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Business and Human Rights: a resource website |
Environment & human rights: Aug.-Sep. 2002 |
Aug.- Sep. 2002:
Activists Try Again to Stop Bank-Backed African Pipeline - Cameroon residents affected by a controversial World Bank-backed oil pipeline are appealing to the agency's Inspection Panel to stop the damaging project - just weeks after an earlier attempt was rebuffed by the bank's directors. ( Emad Mekay, Inter Press Service, 28 Sep. 2002)
TOURISM: Marking International Day, U.N. Body Stresses Sustainability (UN Wire, 27 Sep. 2002)
Shell faces litigation - Fourteen individual plaintiffs filed a class action suit [in a U.S. court] against Royal Dutch Petroleum and Shell Transport, plc, on September 20 for alleged human rights abuses in Ogoniland, Nigeria...the complaint alleges that Shell knowingly instigated, planned and facilitated in unprovoked attacks by the former Nigerian military government against the unarmed residents of Ogoniland, resulting in murder and gross human rights abuses. (Tomorrow: Your sustainable business toolkit, 26 Sep. 2002)
The Lacandon Jungle's Last Stand Against Corporate Globalization [Mexico] - Plan Puebla Panama and the fight to preserve biodiversity and indigenous rights in Chiapas (Ryan Zinn, coordinator for Global Exchange's Chiapas program, special to CorpWatch, 26 Sep. 2002)
Energy-Efficient Grocery Chain Gets Nod from EPA - Lowes Foods has been honored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its efforts to reduce energy consumption. (GreenBiz.com, 25 Sep. 2002)
Analysis: Is there a business agenda after Johannesburg? Valentina Bottarelli and Julie Garman assess the long term impact of the WSSD in Johannesburg -...if these partnerships do not yield appropriate outcomes in a few short years, the stick approach will replace the carrot. And the stick may include international codes of conduct, standardisation, certification on required reporting and so on. (Valentina Bottarelli and Julie Garman, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 24 Sep. 2002)
Alaska villagers sue Teck Cominco over pollution [USA] - Residents of Kivilina, an Inupiat Eskimo village on Alaska's northwestern coast, sued Teck Cominco Ltd. , charging the company with 2,171 federal water-pollution violations at its Red Dog Mine, the world's largest zinc producer. (Yereth Rosen, Reuters, 23 Sep. 2002)
The rise and rise of the Global Reporting Initiative: Mike Brownlie of the Global Reporting Intiative (GRI) traces progess towards sustainability reporting (Mike Brownlie, in Human Rights & Business Matters, Amnesty International UK Business Group Newsletter no. 6, autumn/winter 2002)
The case for mandatory reporting: Deborah Doane, Head of corporate accountability at the New Economics Foundation, argues that social and environmental reporting must be mandatory (Deborah Doane, in Human Rights & Business Matters, Amnesty International UK Business Group Newsletter no. 6, autumn/winter 2002)
Mandatory sustainability reporting - France leads the way: Sarj Nahal, International Director at ARESE (the Social and Environmental Rating Agency), outlines new reporting requirements for French companies (Sarj Nahal, in Human Rights & Business Matters, Amnesty International UK Business Group Newsletter no. 6, autumn/winter 2002) [note: scroll down on the page to find this article]
Red tide threatens fisheries [Chile] -...it has spread northward, killing 19 people and making more than 500 extremely ill...research indicates that they have become more frequent off the coast of southern Chile because of wastewater discharges from coastal cities and ships and pollution from salmon farms. (Hugo Godoy León, Latinamerica Press, 20 Sep. 2002)
Pension funds push Big Business to go green -...As institutions like the pension funds that control vast swaths of assets across the globe become more concerned about corporate labour policies, the environment and human rights issues companies are being forced to take notice. (Simon Johnson, Reuters, 20 Sep. 2002)
PPP: Plan Puebla Panama, or Private Plans for Profit? A Primer on the Development Plan that Would Turn the Region from Southern Mexico to Panama into a Giant Export Zone - There is currently a multi-billion development scheme underway that would turn southern Mexico and all of Central America into a massive free trade zone, competing in the world wide race to the bottom of wages, working conditions, lax environmental regulation and disregard for human rights...The PPP has drawn fire from environmentalists, labor leaders and human rights advocates throughout the region. (Miguel Pickard, investigator for CIEPAC, A.C. [Centro de Investigaciones Económicas y Políticas de Acción Comunitaria], special to CorpWatch, 19 Sep. 2002)
Study published on labour rights at Nokia Brazil - Finnish metal unions sponsor evaluation of Finnish transnational's social-labour performance at its Manaus plant - The detailed report...evaluates the degree to which Nokia is complying with fundamental labour rights... and examines issues related to workplace health and safety and the environment. (IMF - International Metalworkers' Federation, 19 Sep. 2002)
ECUADOR: New Report Could Kill Pipeline Project Funding - A report by former World Bank environment chief Robert Goodland could derail plans for an internationally backed oil pipeline project in Ecuador, Inter Press Service reported yesterday. The 27-page report -- commissioned by Amazon Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Greenpeace and other environmental groups and released Friday -- indicates the 500-kilometer crude oil pipeline violates the World Bank's policies on environmental assessment, natural habitats, involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples. [refers to German bank WestLB, which leads a consortium providing $900 million in loans for the project] (UN Wire, 17 Sep. 2002)
- {···español} AMBIENTE-ECUADOR Nuevo revés para polémico oleoducto - El Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados (OCP) de Ecuador viola los criterios ambientales y sociales del Banco Mundial, advirtió este viernes el ex jefe del Departamento Ambiental de la institución financiera internacional, Robert Goodland. (Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, 13 septiembre 2002)
Ethical Investment in Fossil Fuels? Mining watchdog slams funds putting social dollar into coal, oil (Mineral Policy Institute, 16 Sep. 2002)
World Bank Greenlights Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Despite Warnings - The World Bank has rejected campaigners' demands and concerns expressed by its own internal advisory panel and approved the continuation of the $4bn Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project. (Jim Cason, allAfrica.com, 14 Sep. 2002)
- {···français} Le Conseil d’Administration de la Banque approuve le Plan d’actions en réponse au Rapport du Panel d’Inspection sur le Projet Pétrolier Tchad-Cameroun (Banque Mondiale, 12 septembre 2002)
AngloGold signs Global Labour Agreement - In a historic first for the global mining industry, the world's leading gold producer, Anglogold and the 20-million strong international trade union federation, ICEM signed an agreement on the promotion and implementation of good human and industrial relations...The promotion and respect for human and trade union rights, health and safety, environmental protection and the promotion of good relationships with local mine communities are pivotal to the agreement. (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 13 Sep. 2002)
Hazardous Waste as Fuel: Conservation or Corporate Irresponsibility? The cement industry calls the use of hazardous waste to fuel cement kilns recycling while critics of the practice call it dangerous. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 11 Sep. 2002)
Experts mull global pact to cut mercury use - Scientists from around the globe began a week-long conference yesterday aimed at shaping a programme to cut back the use of mercury - a toxic substance which poisons and cripples hundreds of people annually...Widely used for decades in lamps, batteries and electrical equipment because it is an excellent conductor of heat, as well as in thermometers and dental fillings, it can cause permanent damage to the brain, nervous system and kidneys. UNEP says it has also been used in some pesticides and pharmaceuticals, as well as in some skin-lightening creams. (Reuters, 10 Sep. 2002)
MERCURY: UNEP Discusses Reducing Emissions Impact (UN Wire, 9 Sep. 2002)
Protecting the environment, the corporate way [India] - Ion Exchange makes profits in a socially-relevant way: through water treatment, afforestation and organic farming...To positively impact the environment and community life is the goal of this Indian company which offers total water management solutions and sustainable development in rural areas in partnership with NGOs and donor organisations. (InfoChange [India]) [added to this website on 10 Sep. 2002]
U.S. Company Receives World Summit Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships - ForesTrade, which markets organic spices and fair trade coffee, was the sole U.S. company to win a Sustainable Development Partnerships Award at the Johannesburg Summit. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 6 Sep. 2002)
Insurer calls for tough rules on pollution - A senior insurance figure said the industry had been frozen out of the Earth Summit in Johannesburg and called for tougher measures against climate changes which risk costing insurers billions of dollars. (Simon Challis, Reuters, 6 Sep. 2002)
Oilmen's "green" pledges met with disbelief in Rio - Oilmen from across the world pledged to protect the environment and foster sustainable development at an industry conference in Brazil this week, but environmental groups met their promises with skepticism. (Andrei Khalip, Reuters, 6 Sep. 2002)
Analysis: Banking and sustainability: Slow starters are gaining pace - Marcel Jeucken looks at the role of banks in contributing toward sustainable development and concludes that they have a major role to play (Marcel Jeucken, Senior Economist at Rabobank Group and Director of Sustainability in Finance, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 5 Sep. 2002)
Johannesburg Summit promotes partnerships for development -...The summit emphasized the role of the private sector and civil society as key partners to achieving sustainable development and the creation of public-private partnerships to help improve the living standards of the world's poor. UNDP Associate Administrator Zéphirin Diabré said the summit's recognition of the private sector as a genuine development partner is significant, especially regarding the issues of capacity building, technology transfer and development financing. (U.N. Development Programme, 5 Sep. 2002)
UK poll reports switch from Esso fuel, Esso denies - A significant number of British motorists have stopped buying petrol from Esso stations and have switched to other retailers, following a campaign to associate the company with global warming, a survey said (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 5 Sep. 2002)
The business conclusion - Business welcomes the agreement reached at this Summit [World Summit on Sustainable Development], and particularly the Implementation Plan. (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 4 Sep. 2002)
Shifting the Sustainability Dialogue from Values to Value - A recent Ecos Corporation discussion paper advocates integrating the social and environmental considerations of sustainability into the financial bottom line. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 4 Sep. 2002)
Earth Summit agrees on energy, angers greens - The Earth Summit gave a muted push to "green" energy this week as part of a plan to curb poverty and protect the planet, angering environmentalists who branded it a weak-minded sell-out to the U.S. oil industry. (Alister Doyle & Jodie Ginsberg, Reuters, 4 Sep. 2002)
Thousands rally against Thai-Malaysia gas pipeline -...PTT and Petronas hold equal stakes in Trans Thai-Malaysia Co (TTM), the developer of the pipeline and separation plant scheme. Thailand's Human Rights Commission and a committee of the country's upper house parliament, the Senate, last week called on the government to delay the project for more public hearings and an in-depth environmental study. (Nopporn Wong, Reuters, 4 Sep. 2002)
SPP seeks to calm greenhouse concerns [Australia] - Australian shale oil producer Southern Pacific Petroleum Ltd (SPP) attempted to quell environmental concerns about its product yesterday by releasing a greenhouse gas strategy. (Michelle Nichols, Reuters, 3 Sep. 2002)
Speech by Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights - Civil Society Workshop on Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection - World Summit on Sustainable Development -...The interdependence of human rights, environment protection and sustainable development has been described using the metaphor of a triangle. (Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1 Sep. 2002)
Sustainable development: the contribution by the automotive industry (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers / Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles, 1 Sep. 2002)
New guidelines released for reporting corporate contributions to sustainable development - Global Reporting Initiative Spearheads Multi-stakeholder Effort (Global Reporting Initiative, 31 Aug. 2002)
Earth Summit feuds fester over rules for business - Rows on rules raged at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg this week as rights groups and corporate leaders wrestled over the sticky question of whether, where and how to introduce binding regulations for business. (Jodie Ginsberg, Reuters, 30 Aug. 2002)
Earth Summit launches controversial partnerships - The United States and other nations will showcase public-private partnerships at the Earth Summit yesterday meant to fight poverty amid criticisms that they will help businesses more than the poor. (Alister Doyle, Reuters, 30 Aug. 2002)
Developments on corporate accountability 'agreement' at Joburg - This is what has happened to the agreement (ie the text) on corporate accountability this morning in the WSSD [World Summit on Sustainable Development] Plan of Implementation. (based on an e-mail from Matt Phillips, Friends of the Earth, 30 Aug. 2002)
US defies critics with business deals to aid environment - The United States, which has been accused of derailing progress at the United Nations earth summit, launched a diplomatic counter-offensive yesterday, rolling out public-private sector partnerships which the Bush administration claims are the best means of fighting global poverty and protecting the environment. But environmentalists have dismissed the so-called "Type 2" partnerships, which are backed by Britain, saying they help big businesses increase profits rather than help the poor. (Basildon Peta, Independent [UK], 30 Aug. 2002)
Business Partnerships in Johannesburg - Business has come to Johannesburg with a range of partnerships for sustainable development. Some of these partnerships are listed below. (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 30 Aug. 2002)
Business and UN team up to recognise sustainable partnerships at Earth Summit - The United Nations and ICC: the world business organization today named ten business partnership programmes from around the world which are making an outstanding contribution to sustainable development [refers to Alcan Inc; Shell; Axel Springer Verlag; Kesko; E7 Network; ForesTrade; BioRe and Coop; Migros; Business Trust South Africa] (International Chamber of Commerce, 30 Aug. 2002)
Chemical industry committed to implement action plan on safe chemicals management in developing countries -...As part of its preparation for the Summit and as a basis of the action plan, the ICCA has undertaken national case studies in South Africa and Brazil in partnership with government and other groups. (ICCA - International Council of Chemical Associations, 30 Aug. 2002)
Big business gets into bed with Earth Summit (Carl O’Brien, Irish Examiner, 30 Aug. 2002)
Address by Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights - World Summit on Sustainable Development Plenary Session -...Let me ask and try to answer the question-- how does a human rights approach help in achieving sustainable development? (Mary Robinson, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, 29 Aug. 2002)
Big business needs Kyoto, says industry chief - The world should stick with the Kyoto climate change pact despite misgivings from some major companies and rejection by the United States, according to the chief industry representative at the "Earth Summit II". (Robin Pomeroy, Reuters, 29 Aug. 2002)
Industry joins Greenpeace to demand climate action - A group representing 160 multinationals made a joint statement [at World Summit on Sustainable Development] with the environmental group Greenpeace calling on world leaders for an international system for halting global warming. The statement by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) — which counts Caterpillar, Ford Motor Co, Dow Chemical, ICI, and Sony among its members — stopped just short of fully endorsing the Kyoto pact on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. (Reuters, 29 Aug. 2002)
Summit looks at Public-Private Cooperation to Protect the Planet - Western countries are promoting “public-private partnerships” at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg as a path to sustainable development. Environmentalists are skeptical, saying it puts big business before people. (Deutsche Welle, 29 Aug. 2002)
Bush abdicates America's global leadership role -...at this very moment the most powerful country in the world stands to forfeit much political capital, moral authority and international goodwill by dragging its feet on the next great global issue: the environment. (Norbert Walter, chief economist at Deutsche Bank Group, in New York Times / International Herald Tribune, 29 Aug. 2002)
Business key to successful development, Canada says - Minister stresses private-sector investment - Business is critical to the success of plans being discussed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa, Canada's Environment Minister David Anderson said yesterday...Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO) can't bring sustainable development to the Third World without private investment, he said. (Graham Fraser, The Star [Canada], 29 Aug. 2002)
Big business and labour sign deal at the World Summit for Sustainable Development [South Africa] - The union-inspired South African declaration for achieving sustainable environmental conservation targets within realistic economic and production strategies is now set to go international. South African signatories include Sasol (synfuels and chemicals), Iscor (steel production), Columbus Stainless, Eskom (power generation), Telkom (telecommunications) mineral resources companies Assmang Chrome, De Beers, Goldfields, Impala Platinum (Implats) and Ingwe Coal and industrial groups, Barloworld, Dorbyl Engineering and Rotek Engineering, and unions MWU-Solidarity and the National Union of Mine Workers. Among the companies locally who have firmly said they will not sign for the present are Highveld Steel, the country second largest producer, and multinational operators Dow Chemicals and Sappi (pulp and paper). (Lawrence Bedford, EyeforChem, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 28 Aug. 2002)
Bali Principles of Climate Justice - An international coalition of groups gathered in Johannesburg for the Earth Summit has released a set of principles aimed at "putting a human face" on climate change. The Bali Principles of Climate Justice redefine climate change from a human rights and environmental justice perspective. (International Climate Justice Network, 28 Aug. 2002)
Chinese activists take to the courts: Nascent 'green culture' is challenging authorities - and being heard - In the three years since he set up an environmental hotline, Wang Canfa [Director of the Beijing-based Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims] has heard thousands of heartbreaking horror stories from people who have seen their health or livelihoods imperiled by industrial pollution. (Ted Plafker, International Herald Tribune, 28 Aug. 2002)
How green is my business? -...the idea that public-private partnerships [being promoted at World Summit on Sustainable Development] are themselves the answer to these problems [poverty, environmental damage, human rights abuse & social exclusion] is as foolish as the idea that the private sector caused them in the first place. If anything, corporations hyping up this hubristic circus without making a full commitment to sustainability simply undermine the serious work that leaders such as BP are doing to change their mainstream business behaviour for good. That's the real agenda that should be promoted at Johannesburg...It involves corporations integrating social and environmental values within their core activities, rather than setting up projects that hover outside in a box marked "corporate responsibility". (Steve Hilton, Guardian [UK], 28 Aug. 2002)
Businesses clash with green groups - The World Summit on Sustainable Development has rekindled the war of words between big business and advocates of environmental and social change...Business leaders argue that the first responsibility of a publicly listed company is to make money for its shareholders. To rationalise that goal with good intentions on environmental issues, companies have to be convinced that it makes sense in terms of share price and dividends. (CNN, 27 Aug. 2002)
Big Business Accused of Derailing Earth Summit - Activists accused big business on Tuesday of hijacking the Earth Summit from a goal of halving poverty without poisoning the planet...The World Development Movement, a British-based anti-poverty group, accused rich nations of "kowtowing to the powerful corporate lobbies." (Alister Doyle, Reuters, 27 Aug. 2002)
Forest and Paper Associations of the World Assess Industry Sustainability 10 Years After Rio (ICFPA - International Council of Forest and Paper Associations, 26 Aug. 2002)
Malaysia names builders for controversial mega-dam - Malaysia appointed builders last week for its long-delayed $2.4 billion Bakun dam, awarding the deal to a consortium led by a unit of local conglomerate Sime Darby, together with a Chinese infrastructure firm. The hydro-electric power project in Malaysia's eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island has enraged environmentalists as it involves flooding a tract of tropical rainforest the size of Singapore and will displace thousands of indigenous people. (Reuters, 26 Aug. 2002)
Korean shippers admit to years of oil dumping - A consortium of Korean shipping companies has admitted that its freighters sailing between Alaska and Asia illegally dumped oily waste at sea for years and will pay a $5 million fine, U.S. federal officials said. (Yereth Rosen, Reuters, 26 Aug. 2002)
CIEL Side Events at the World Summit on Sustainable Development - 26 August to 4 September 2002 [includes events on The Role of Export Credit Agencies in Sustainable Development; Human Rights, Sustainable Development & Environmental Protection] (CIEL - Center for International Environmental Law) [added to this site on 26 Aug. 2002]
Business flourishes at Johannesburg summit - If the "People's Village" at the Earth Summit is any measure, big business has successfully muscled in on a convention to help the world's poor...Visitors to the vast exhibition tent...are assailed by glossy corporate brochures and snappy video clips vaunting the environmental and social awareness of some the world's biggest energy and utilities corporations...Oil giant BP Plc, which green groups branded on Friday as the best firm at using environmental veneer to disguise continued poor practice, had a smart stand promoting its green power projects. "Generally I think society is genuinely keen to support those efforts," said Craig Bennett of Friends of the Earth International. "What we don't condone is when they use those genuine projects...to suggest the whole company has changed." (Reuters, 24 Aug. 2002)
Authorities in Alaska probe BP site blast [USA] - Alaskan authorities were yesterday investigating an explosion at BP's operation in the state, which seriously injured an operator and caused a spill that might jeopardise the terms of the company's federal probation with US authorities. (Sheila McNulty, Financial Times, 24 Aug. 2002)
South Africa: Business Role is Greeted with Some Suspicion - There is widespread scepticism about the role played by business at the summit on the part of non-governmental organisations (Vanessa Houlder, Financial Times, 23 Aug. 2002)
Green Groups urge Johannesburg leaders to regulate Corporate Social Responsibility - Green groups across Europe are calling for a legally binding international framework on corporate accountability and liability, and plan to make the World Summit on Sustainable Development their stage for this demand. (Sorcha Clifford, Edie News, 23 Aug. 2002)
Big oil groups top league for 'greenwash' - The big oil companies were some of the first multinationals to find themselves in the environmental "hall of shame" on Friday in the run up to next week's World Summit on Sustainable Development...Friends of the Earth singled out Shell, British Petroleum (BP) and ExxonMobil for accusations that they had played up green credentials but fell short of their much-publicised environmentally friendly ideals...The "Green Oscars" were awarded by FoE to companies that had produced the most "greenwash" since the Rio Earth summit in 1992. It ranked among the best theatrical performances those by oil companies and the biotech companies Monsanto, Novartis and Aventis. Sasol, the South African fuels company, and Eskom, the local state-owned power group, also received "honourable" mentions. (James Lamont, Financial Times, 23 Aug. 2002)
- {···español} Los acuerdos de la OMC y la salud pública — un estudio conjunto de la OMS y la Secretaría de la OMC (Organización Mundial del Comercio, 20 agosto 2002)
- {···français} Les accords de l'OMC et la santé publique, étude conjointe de l'OMS et du Secrétariat de l'OMC (l’Organisation mondiale du Commerce, 20 août 2002)
- {···español} Los acuerdos de la OMC y la salud pública (La Organización Mundial de la Salud y la Secretaría de la Organización Mundial del Comercio, agosto 2002)
- {···français} Les accords de l'OMC et la santé publique (L'Organisation mondiale de la Santé et le Secrétariat de l’Organisation mondiale du Commerce, août 2002)
Environmental Fiduciary: The Case for Incorporating Environmental Factors into Investment Management Policies - In this report, we show that fiduciaries who manage funds for institutional investors such as pension funds, foundations and charitable trusts should incorporate environmental factors into their portfolio management policies. [includes reference to DuPont, ST Microelectronics, IBM, Baxter Intl, Smithfield Foods, US Liquids, Weyerhauser, Georgia Pacific, ChevronTexaco, Marathon Oil, Deutsche Telekom, Nestle, Southern California Gas, ITT, Textron, Corning, Whole Foods, Hains Celestial] (Susannah Blake Goodman, Jonas Kron & Tim Little, The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, 21 Aug. 2002)
SEC [U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission] Urged to Strengthen Rules Governing Corporate Disclosure of Environmental Risks - The Rose Foundation is petitioning the SEC to require more comprehensive disclosure of environmental liabilities, allowing investors to assess the potential effect on shareowner value. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 21 Aug. 2002)
Marching to Johannesburg -...As part of our special coverage of the Johannesburg Earth Summit, CorpWatch is running three excerpts from the new book, Earthsummit.biz: The Corporate Takeover of Sustainable Development (Kenny Bruno & Joshua Karliner CorpWatch, 21 Aug. 2002)
Industrialists Challenge Global Business to “Walk the Talk” -...In Walking the Talk:The Business Case for Sustainable Development...authors Charles O.Holliday Jr, Chairman and CEO of DuPont; Stephan Schmidheiny, Chairman of Anova Holding AG; and Philip Watts, Chairman of Shell; argue that business can, and indeed must, be an agent of positive change for the environment and the world’s poor. (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 21 Aug. 2002)
- {···español} Los efectos devastadores de la producción industrial de animales de granja: Es necesaria una producción sostenible y humana (Leah Garces, Compassion in World Farming, agosto 2002)
- {···français} Les effets néfastes de l'élevage industriel: Plaidoyer pour un élevage humain et viable (Leah Garces, Compassion in World Farming, août 2002)
Industrial pollution 'is causing fish deaths' [Bahrain] - Pollution is the biggest threat to Bahrain's fisheries, says a spokesman for the country's commercial fishermen..."This is really affecting our profession and if the (fisheries and marine resources) directorate is to protect the marine life, companies and establishments committing such crimes should be punished." (Mohammed Al A'Ali, Gulf Daily News [Bahrain], 21 Aug. 2002)
Business buys into earth summit, but at what price -...Green and human rights groups say it is not all a public relations exercise and that some firms have started to recognise the need to tackle poverty and environmental degradation. But they also say that the presence of big businesses - some of whose budgets dwarf the economies of countries attending the meeting - threatens to divert governments from setting targets that force business to do more on sustainable development...The British charity Christian Aid said this month there was already an indication big business had hijacked the summit to push its agenda of self-regulation over corporate accountability. (Jodie Ginsberg, Reuters, 20 Aug. 2002)
Australia "a renegade" on environment, says report - Australia is a laggard and renegade state when it comes to protecting the environment and is going backwards on every indicator of environmental health, from pollution to land clearing, a new report shows. (Michael Christie, Reuters, 20 Aug. 2002)
A world court on the environment? Multinationals object -...Nongovernmental organizations are demanding an agreement at the summit meeting [World Summit on Sustainable Development] that big private corporations be monitored and regulated on an international level. Business groups are pressing instead to ensure that the UN endorses industry plans for voluntary self-regulation. (Barry James, International Herald Tribune, 19 Aug. 2002)
includes section entitled "Towards binding corporate accountability"
also includes the following case studies:
- Peru: Manhattan Minerals (Tambogrande gold mine)
- Malaysia: Malaysian timber companies (logging in Sarawak - affecting indigenous peoples)
- South Africa: Sasol, Total, Dow Chemicals (pollution of poor communities)
- Russia/Lithuania: Lukoil (Baltic sea drilling)
- Papua New Guinea: BHP Billiton (OK Tedi mine)
- Chad/Cameroon: ExxonMobil, Chevron, Petronas (Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline)
- Ecuador: AGIP, Alberta Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Perez Companc, Repsol-YPF, Techint (oil pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Czech Republic: Ford, Nemak (car plant on agricultural land)
- Nigeria: Shell (environmental justice issues in Niger Delta)
- Chile: Noranda (aluminium plant)
- Worldwide: Aventis, Monsanto (genetically modified food)
- Colombia: Occidental Petroleum (oil extraction on land of U'wa people)
- Australia: Barrick Gold (gold mine, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Brazil: Petrobas, El Paso Energy (gas pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)
- Indonesia: Asia Pulp & Paper (logging of rainforests)
- Chile: Nutreco (salmon farms)
- Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey: BP (Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline)
- Malta: Ax Holdings, Carlson Companies, Regent Hotels (golf course on agricultural land)
- Australia: Nihon Unipac (clearcutting Goolengook Forest)
- Norway: Bayer, Monsanto, Kanegafuchi (Norwegian sea pollution)
- Indonesia: Rio Tinto (gold mine, affecting indigenous peoples)
- UK: Scott's Company (peat extraction for compost)
Shell Games at the Earth Summit -...Tracking the behavior of Royal Dutch Shell from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio to the WSSD in Johannesburg is particularly instructive in drawing out how global corporations have pursued a pro-environment and human rights public-relations strategy on the one hand, while continuing to be deeply engaged in destructive activity on the other. (Kenny Bruno & Joshua Karliner CorpWatch, 15 Aug. 2002)
Freedom Makes All the Difference [refers to World Summit on Sustainable Development] -...We can even question the general strategy of defining sustainable development only in terms of fulfillment of needs, rather than using the broader perspective of enhancing human freedoms on a sustainable basis... Indeed, it is not at all obvious why the enhancing of democratic freedoms should not figure among the central demands of sustainable development. Not only are these freedoms important in themselves, but they can contribute to other types of freedoms. (Amartya Sen, Master of Trinity College - Cambridge, Nobel laureate (economics), in Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2002)
Johannesburg Summit: A New Framework for Business Engagement -...Business could and should be a strong partner in safeguarding the environment, reducing poverty, raising education standards and improving health...But business today, following the collapse of Enron and other corporate scandals of fraud and greed, is losing its credibility as a trustworthy partner. (Klaus Schwab, President of the World Economic Forum, on Earth Times website, 15 Aug. 2002)
Shredded Ideals at Business Ethics -...Business Ethics is a magazine devoted to a movement that crusades for what it calls CSR, which stands for "corporate social responsibility."...Now, the folks at Business Ethics are in a sad state of hand-wringing, soul-searching and existential angst. The general tone is summed up in the headline and subhead of a column by contributing writer Milton Moskowitz: "What Has CSR Really Accomplished? Much of the movement has been a public relations smoke screen."...Equally cynical and depressed is the editor of Business Ethics, Marjorie Kelly. "The lesson," Kelly writes, "is that all the things CSR has been measuring and fighting for and applauding may be colossally beside the point." The corporate social responsibility movement considered Enron a great company, she writes: "It won a spot for three years on the list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for. . . . It had great policies on climate change, human rights and (yes indeed) anti-corruption. Its CEO gave speeches at ethics conferences." (Peter Carlson, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2002)
How to Save the World in Johannesburg [World Summit on Sustainable Development] (Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute & Professor of Sustainable Development at Columbia University, Financial Times, 13 Aug. 2002)
Asian smog cloud threatens millions, says UN - A three-km (two-mile) thick cloud of pollution shrouding southern Asia is threatening the lives of millions of people in the region and could have an impact much further afield, according to a United Nations-sponsored study. (Jeremy Lovell, Reuters, 13 Aug. 2002)
CLIMATE CHANGE: U.N. Panel's Next Assessment To Focus On Regions [refers to oil & coal industry] (UN Wire, 9 Aug. 2002)
SOLAR POWER: Energy Source Could Challenge Fossil Fuels Soon [refers to BP Solar & Shell Solar] (UN Wire, 9 Aug. 2002)
Rio + 10 Series: Business Action Addressing Biodiversity is a Rare Species - The Center for Environmental Leadership in Business’ Energy and Biodiversity Initiative represents one of very few business actions that support biodiversity conservation...CELB supports biodiversity initiatives in four sectors: agriculture and fisheries, forestry, energy and mining, and travel and leisure. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 9 Aug. 2002)
Ford Chairman Laments Automakers' Credibility Gap on Environment - Ford Motor Co. Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. told an automotive industry management conference that the consumer perception of the industry as environmentally damaging and its opposition to environmental regulation have left consumers with a “lack of trust” similar to that caused in other industries by accounting scandals. (Business for Social Responsibility News Monitor summary of article in New York Times, 8 Aug. 2002)
Book Review: The Ecology of the New Economy -...The collection acts as a tour guide through the jungle of conflicting information about the environmental impacts of the new digital economy. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 7 Aug. 2002)
Programme: Human Security and Environment - 3 Sep. 2002 - Johannesburg (IUCN - World Conservation Union) [posted to this site on 7 Aug. 2002]
Programme: Digital Opportunities: Global Strategies & Local Initiatives to Level the e-Playing Field for Sustainable Development - 30 Aug. 2002 - Johannesburg (IUCN - World Conservation Union) [posted to this site on 7 Aug. 2002]
Workshop: Places and Spaces for Indigenous Peoples in Sustainable Development - 26 Aug. 2002 - Johannesburg (IUCN - World Conservation Union) [posted to this site on 7 Aug. 2002]
World Summit on Sustainable Development - Human Rights must be Guiding Principle (Rights & Democracy, 6 Aug. 2002)
Managing Sustainability World Bank-Style: An Evaluation of the World Development Report 2003 (Heinrich Boell Foundation & Bretton Woods Project, 6 Aug. 2002)
Let the Word Go Forth from Hershey, Pennsylvania That Americans Believe That Corporate Rights Come with Corporate Obligations -...I suggest 28 words be added to the duty of corporations to advance the interests of shareholders--28 words that will balance the pursuit of the corporation's private interest with obligations to the public interest. I call these words the Code for Corporate Citizenship. The Code would simply modify the duty to maximize profits with affirmative obligations that profits not come "at the expense of the environment, human rights, the public health or safety, the dignity of employees or the welfare of our communities." Companies that violate the Code would be legally liable to the members of the public whose interest is damaged. (Robert Hinkley, corporate lawyer, former partner in the New York law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, speech to Hershey Foods rally on 3 Aug. 2002, published on CommonDreams website 5 Aug. 2002)
"Sustainable Development Security Imperative" Says Top US Government Official - Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, claims that "sustainable development" is a "compelling moral and humanitarian issue". And adds:" But sustainable development is also a security imperative. Poverty, environmental degradation and despair are destroyers-of people, of societies, of nations. This unholy trinity can destabilize countries, even entire regions". (U.N. Environment Programme, 5 Aug. 2002)
Lekgotla: Business Day - BASD will host a high profile business day during the Johannesburg Summit that will bring world business leaders together with others - NGOs, labor unions, and government officials - to discuss initiatives and partnerships towards sustainable development. This one-day business event will take place on Sunday, 1 September, 2002 [Johannesburg]. (Business Action for Sustainable Development) [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]
The Cement Sustainability Initiative - Panel and Discussion - World Summit on Sustainable Development - Johannesburg - Friday, 30 August 2002 (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]
WBCSD Regional Network – International Finance Corporation (IFC) - The Business Case for Sustainable Development - Doing Good and Doing Well - World Summit on Sustainable Development - Johannesburg - Friday, 30 August 2002 (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]
WBCSD events during the World Summit on Sustainable Development - 29 Aug.-2 Sep. 2002 - Johannesburg (World Business Council for Sustainable Development) [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]
Indigenous Peoples' International Summit on Sustainable Development, Kimberly, South Africa, 20 - 23 August 2002 [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]
{···español} México saturado de desechos tóxicos - México está saturado de residuos tóxicos que amenazan la salud de millones de personas y, aunque el problema se agrava, no existen planes para enfrentarlo...Pero existen otras sustancias aún más peligrosas desechadas por la industria eléctrica y petrolera, así como por los hospitales y centros de salud (Diego Cevallos, Inter Press Service, 2 agosto 2002)
Rio + 10 Series: The Sustainability of the World Summit on Sustainable Development - Organizers are working to reduce the environmental impacts of the Johannesburg Summit...The Johannesburg Climate Legacy (JCL), initiated by South African businesses in conjunction with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), seeks to “neutralize” carbon emissions associated with the summit. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 2 Aug. 2002)
No delay for US rules for clean diesel engines - EPA - The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday formalized penalties against manufacturers of heavy-duty diesel engines that fail to meet lower government-mandated emissions standards by the 2004 model year, rejecting an industry request to delay the rules. The decision is a defeat for Caterpillar Inc. and other diesel engine makers, as well as their allies in Congress, who had lobbied the Bush administration to delay the anti-pollution rules. (Reuters, 2 Aug. 2002)
Who Monitors? - Who enforces the social and environmental standards for corporate behavior in poor countries, where government either does not function well or lacks the resources to ensure that businesses perform at the level customary for the U.S. or Western Europe?...But who conducts these audits – and which standards the audits follow – are the subject of fierce debate, because control of the audit can deeply influence company operations. [refers to L.L. Bean, BP, Gap] (G. Pascal Zachary, Business for Social Responsibility website, 1 Aug. 2002)
Rio Tinto: Mining Sustainable Practices -...BSR [Business for Social Responsibility] recently had the opportunity to talk with Shaun Stewart, Rio Tinto’s International and Government Affairs Advisor, about a variety of issues, including the company’s commitment to sustainable development and how that commitment has affected the way Rio Tinto conducts its business. (Business for Social Responsibility, 1 Aug. 2002)
NIGERIA: New environmental guidelines for oil industry - Nigeria has introduced new environmental guidelines aimed at curbing degradation and pollution in the country’s oil region and bringing operations up to international standards, Rilwanu Lukman, presidential adviser on petroleum, said this week. (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 1 Aug. 2002)
Citigroup backs sustainable business - Financial services giant Citigroup is encouraging sustainable enterprise in Latin America through its work with the World Resources Institute on the New Ventures initiative. Through a series of competitions open to entrepreneurs across Latin America, a panel of experts selects small and medium sized enterprises whose business ideas promise sustainability while respecting social and environmental factors. Selected companies attend an international investment forum, and can win access to business mentoring services...Entrepreneurial schemes to benefit from the New Ventures initiative include ecotourism operators, and producers of shrimps, charcoal, wood, coffee, and electric vehicles for delivering goods in densely populated cities. One Argentinean firm is dedicated to the sustainable breeding of the guanaco - a wild Patagonian camelid - for its wool. In Brazil, Ouro Fértil...uses coconut fibres to create biodegradable and organic products for sale on the local and international markets. (International Chamber of Commerce, 1 Aug. 2002)
Norwegian Cruise Line pleads guilty in pollution case - Norwegian Cruise Line [owned by Asia's Star Cruises] yesterday joined a growing list of big cruise lines pleading guilty to U.S. charges arising from the dumping of oily bilge into the world's seas. (Michael Connor, Reuters, 1 Aug. 2002)
Saving the planet -...To save the planet it is imperative that the powerful nations meeting in Johannesburg [at the World Summit on Sustainable Development] commit themselves on at least seven key issues:...the establishment of juridical frameworks to make companies answerable for their ecological impact, and reaffirming the precautionary principle as the governing principle of all commercial activity;... (Ignacio Ramonet, editorial, Le Monde diplomatique, Aug. 2002)
WBCSD Gathering & Walking the Talk book launch - August 31, 2002 Hilton Hotel Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa - About Walking the Talk: For the first time, leading industrialists are arguing that not only is sustainable development good for business, the solving of environmental and social problems is essential for future growth. (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)