Search Climate Insights Directory
1,100 documents from Center for International Environmental Law
Recommendations for the safer development of nanotechnology for the EU's REACH regulation implementation
The document argues that nanomaterials possess novel properties and higher reactivity than bulk materials, necessitating a comprehensive revision of the EU's REACH and CLP regulations. The authors call for the explicit legal recognition that nano forms are different from bulk forms, the lowering of registration thresholds to 10kg/year by 2018, and the requirement that all nanomaterial dossiers include chemical safety assessments similar to those for Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Reprotoxic (CMR) substances. Additionally, the statement demands the creation of a publicly accessible inventory of nanomaterials and consumer products, mandatory nano-labelling for all nano-containing products, and the strict enforcement of the "no data, no market" principle to deny market access to nanomaterials lacking sufficient hazard and risk data.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Setting the record straight on TTIP: Yes let's
The authors critique the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) for submitting draft legal text to TTIP negotiators that they claim would stall the reduction of carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. They argue that the industry's proposals for 'mutual recognition' of notifications and registrations would undermine the EU's REACH principle of 'no-data, no-market'. The text further asserts that the US Trade Advisory System is imbalanced, with industry groups comprising 85% of its members, granting them privileged access to negotiations compared to public interest groups.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
CIVIL SOCIETY SUBMISSION TO THE GREEN CLIMATE FUND ON ACCREDITATION, SAFEGUARDS AND FIDUCIARY STANDARDS
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Statement in Support of the Independent Expert on Human Rights and Environment
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Social and Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology Development in Asia Pacific
This informational brochure examines the development of nanotechnology in the Asia-Pacific region, noting that while countries like China, Japan, and South Korea have invested heavily in the sector, there is a critical lack of funding for evaluating health and environmental risks. Consequently, nanoproducts are entering the market unregulated and unlabeled, despite the technology's promotion as a solution for regional challenges such as energy diversification and disease treatment.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
Toxic partnership
The report argues that the ACC-CEFIC proposal for chemical regulatory cooperation under TTIP is designed to benefit the chemical industry by slowing the regulation of toxic substances, bypassing democratic processes, and prioritizing trade over public health and environmental protection. It specifically warns that the proposal could freeze progress on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), undermine the EU's 'no data, no market' principle under REACH, and restrict the public's right to know through expanded confidential business information (CBI) protections.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Toxic partnership
The report argues that the ACC-CEFIC proposal for regulatory cooperation under TTIP is designed to benefit the chemical industry by slowing the regulation of toxic substances, undermining democratic processes, and prioritizing trade over public health and environmental safety.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
T-de-Tóxico: Sete coisas que todos deveríamos saber acerca das negociações para um acordo de comércio UE-EUA (TTIP ou TAFTA) e da regulamentação dos produtos
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that trade negotiations between the European Union and the United States (TTIP or TAFTA) threaten to undermine public health protections by hindering the regulation of toxic chemicals.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
T for Toxic: Seven things everyone should know about the EU-US trade negotiations (aka TTIP or TaFTA) and chemical regulation
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that trade negotiations between the European Union and the United States (TTIP or TaFTA) threaten to undermine chemical safety regulations by weakening the EU's stronger policies and hindering improvements to the US federal system.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Imminent Forced Evictions of Indigenous Ngöbe Families due to Barro Blanco Dam in Panama
The document details the human rights violations resulting from the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam project in Panama, specifically the forced eviction of indigenous Ngöbe communities. It argues that the State of Panama, as well as Germany, the Netherlands, and member states of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), have failed in their obligations to protect the Ngöbe's rights to housing, food, water, culture, and education. The appeal highlights a lack of free, prior, and informed consent and calls for an immediate halt to evictions and project funding.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
T for Toxic: Seven things everyone should know about the EU-US trade negotiations (aka TTIP or TAFTA) and chemical regulation
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that EU-US trade negotiations threaten to undermine the European Union's stronger chemical regulation policies and hinder improvements to the flawed US federal chemical management system.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Joint Statement by Accountability Counsel, Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, CEE Bankwatch Network, Center for International Environmental Law, Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), and Human Rights Watch
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).
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Guide for Potential Amici in International Investment Arbitration
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
Guide for Potential Amici in International Investment Arbitration
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS AT COP19
The document evaluates the outcomes of COP19 through a human rights lens, noting progress in establishing the Warsaw Mechanism for loss and damage and rules for REDD+ safeguards, while criticizing the lack of accountability in the Green Climate Fund and the postponement of Clean Development Mechanism reforms.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
Microsoft Word - TTIP Investment Letter Final.docx
The document is a formal letter from a broad coalition of international organizations opposing the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The authors argue that ISDS allows corporations to challenge non-discriminatory government policies in private tribunals, potentially forcing taxpayers to compensate companies for implementing public health, environmental, and labor regulations. They cite examples of ISDS being used to attack clean energy and toxic waste regulations, and argue that the domestic court systems of the US and EU are sufficient for handling investment disputes.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
JOINT STATEMENT Human Rights for All Post-2015
The document outlines ten baseline implications for a post-2015 sustainable development framework anchored in human rights, emphasizing the need for binding accountability, the elimination of discrimination, and the protection of the environment and vulnerable groups.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Opposition to the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
A statement by various organizations opposing the inclusion of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), citing the risk to public interest and environmental policies.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Land and environmental rights defenders in danger: an overview of recent cases
The report documents a pattern of violence and judicial harassment against land and environmental rights defenders in 2013. It argues that these individuals are particularly vulnerable as global competition for land and resources increases, often facing threats from government forces and corporations. The document provides specific case studies from Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, detailing arrests, murders, and forced evictions linked to opposition against extractive industries, mega-projects, and agribusiness.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
New UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules on Transparency: Application, Content and Next Steps
This briefing discusses the adoption of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency in July 2013, which aim to increase openness in investor-State arbitration, replacing previous standards that often kept disputes private.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing