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This executive summary from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) details the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the entire plastic lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to waste management. It argues that planned expansions in plastic production threaten the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C, potentially consuming a significant portion of the remaining carbon budget by 2050.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the plastics and petrochemical industry uses "net zero" narratives to greenwash the expansion of plastic production. The document asserts that because plastic is derived from fossil fuels and emits greenhouse gases throughout its entire lifecycle, it is fundamentally incompatible with climate goals, and the only viable solution is to significantly reduce plastic production.

This executive summary from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) details the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the full lifecycle of plastics, arguing that current and planned production growth threatens the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C. The document quantifies emissions from extraction, refining, waste management, and environmental degradation, concluding that immediate reductions in plastic production and the cessation of fossil fuel extraction are necessary to mitigate climate impacts.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law analyzes the status of the United States' ratification of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and evaluates proposed implementing legislation in the U.S. Congress. It argues that the Solis TSCA bill (H.R. 4800) is the only proposal that aligns with the treaty's health-based standards and supports state-level environmental protections.

A letter from the U.S. Secretary of State to Senator Bill Frist urging the completion of the legislative process to allow the United States to join the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and other international chemical agreements.

This research paper by Claudia Saladin for the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Public Participation Convention) and argues that its transparency and accountability requirements should apply to export credit agencies (ECAs).

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law analyzes the trade provisions of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. It details the different obligations for ordinary Parties, developing country Parties (Article 5), and non-Parties, specifically focusing on restrictions on the import and export of controlled substances and products containing them. The document also examines the financial mechanisms for developing countries, such as the Multilateral Fund, and discusses potential legal conflicts between the Protocol's trade restrictions and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

This research paper examines the push by developing countries to incorporate a mandatory disclosure of origin for biological resources and traditional knowledge into the TRIPS Agreement. This effort aims to prevent the misappropriation of genetic resources and ensure compatibility with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB). While there is growing consensus among many developing nations and some support from the European Union and Switzerland, opposition remains from the United States and Japan.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) provides a critical analysis of the UNEP 'Options for Elements' Paper prepared for the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2). The document evaluates the proposed core obligations and control measures for a new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, highlighting gaps where the Options Paper fails to reflect the ambition of Member State submissions, particularly regarding upstream production limits, chemical safety, and the protection of human health.

This research paper proposes a 'combined strategy' to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by integrating international marketable permits, emissions fees, and country commitments. The author argues that while industrial countries are the primary source of emissions, a successful global regime must balance the economic stability of industrial nations with the development needs and fairness concerns of developing countries.

A letter dated February 28, 2006, from several U.S. state Attorneys General to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce opposing specific provisions of HR 4591. The bill aims to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), but the signees argue it contains overly broad preemption language and flawed EPA review procedures that would hinder state and federal environmental protections.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the United States' failure to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) despite signing it in 2001. It argues that federal laws (TSCA and FIFRA) are outdated and ineffective, leaving a policy void that has been filled by individual states. The document highlights the 'vanguard' role of Maine, California, and Washington, which have implemented their own bans on mercury, PBDEs, and lindane, and developed strategies to monitor and reduce bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) to protect public health and wildlife.

This research paper examines the intersection of international intellectual property (IP) rights, global trade, economic development, and environmental protection. It analyzes how IP regimes—specifically patents, copyrights, and trademarks—impact the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and the conservation of biological diversity, focusing on the tensions between industrialized nations (led by the US) and developing countries within frameworks like GATT, NAFTA, and the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law analyzes the conflict between international trade policy and environmental protection, arguing that the World Trade Organization (WTO) typically prioritizes trade over the environment. The authors critique the U.S. government for abdicating its leadership in this area and propose a new foreign policy agenda that integrates environmental protection and worker rights into trade agreements, specifically regarding NAFTA and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

This research paper, published in November 1999 by WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature and authored by experts from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), examines the conflict between World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and trade measures used in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The authors argue that uncertainty regarding WTO consistency is used by some nations to 'chill' the development of effective environmental laws, specifically citing the Biosafety Protocol and the POPs Agreement. The paper recommends that WTO members adopt a political statement of consistency and negotiate a separate agreement to grant MEAs equal status with WTO rules.

This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law examines mechanisms for public participation and transparency in international fisheries management, specifically focusing on Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). Using the 'three pillars' of the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21—access to information, access to decision-making, and access to justice—the author analyzes how modern multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) can serve as models for RFMOs to enhance legitimacy, improve decision-making, and ensure accountability.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the current state of transparency and public participation within the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. It examines existing practices, the ongoing negotiations to review the Dispute Settlement Understanding (DSU), and provides recommendations to increase both direct and indirect participation for non-state actors and WTO Members.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the European Union and the United States threaten to undermine public health and environmental protections regarding chemical substances. The document contends that TTIP's focus on regulatory alignment could lead to a 'downward harmonization' of standards, favoring the weaker US federal system over the stricter EU policies.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is primarily a regulatory agreement that threatens to undermine public health and environmental protections regarding chemical regulation in the European Union and globally.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), also known as TAFTA, threatens to undermine public health and environmental protections regarding toxic chemicals by harmonizing regulations between the European Union and the United States.