Search Climate Insights Directory

This NGO position paper argues that the OECD must fully integrate the Basel Convention's Plastic Amendment to ensure the environmentally sound management of plastic waste. It contends that current proposals to weaken these controls via 'specifications' or 'lighter' administrative approaches are illegal under Article 11 of the Basel Convention. The authors suggest that if the United States does not withdraw its objection to the amendment, a non-consensus decision should be reached, which would remove all plastic waste from the OECD Decision's scope and subject trade to Basel Convention rules.

This legal opinion by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes the obligations of OECD members regarding the trade of plastic wastes following the OECD's failure to reach a consensus on incorporating the Basel Plastic Amendments into the OECD Wastes Trade Decision. The analysis concludes that plastic wastes designated as "other wastes" under the Basel Convention have fallen outside the scope of the OECD Decision, requiring OECD members who are Basel parties to apply Basel's control and ban mechanisms. CIEL further argues that recent arrangements between the US and Canada, and within the European Union, fail to meet the requirements of Article 11 of the Basel Convention and are therefore invalid as alternatives to Basel controls.

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 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.

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 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 briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law outlines several reform options for Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) to be considered by UNCITRAL Working Group III. The document argues that current ISDS mechanisms are asymmetrical, often ignoring state obligations and public interest, and proposes alternatives such as multilateral treaty termination, the allowance of state counterclaims, public interest carve-outs, 'clean hands' clauses for investors, the requirement to exhaust local remedies, and expanded third-party access to proceedings.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the adoption of webcasting in judicial proceedings, detailing the motivations for its use, the benefits it provides, and the associated technical and financial concerns. It specifically highlights the lag in webcasting adoption within international economic dispute settlement bodies compared to other domestic and international courts.

This statement from the Center for International Environmental Law argues that the World Health Organization (WHO) must actively analyze and intervene in the intellectual property (IP) provisions of bilateral and regional free trade agreements (FTAs). The document asserts that these agreements often impose standards that exceed the TRIPS Agreement, potentially undermining the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health and restricting access to affordable medicines in developing countries.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative details the rapid growth of the labeled green bond market in 2014, which saw issuance triple from the previous year to 366 billion USD, driven by international financial institutions, corporations, and municipal issuers.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative, produced for COP22, analyzes the growth and governance of the green bond market. It highlights the shift toward private sector issuance, the increasing role of emerging markets like China, and the necessity of reaching USD 1 trillion in annual green emissions by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

This fact sheet from the Global Climate and Health Alliance examines the relationship between climate change and food safety, highlighting how temperature and rainfall changes increase the risk of food- and water-borne diseases, harmful algal blooms, and malnutrition.