Kalimantan regarding water pollution and scarcity caused by oil palm plantations, including the release of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) and the degradation of peatlands. It argues that current governance is failing due to a lack of trusted water data, conflicting land-use maps, and weak enforcement of environmental laws. Furthermore, it critiques the EU Renewable Energy Directive (EU-RED) for its 'water blindness,' focusing almost exclusively on greenhouse gas emissions while delegating local environmental protections to voluntary standards like the RSPO, which the study finds are inconsistently implemented.
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Document type: Research paper
Senate bill 3512 leaves communities unprotected from toxic pollution
A coalition of 301 public interest organizations opposes Senate bill S.3512, claiming it weakens regulations on toxic coal ash, shields utilities from liability, and removes the EPA's authority to regulate the nation's second largest industrial waste.
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Document type: Statement
Position statement on protection of environmental rights in decisions around fracking for shale gas
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) calls for the publication of an expert task team report and the holding of public hearings before the Minister of Mineral Resources decides on shale gas fracking licences in the Karoo. The CER criticizes the current process for its secrecy, the refusal of access to information requests by the Department of Mineral Resources and the Department of Environmental Affairs, and the exclusion of vulnerable communities. The CER opposes any fracking technology that contaminates aquifers, introduces pollutants, increases carbon-intensive energy dependence, or hinders South Africa's carbon emissions targets. They demand a 90-day moratorium and public consultation period following the report's release, and insist that any future authorizations include stringent regulation under the National Environmental Management Act and the National Water Act.
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Document type: Statement
New Legislation a Dangerous Giveaway to Coal Industry
A coalition of environmental groups criticizes the Coal Ash Recycling and Oversight Act of 2012, claiming it lacks enforceable deadlines for closing coal ash dumps and prohibits the EPA from setting federal safeguards, thereby leaving communities near contaminated sites at risk.
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Document type: Statement
Acciones violentas en Perú contra defensores protestando en contra de un proyecto minero de Newmont
The document condemns the Peruvian government for an 'alarmante escalada de represión' involving firearms and helicopters against environmental protesters. It highlights casualties in El Espinar, Bambamarca, and Celedín, and denounces the arbitrary detention of community leader Marco Arana. The statement specifically calls on the multinational company Newmont to address the violence surrounding the Conga mining project, which threatens regional water sources.
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Document type: Statement
Chapter 11: Europe
Europe is characterized by strong environmental governance, particularly within the European Union, with successful implementations of climate policies, air quality monitoring, and water resource management. While the region is a leader in biodiversity conservation networks and waste regulation, it continues to face challenges including growing waste volumes, industrial waste legacies in Eastern Europe, and a lack of improvement in the overall conservation status of habitats and species.
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Document type: Report
TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE
The report identifies systemic barriers to evidence-based decision-making regarding hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the U.S., including industry interference in academic and government research, legal loopholes in federal environmental laws, and a lack of transparency regarding chemical use. It highlights how non-disclosure agreements in legal settlements silence affected citizens and hide scientific data. The document provides a framework for communities to seek reliable information and calls for comprehensive laws requiring baseline and ongoing environmental monitoring and full chemical disclosure.
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Document type: Executive summary
BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE PHILADELPHIA PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; PHYSICIANS, SCIENTISTS, AND ENGINEERS FOR HEALTHY ENERGY; DR. BERNARD D. GOLDSTEIN; DR. WALTER TSOU; DR. JEROME A. PAULSON; DR. WILLIAM ROM; DR. MEHERNOSH P. KHAN; DR. SANDRA STEINGRABER; DR. SIMONA PERRY; DR. ROBERT OSWALD; DR. MICHELLE BAMBERGER; KATHRYN VENNIE; AND EARTHWORKS
The brief, filed by a coalition of physicians, scientists, and environmental advocates, contends that the natural gas industry systematically suppresses public health data through federal exemptions, state laws, and confidential legal settlements. It argues that the public interest in understanding the health risks of hydraulic fracturing—such as water contamination and air pollution—outweighs the private interests of gas companies in maintaining secrecy. The authors specifically highlight the Hallowich family's experience with deteriorating health due to nearby gas operations and urge the court to reverse a lower court's decision to seal the case records.
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Document type: Legal commentary
Tr-Ash Talk: The Coal Breath of Betrayal
The author criticizes a House amendment that exempts coal ash ponds and landfills from federal regulation, arguing it prioritizes the interests of the coal industry over public health and ignores the risks demonstrated by the 2008 Kingston, TN spill.
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Document type: Statement
How Science-Based Policies Can Transform Agriculture
The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that U.S. agricultural policies currently favor an industrial model that prioritizes corporate profit over health and the environment. The brief highlights a significant disparity in subsidies, noting that corn and soybean growers receive over ten times the support of all fruit and vegetable growers combined. This system is linked to water pollution and high energy consumption, accounting for nearly 16 percent of total U.S. energy use. The authors propose transitioning to agroecology—a science-based approach utilizing crop rotations, cover cropping, and integrated livestock management—to create a more resilient and nutritious food system. Key policy recommendations include increasing investments in local food hubs, providing new incentives for organic production, and requiring conservation standards for farmers receiving federal subsidies.
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Document type: Policy brief
COAL ASH WALL OF SHAME
The document criticizes 260 U.S. House members who voted on June 21, 2012, to include a provision in a transportation bill that allows coal ash ponds to operate without basic safety standards and prevents the EPA from establishing national health and safety regulations. It highlights that these members represent districts containing the vast majority of the U.S.'s hazardous coal ash sites and notes a correlation between these votes and campaign contributions from the electric utility and mining industries.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Agricultural Water Management Scenarios in the Mkindo Watershed Wami Basin, Tanzania
The report evaluates three AWM scenarios in Tanzania's Mkindo watershed: expanding small-scale irrigation and livestock storage, intensifying agriculture via pumps and drainage channels, and large-scale cash crop expansion. It finds that while technological interventions can increase yields and incomes, they often introduce conflicts between farmers and livestock keepers, environmental pollution, and social displacement.
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Document type: Report
The Common Agricultural Policy post-2013: a Pathway to Regional Cohesion? Lessons Learned in Implementing Agri-Environmental Measures in the Baltic Sea Region
The report analyzes the challenges of implementing agri-environmental measures under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) within the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). It finds that a lack of coordination between agricultural and environmental sectors, insufficient stakeholder involvement, and an 'uneven playing field' in funding and entitlements have hindered the achievement of environmental boundary conditions. The authors argue that the CAP's national focus often undermines transboundary cooperation and regional cohesion. To address this, they recommend consolidating CAP Pillars 1 and 2 to treat environmental services as a core value of farming and introducing 'soft measures' to support stakeholder dialogue and regional nutrient reduction targets.
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Document type: Report
National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2011-12
The National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2011-12 details the activities of South Africa's Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI). Key trends include a 30% increase in registered EMIs, a significant rise in Section 24G administrative fines, and a focus on combating rhino poaching. The report provides detailed statistics on criminal dockets, convictions, and industrial inspections, while highlighting landmark court cases and capacity-building efforts for inspectors and prosecutors.
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Document type: Report
Shale Gas and Oil Terminology Explained: Products and Byproducts
The document distinguishes between dry gas (primarily methane) and wet gas (methane mixed with marketable higher hydrocarbons like ethane, propane, and butane). It identifies gaseous wastes including hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, methane, and carbon dioxide. It further details liquid wastes, specifically produced water, which can contain carcinogenic chemicals, salts, and naturally occurring radioactive elements such as radium and uranium, noting that many wastewater treatment plants lack the capacity to remove these radioactive chemicals to meet federal drinking water standards.
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Document type: Fact sheet
DRAFT STANDARDS FOR RESPONSIBLE SHRIMP AQUACULTURE
The Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue (ShAD) has developed a comprehensive set of standards for shrimp farming, focusing on seven core principles: legal compliance, biodiversity conservation, community relations, responsible labor, shrimp health and welfare, broodstock management, and resource efficiency. The standards aim to reward the top 20% of producers by setting ambitious yet practical performance thresholds. Key requirements include the use of Biodiversity Environmental Impact Assessments (B-EIA) and participatory Social Impact Assessments (p-SIA), strict prohibitions on the use of transgenic shrimp and certain antibiotics, and mandates for the sustainable sourcing of feed ingredients. The standards apply to all scales of shrimp farming worldwide, specifically targeting species in the genus Liptopenaeus and Penaeus.
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Document type: Report
memory, truth and justice for heroes in the resistance against mining oil and gas
This report by Friends of the Earth International highlights the 'ecological war' waged by extractive industries, detailing the deaths and repression of activists in countries such as Nigeria, the Philippines, and Colombia. It argues that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a myth used to mask systemic abuses and calls for an end to fossil fuel addiction and the protection of indigenous territories.
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Document type: Report
‘Troubled Waters’ Sustaining Uganda’s Lake Victoria Nile Perch Fishery
The report examines the decline of the Nile perch fishery in Uganda's portion of Lake Victoria, highlighting a significant gap between regional policies and local implementation. It identifies overfishing, illegal gear, and a regional trade in immature fish as primary threats, while noting that governance is hampered by corruption, inadequate funding, and stalled legislation.
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Document type: Research paper
Petition for certification of Canada pursuant to 22 U.S.C. § 1978 for failing to prevent or mitigate the impacts of tar sands extraction on 130 migratory bird species, including whooping cranes, as well as on woodland caribou
The petition argues that large-scale tar sands development in Alberta, Canada, causes direct and indirect 'takings' of protected species, specifically 130 migratory bird species (including the endangered whooping crane) and threatened woodland caribou. It details how tailings ponds, habitat fragmentation, and pollution lead to mass mortality and population decline. The document further asserts that Canada's regulatory failures and the industry's contribution to global warming exacerbate these threats, violating the spirit of international conservation agreements. Consequently, the petitioners call for a formal investigation and certification by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior under the Pelly Amendment.
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Document type: Statement
PROPOSED SOUTH WESTERN KAROO BASIN GAS EXPLORATION PROJECT – PETROLEUM AGENCY OF SOUTH AFRICA REFERENCE NUMBERS: 12/3/219, 12/3/220, 12/3/221: REQUEST FOR AN EXTENSION OF TIMEFRAMES AND FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SERIES
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a report to the Petroleum Agency of South Africa (PASA) following a series of community workshops in the Karoo. The CER argues that public participation by Shell's consultants, Golder Associates, was insufficient, as only 14% of workshop attendees had participated in those meetings. The document details widespread community concerns regarding water contamination, food security, and health, while noting a regional divide where some Eastern Karoo residents welcome potential economic benefits. The CER recommends additional consultation and the creation of simplified information brochures to ensure disadvantaged communities can exercise their constitutional rights.
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Document type: Statement