The European Commission today released new proposals for how the European Union deals with globalization issues.
Paul de Clerck from Friends of the Earth Europe reacted to the 'Harnessing Globalisation' paper:
The seeds have been sown for an international agreement that could put human rights before corporate interests, according to Friends of the Earth Europe. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) met this week in Geneva to discuss a set of legally-binding rules for transnational corporations in relation to human rights known as "the UN treaty".
90,000 citizens called on the European Union to support a binding treaty on business and human rights today, and to participate in international discussion on the issue in Geneva on the 24th October.
Foreign affairs ministers from across the EU today published their conclusions on business and human rights. Friends of the Earth Europe welcomes a reference to the UN process to establish binding rules that would force multinational corporations to respect human rights laws [1], but calls on the EU to start actively supporting this UN process.
Last week, several European newspapers published revelations about a proposal to roll out highly controversial corporate tribunals across Europe. [1]
Activists from the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) – the indigenous group that was led by murdered environmental activist Berta Caceres – are calling for the suspension of European aid to Honduras until human rights in the country are respected.
Europe needs to toughen-up its regulations for how investors deal with environmental and social risks, according to Friends of the Earth Europe and Global Witness.
Four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth Netherlands have welcomed today's ruling by the Court of Appeals in The Hague allowing them to jointly sue Shell in the Netherlands for causing extensive oil spills in Nigeria. The ruling is unique and can pave the way for victims of environmental pollution and human rights abuses worldwide to turn to the Netherlands for legal redress when a Dutch company is involved.
A large number of forest fires have been discovered on Indonesian plantations owned by global palm oil companies Bumitama and Wilmar International. Despite new evidence that both companies violate their own ‘no deforestation’ policies, major U.S. and European investors have not taken significant steps to address these problems, according to a new report released today.
Chevron, EDF and BNP-Paribas have been awarded Pinocchio Climate Awards today for their roles in undermining climate action and harming local communities. The winners, announced at a ceremony in Paris after a month of public voting, include two sponsors of the COP21 international climate talks.