MEP Lola Sánchez, of Podemos Party, Spain, said this Monday in Geneva (Switzerland) that the head of the European Union delegation at the UN negotiations for a binding treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, Jérôme Bellion-Jourdan, “does not represent us, because he doesn´t have an official mandate”. “We really don´t know where his opinions come from”, said Sánchez in…
This year’s annual Global Campaign week was launched on Sunday 13th October 2018 at the UN square in Geneva, Switzerland with a huge procession in the European city. The launch of the campaign, also known as the Week of Peoples Mobilization, was attended by representatives of the Global Inter-Parliamentary network, affected communities, movements, trade unions and other networks and organizations. The…
Karin Nansen, Friends of the Earth International´s Chair, said on Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, that “communities all over the world are calling for justice and to put an end to impunity”. “We are also calling for an effective mechanism, and also an International Court”, she added. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHVJk5j5aUo&feature=youtu.be[/embed] Nansen was the facilitator at the press conference of the Global Campaign to…
“Mobilizing and using people power is actually crucial to face the climate emergency”, said Friends of the Earth International´s Climate Justice and Energy Program Coordinator, Sara Shaw. A radical systemic change is needed, she warned. From this Saturday to October 13th, the member groups of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), present in 75 countries, will mobilize together to highlight…
Law Professor at Valencia University, Adoración Guaman, considered that the “Zero Draft” of the binding treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, under negotiation at the UN “turns its back on three years of negotiations and it fails to respect the spirit of resolution 26/9”, which gave way to these international negotiations. “The Draft has thrown out the main red…
Re: Publication of the “Zero Draft” text for the negotiation of a Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other Business Enterprises. (1) We welcome the recent publication of the “Zero Draft” text for the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations (TNCs) with regard to human rights…
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. However, “we cannot be celebrating”. The planet is facing serious environmental degradation, and the necessary measures to counteract it are not being taken, warned activist Rita Uwaka with Environmental Rights Action - Friends of the Earth Nigeria. The environmentalist, who is part of the steering group…
The negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), involving 16 Asia-Pacific countries, are failing international standards of transparency and public participation, according to a study titled “RCEP: A secret deal” conducted by several international organizations. “It is quite shocking how representatives of the governments are able to hide behind secrecy, saying that it is necessary for effective negotiations” said…
Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands launched a report where they warn that Dutch Banks ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank have to take responsibility for the disastrous environmental and social consequences of providing finance to the palm oil sector at large scale. These banks should pull out of this sector, demands the organization. "What we wanted to show is…
At the end of June, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which gathers actors from several sectors of the palm oil industry, reported that they had suspended Swiss company Nestlé´s membership for failing to follow the RSPO´s Statutes and Code of Conduct. However, Nestlé “doesn´t seem to care”, warned Friends of the Earth International. “Voluntary certification has no means…