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July 2002:

Computer Sector's Social and Environmental Performance Needs Upgrade - A recent report from Oekom Research identifies shortcomings in the corporate responsibility performance of IT and computer companies, particularly concerning social issues...Hewlett Packard topped the group with an overall grade of B-. Apple was close behind, also earning a B-. NEC came in third with a C+. Other companies assessed included Dell, Fujitsu, IBM, and Sun Microsystems. Gateway did not provide any information..."One outcome of the survey is that supply chain management is not satisfactory," said Ms. Bohle. "None of the companies has implemented detailed measures to monitor basic labor conditions of its suppliers, for example in terms of local working hours or wages. Furthermore, the companies assessed have not implemented measures to assess the human rights situation in non-OECD countries." (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 31 July 2002)

New Book Assesses U.S. Efforts on Sustainable Development -...Stumbling Toward Sustainability provides a roadmap showing the route around the political and technical barriers that have so severely hampered the U.S efforts to achieve greater sustainability. The Editor notes that the United States has unquestionably begun to take some steps toward sustainable development. Yet, on balance, the nation is now far from being a sustainable society, and in many respects is farther away from that goal than it was in 1992. (Environmental Law Institute, 31 July 2002)

• information about ordering the book: Stumbling Toward Sustainability (edited by John C. Dernbach, Environmental Law Institute, July 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: SUVs Causing Increased U.S. Emissions, NGO Says - Cars and light trucks produce one-fifth of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and overall emissions are rising rapidly in the United States after decades of declining steadily, Environmental Defense said this week in a new report...The group identified General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler in particular as accounting for disproportionately high levels of emissions for their market shares. (UN Wire, 31 July 2002)

• General Motors Is Global Warmer Number One - New Report Measures U.S. Automakers' Corporate Culpabilities For Global Warming Pollution - A new report issued today by Environmental Defense appraises for the first time the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the new vehicles sold each year by major auto manufacturers. General Motors' fleet imposes the largest "carbon burden," producing 6.7 million metric tons per year. GM is followed closely by Ford, whose fleet produces 5.6 million tons. (Environmental Defense, 30 July 2002)

• full report: Automakers' Corporate Carbon Burdens: Reframing Public Policy on Automobiles, Oil and Climate (John DeCicco & Feng An, Environmental Defense, 29 July 2002)

• Carbon Nation: How U.S. Automakers Contribute to Global Warming -- And What They Can Do to Stop It -...DeCicco talks about how the "big six" automakers for the U.S. market contribute in a big way to global warming and challenges the industry to do what's right for the planet by designing vehicles that improve fuel economy and lower carbon dioxide emissions. (Environmental Defense, 29 July 2002)

• Sinful Emissions: Weighing In on Automakers' Carbon Burdens (Environmental Defense, 30 July 2002)

• Surge in Carbon Dioxide Emissions Cited - Report Blames Automakers for Catering to Demand for Fuel-Inefficient Vehicles (Eric Pianin, Washington Post, 31 July 2002)

Cambodia adopts law to fight illegal logging (Reuters, 31 July 2002) 

Finnish study links pollution [coming from factory smokestacks and the tailpipes of some diesel-powered buses and trucks] with heart disease (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 31 July 2002) 

US proposes pollution cuts for motorcycles, boats - The Bush administration has proposed a 50 percent cut in polluting air emissions produced by motorcycles and an 80 percent reduction for gasoline-fueled recreational boats. (Tom Doggett, Reuters, 31 July 2002)

Pesticide politics [India] - As the endosulfan controversy erupts afresh, the Kerala government backs itself into a tight corner [refers to Plantation Corporation of Kerala] (Kushal P S Yadav, Down To Earth [India], 31 July 2002)

• Endosulfan Conspiracy [India]: A hard-hitting exposé by CSE [Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi] on how the pesticide industry connived with government officials and scientists in Kerala to lift the ban on a deadly pesticide. (Kushal P S Yadav & S S Jeevan, Down To Earth [India], 15 July 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: ESCAP Official Warns Of Severe Environmental Threat - Climate change will cause serious damage to the global environment, flooding small island states and threatening public health, U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific climate expert Ravi Sawhney told a regional conference today. (UN Wire, 30 July 2002)

South African sugar farmers ease environmental impact -...The key contentious issue between farmers and nearby towns is the burning of cane during harvesting season. (Allan Seccombe, Reuters, 30 July 2002)

{···español} Ecologistas chilenos lanzan campaña en defensa de sus bosques -...La campaña publicitaria llamará la atención de los importadores, a través de insertos en los principales medios de comunicación de Estados Unidos, Canadá y Europa, donde se expondrán las consecuencias de aceptar envíos de madera chilena que no tengan el sello otorgado por el Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). (El Tiempo [Colombia], 30 julio 2002)

Beijing plans crackdown on car fumes before Olympics - Beijing plans to ban vehicles failing to meet European emission standards from January to reduce pollution in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics Games (Reuters, 29 July 2002)

Shell establishes "green growth" study center [USA] - Shell Oil Co., in a bid to bolster its environmental credentials, said it would establish a center at Rice University to study sustainable development (Reuters, 29 July 2002)

Top shops blacklist 'danger' chemicals [UK] - Five high street retailers have agreed to eliminate potentially harmful chemicals from the products they sell. Boots, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, B&Q and the Early Learning Centre will look at the chemicals used in both their own products and those made by suppliers. The announcement follows pressure from Friends of the Earth (Ananova, 27 July 2002)

{···español} Brasil: Ecologistas escépticos ante el nuevo Sistema de Vigilancia de la Amazonia (Mario Osava, Inter Press Service, 26 julio 2002)

UK energy sector improves green performance - agency - The UK's energy sector comes out near the top of the class for improved environmental business performance in Britain but is still responsible for serious pollution, the country's Environment Agency said this week. [refers to fines on Magnox Electric plc, TotalFinaElf UK, BP; low rating at EPR (Ely) Ltd; improved performance at Innogy plc, Petroplus, Phillips Petroleum, BP] (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 26 July 2002)

Power giant joins Greenpeace to push plan for world's biggest offshore wind farm [UK] - Turbines off East Anglia coast could provide 25 percent of UK electricity - The vision is being backed by a group of companies - including power giant TXU - which have joined forces with Greenpeace to call for the plan to be realised. (Greenpeace, 25 July 2002)

Brazil spies on Amazon loggers - Brazil has launched a $1.4bn radar system to spy on illegal loggers, miners and drug runners in the Amazon rainforest. (BBC News, 25 July 2002)

• Giant spy eye opens on world's biggest rainforest - Scanning a dense rainforest the size of Western Europe, a mammoth radar system set to crank up this week will spy on drug runners, diamond miners and illegal loggers that infest Brazil's Amazon. (Katherine Baldwin, Reuters, 25 July 2002)

Oil and Gas Company Environmental Risk Should Concern Investors - Innovest and the World Resources Institute released reports this week that illustrate how environmental risk can affect the shareowner value of oil and gas companies [refers to Royal Dutch/Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, TotalFinaElf, ChevronTexaco, Occidental Petroleum, Repsol, Unocal, Burlington Resources, Valero, Sunoco, Suncor] (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 25 July 2002)

• WRI report warns environmental risks could reduce shareholder value of leading oil and gas companies (World Resources Institute, 24 July 2002)

• full report: Changing Oil: Emerging environmental risks and shareholder value in the oil and gas industry (Duncan Austin & Amanda Sauer, World Resources Institute, 2002)

• Innovest Oil and Gas Study Shows 17.3% Five Year Outperformance by Higher Rated Companies - Report Also Finds P/E, Operating Profit, Intangible Value Strongly Correlated with Sustainability Leadership -...The report examines the extent to which environmental, social and political factors influence the generation and protection of shareholder value within the oil and gas industry and provides strong evidence of the financial merits of sustainability leadership. (Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, Inc., 23 July 2002)

"Corporate Governance for the Future": Seminar to focus on worker equity, the environment, human rights, ethical practices - 19 Sep. 2002 - New York City (Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility) [added to this site on 25 July 2002]

EU charges 10 states with breaking rules on waste - The European Union said this week it was taking eight of its 15 member states to court for failing to comply with rules on waste and had cautioned two others whose environmental laws were not up to scratch. [charges against Italy, Greece, Britain, Spain, Austria, Portugal, Belgium, Germany; formal warnings to Finland & France] [refers to waste disposal & battery disposal] (Reuters, 25 July 2002)

EU Commission only green in patches - report - The European Commission got a mixed report on its green policies this week and environmental groups urged it to do more. (Reuters, 25 July 2002)

From Rio to Johannesburg: The Globalization Decade - 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 written by CorpWatch staffers Kenny Bruno and Joshua Karliner and co-published by Food First Books and CorpWatch...The excerpt below outlines the decade leading up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. (Kenny Bruno & Joshua Karliner, CorpWatch and Food First Books, 24 July 2002)

• EarthSummit.biz: The Corporate Takeover of Sustainable Development by Kenny Bruno and Joshua Karliner - Written especially for the Johannesburg Earth Summit, the new book EarthSummit.biz by Kenny Bruno and Joshua Karliner exposes the reality behind the propaganda of big business as it attempts to convey a public image of concern for environment, sustainable development and human rights...Published by the Institute for Food and Development Policy and CorpWatch. To be released, August 2002

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: "Monterrey Bridge" Coalition Launched - Seeking to raise the visibility of the link between agriculture and conservation at next month's World Summit on Sustainable Development, a group of agriculture and conservation organizations yesterday launched a new coalition called the Monterrey Bridge. (Jim Wurst, UN Wire, 24 July 2002)

OZONE: Montreal Protocol Fund Needs $600 Million, UNEP Panel Says - Representatives from about 100 countries yesterday began a three-day Montreal meeting to review a report on funds needed to help developing countries cut back on chemicals that deplete the ozone layer. (UN Wire, 24 July 2002)

7th Annual Greenpeace Business Conference [UK] - Challenging the DNA of Business - Thursday 10th October 2002, London [added to this site on 24 July 2002]

Californian governor signs landmark auto emissions law - ...making his state the first in the nation to regulate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to curb global warming...But the auto industry, which strongly opposed the California law, vowed to dismantle it in federal court by invoking federal laws that reserve for Congress the power to set fuel economy standards. (Gina Keating, Reuters, 24 July 2002)

The march toward destruction of the environment - Humanity's use of natural resources - the so-called ecological footprint - has exceeded the regenerative capacity of Earth since the 1980s, and is now about 20 percent too great. (Claude Martin, Director-General of WWF International, in International Herald Tribune, 24 July 2002)

EU demands proof states are protecting ozone layer -...The European Commission said none of the 15 member states had shown how they intended to ensure ozone-depleting chemicals in scrapped fridges or old fire extinguishers would be safely removed to stop them worsening the hole in the ozone layer. (Reuters, 24 July 2002) 

How Green is the Prodi Commission? Twenty commissioners under the leadership of President Romano Prodi of Italy make up the executive branch of the European Union government - the European Commission. Today, major European environmental organizations grouped under the Green 8 umbrella issued a joint review of the Prodi Commission’s environmental policies for the first half of its mandate. (Environment News Service, 23 July 2002)

PACE Intl Union Files Federal Lawsuit Against Continental Carbon over Violations of Environmental Laws in Oklahoma [USA] - The Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE) today filed a lawsuit against Houston-based Continental Carbon Company. The company is majority owned by Taiwan-based China Synthetic Rubber Company and Taiwan Cement Corp. The federal lawsuit...charges Continental Carbon with past and continuing violations of federal hazardous waste laws through the unsafe, improper and unauthorized operation of its Ponca City carbon black plant in Kay County, Okla. (Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union, 23 July 2002)

Ethical Corporation Retail Supply Chain Conference to explore managing sustainability in European retailing - London, UK [25-27 Sep. 2002] (Ethical Corporation Magazine, 23 July 2002)

"Mad" Brazilian coffee farmer has last laugh -...Jose Romero sought to show that the so-called "third way" of farming - caring for the land, wildlife and workers - was sustainable. (Peter Blackburn, Reuters, 23 July 2002)

'Oil to us is a tragedy' [Nigeria; occupation of ChevronTexaco pumping stations] -..."The discovery of oil in our communities has brought misery and sorrow," laments Mary Olaye, 42, leader of a group of women who have occupied four oil pumping stations in protest. "Our rivers are polluted and fish die because of the toxins." (Cape Times [South Africa], 22 July 2002)

MINING: Partnerships Limit Environmental Impact, UNEP Says - Sustainable mineral development with minimal environmental damage depends on communication between those who finance mining projects and others involved in and affected by the process, the U.N. Environment Program said Friday as it released The Role of Financial Institutions in Sustainable Mineral Development. (UN Wire, 22 July 2002)

• New Publication from UNEP on Role of Financial Institutions in Sustainable Mineral Development -...The new report looks at the investment process from exploration through development to mine closure. It points out that it is important to identify the key financing stakeholders at each stage of mineral development and understand their role in the environmental and social performance of particular mining projects. (U.N. Environment Programme, 19 July 2002)

• full report: The Role of Financial Institutions in Sustainable Mineral Development (U.N. Environment Programme, July 2002)

Asarco could face stiff pollution clean-up costs [USA] - The west Texas smelting plant of miner Asarco Inc. [Asarco was purchased by Mexican conglomerate Grupo Mexico in 1999] has been tagged as a "potentially responsible party" in a U.S. federal pollution probe that could lead to an expensive clean-up in addition to other environmental obligations the company is already dealing with...Lexi Shultz, legislative director of the Mineral Policy Center, an environmental advocacy group, said Asarco and Grupo Mexico are trying to avoid huge clean-up costs in Washington, Montana and elsewhere by stripping Asarco of assets that could be used to pay for clean-ups. (Deborah Tedford, Reuters, 22 July 2002) 

• company website: Asarco

AFRICA: New Study Blames Western Pollution For 1980s Famine - Nearly two decades after a famine that killed 1.2 million people in Africa's Sahel region, Australian and Canadian scientists say pollution from industrialized nations may have been a major contributor to the drought. (UN Wire, 22 July 2002)

Bayer and the UN Global Compact - How and Why a Major Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company "Bluewashes" its Image -...Bayer's use of the Global Compact is a classic case of "bluewash" -- using the good reputation of the United Nations to present a corporate humanitarian image without a commitment to changing real-world behavior [includes reference to conduct during World Wars I and II, pesticide & environmental issues] (Philipp Mimkes, Coalition Against Bayer Dangers, Corpwatch website, 19 July 2002)

• Why Bayer's Corporate Image May Need a Face Lift [sections entitled "Biotech Controversy"; "Didn't Pull HIV Infected Products From the Market"; "Tried to Suppress Cheaper Generics"] (Phillipp Mimkes, Coalition Against Bayer Dangers, Corpwatch website, 19 July 2002)

• company website: Bayer AG 

Japan govt, car,energy firms in fuel cell projects - Japan's government said yesterday it will work with automakers and energy firms in three-year projects to encourage the development of fuel cell technology for vehicles and households. Fuel cells are seen as one of the leading environmentally friendly energy sources of the future. (Reuters, 19 July 2002)

States criticize Bush plan to fight global warming [USA] - Eleven states' attorneys general urged the Bush administration to adopt a program that sets specific targets to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that are linked to global warming. (Reuters, 19 July 2002) 

Jury clears Exxon Mobil of additional Valdez costs (Yereth Rosen, Reuters, 19 July 2002)  

Ecuador - U.S. Activist Deported for Protesting Oil Pipeline - Hill...said...her intention in Quito was to make it known that Occidental Petroleum is not complying with environmental standards in its construction of the pipeline. (Inter Press Service, 18 July 2002)

Supporting Science, Supporting Sustainability - Earthwatch Institute's Corporate Fellowship Program places corporate employees in the field with top scientists for the benefit of both the environment and the sponsoring companies [refers to Ford Motor Co., Royal Dutch Shell, Rio Tinto, Starbucks] (Anne Moore Odell, SocialFunds.com, 18 July 2002) 

US utility pollution cases going forward - The Bush administration is pressing ahead with lawsuits against eight electric utilities despite its plan to relax air pollution rules for aging coal-fired power plants (Chris Baltimore, Reuters, 18 July 2002)

Emirates to launch global data bank on environment - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to launch a global data bank on the environment at next month's Earth Summit to help coordinate rapid reaction to disasters in poor countries (Reuters, 18 July 2002) 

Last gasp - Putting economics before ecology has a devastating effect on the planet. But while solutions for sustainable development already exist, political will is sadly missing (Jonathon Porritt, Chairman of UK Sustainable Development Commission & Programme Director of Forum for the Future, in Guardian [UK], 17 July 2002)

Analysis: Increasing the criteria for sustainable indices and SRI investment - FTSE4Good and Morley Fund Management have both tightened up their rules for indices and investment inclusion recently. Roger Cowe investigates to find out by just how much. (Roger Cowe, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 17 July 2002)

Comment: Steve Hilton - A tale of two launches - Two recently announced initiatives mean that corporate social and environmental involvement is now big business, argues Steve Hilton...First, then, to Britain's parliament for the launch of the CORE (Corporate Responsibility) Coalition, and the publication of its draft Private Member's Bill tabled by Labour Member of Parliament Linda Perham...So on to launch number two...a thoroughly modern proposal was outlined by [George Soros]: "Publish What You Pay", a campaign to make oil and mining companies report the sums they pay to the governments of developing countries. (Steve Hilton, founding partner of the social marketing company Good Business, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 17 July 2002)

Concern about rice production practices - "There is an increasing concern about the current rice production practices meeting demands, contributing effectively to rural poverty alleviation and minimizing environmental degradation," the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns (UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 17 July 2002)

California Business Leaders Asked to Commit to Third-Party Assessments -...The Future 500, a not-for-profit business alliance, has launched a drive to commit a majority of Fortune 500 companies to conduct independent measurement of their accountability based on leading indices that rank their standing on financial, quality, social, and environmental performance. (GreenBiz.com, 17 July 2002)

• The Future 500:  Future 500 is a global network of leadership companies who are seeking to learn how to maximize their triple bottom lines. Their economic, social, and environmental performance, all at once. (Future 500)

Groundbreaking Report Challenges Conventional Wisdom on Role of Business in Emerging Markets -...A report published today overturns conventional wisdom by showing that it does pay for businesses in emerging markets to pursue a wider role on environmental and social issues. (International Finance Corporation, SustainAbility, Ethos Institute of Brazil, 17 July 2002)

• {···español} Un nuevo informe desafía los criterios tradicionales sobre la función de las empresas en los mercados emergentes - · El primer estudio en gran escala de más de 240 casos evaluados en los países en desarrollo demuestra que la sostenibilidad permite obtener beneficios financieros a las empresas de los mercados emergentes (Corporación Financiera Internacional, SustainAbility, Instituto Ethos de Brasil, 17 julio 2002)

• {···français} Un rapport novateur bat en brèche les idées reçues sur le rôle des entreprises dans les économies émergentes - Cette première étude approfondie de l'expérience des pays en développement apporte la preuve des avantages financiers que procure la recherche d'un développement durable aux sociétés des marchés émergents (Société financière internationale, SustainAbility, l'Institut Ethos du Brésil, 17 juillet 2002)

• full report: Developing Value - The Business Case for sustainability in Emerging Markets (International Finance Corporation, SustainAbility, Ethos Institute, July 2002)

South African Community Growth Fund Celebrates Tenth Anniversary - The Community Growth Fund invests in South African companies committed to sustainable development and triple bottom line reporting [refers to companies that went through protracted process before qualifying for CGF investment: South African Breweries, Rand Water, Naspers Group; companies removed from the CGF: Western Deep Level mine, Hoskens Consolidated Investments, Liberty Life; companies that refused to submit to CGF's social audit: Aspen Pharmacare, Sun International, Vanadium Corp. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 17 July 2002) 

MOZAMBIQUE: Japan To Help Dispose Of Old Pesticides - Japan announced Monday that it will fund part of the cost of cleaning up old, unused pesticide in Mozambique that was purchased with Japanese aid. (UN Wire, 17 July 2002)

Private sector and the environment (World Civil Society Forum, 16 July 2002)

Tambogrande Referendum Has Domino Effect in Peru [regarding local opposition to plans by Canada-based Manhattan Minerals Corp to build an open-pit gold mine] (Stephanie Boyd, on website of Americas Program of the Interhemispheric Resource Center,16 July 2002)

Analysis: Taking an effective management approach to supply chain sustainability - Liz Crosbie looks at the best methods of managing successful implementation from product sourcing to managing suppliers and stakeholders (Liz Crosbie, Managing Director of Strategic Environmental Consulting Ltd., in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 16 July 2002)

Concern Over Planned Titanium Mine [Kenya] - Plans for a titanium mine [operated by Canadian-based company Tiomin Resources] in southeast Kenya, approved by the Kenyan government last week, could lead to environmental damage and adversely affect the lives of people, local rights groups warned on Tuesday. (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 16 July 2002)

Indonesia set to train judges on environment issues - Indonesia's Environment Minister said yesterday the government will train judges and prosecutors to handle environmental issues more effectively as illegal logging and forest fires were causing great problems. (Reuters, 16 July 2002) 

New MBA Program Stresses Sustainability, Social Justice - The Bainbridge Island Graduate Institute (BGI) is offering a new MBA program "for people who want their business career to reflect their commitment to sustainability and social justice." [Washington State, USA] (The Green Business Letter, 15 July 2002)

• Masters of Business Administration in Sustainable Business Practice Cohort Program (Bainbridge Island Graduate Institute)

Mining Chamber fights to eradicate child labour [Ecuador] - The Ecuadorian mining chamber has launched a campaign to promote sustainable mining based on a socially responsible and concerted effort, and to eradicate child labour in the industry, the chamber's executive director Alfredo Sebastia informed. The chamber is working on the project together with the ILO and Ecuador's labour, and mining and energy ministries. (from Business News Americas, in Child Labour News Service, 15 July 2002)

Bush Administration May Cause Failure of Environmental Summit: Group Says Polluter-Friendly Approach at Odds with Summit's Sustainability Goals - The Sierra Club today expressed deep concern that the Bush Administration's approach to the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg may seriously undermine the global community's efforts to protect clean air and water, and fight global warming. (Sierra Club, 15 July 2002)

Environmental groups fight Tessenderlo unit licence [Belgium] - Three environmental groups, including Greenpeace, have launched legal action to withdraw an environmental licence granted to Belgian chemicals company Tessenderlo's LVM due to health risks (Reuters, 15 July 2002) 

A Long Way to Find Justice: What Are Burmese Villagers Doing in a California Court? -...American judges have embraced the opportunity to hold multinational corporations responsible for perceived abuses that result from international trade and investment [includes reference to cases against Unocal, Gap Inc., J.C. Penney, Levi Strauss, the Limited]...Companies need to scrutinize the practices of their business partners -- how they treat workers and the environment, how they interact with local military and political authorities -- to determine whether they violate international standards or offend the conscience of U.S. courts. (Elliot Schrage, former Senior Vice President of Global Affairs at Gap Inc., in Washington Post, 14 July 2002)

Rio + 10 Series: Two UNEP Reports Chart Past, Present, and Future Course of Sustainable Development - Assessments of the progress since the Rio Summit guide the blueprints for the Johannesburg Summit. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 13 July 2002) 

Big companies 'should be forced to report on green performance' [UK] - Large companies should be forced by law to report on their environmental and social performance as a way of restoring public trust in the wake of the Enron, Andersen and WorldCom scandals, the chief executive of the Co-operative Bank said last night. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 12 July 2002)

Shadows of 'that night': the struggle for justice for Bhopal - A letter from Indra Sinha, pleading for justice for the victims of the Union Carbide gas disaster in India. (New Internationalist, 12 July 2002)

Earth summit collapse better than toothless pact - The head of the environmental group Greenpeace said yesterday he would prefer the collapse of next month's global earth summit in Johannesburg over a pact of toothless promises. (Eric Onstad, Reuters, 12 July 2002) 

Exposed: Double standards of dirty energy exports [UK] - Export credit agencies help flog coal, nuclear technologies to developing countries - Export credit agencies (ECAs) are little-known but important accomplices in the cynical practice of exporting dirty and outmoded technology to developing countries. This business exposes citizens of the developing world to health and environmental risks and contributes to the growing burden of climate changing gases in the atmosphere. (Greenpeace, 12 July 2002)

• report: Executive Summary - Exporting pollution: Double standards in UK energy exports - The last ten years have seen substantial financing by export credit agencies of fossil fuel power projects in developing countries – projects that will emit millions of tonnes of climate changing gases into our atmosphere for decades to come. (Greenpeace, 12 July 2002)

Colorado group fights coalbed methane wells - A citizens' group in western Colorado is fighting a proposal [by privately held Gunnison Energy Corp.] to explore for methane gas in nearby underground coal seams, saying the planned test drilling could devastate the area's water supplies. (Judith Crosson, Reuters, 12 July 2002)

OZONE: Scientists Call For International Pact To Curb Emissions - Scientists who met this week in the Swiss resort of Interlaken called for an international agreement similar to the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the pollutants that lead to the formation of ozone gas...Ozone is not included in the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases in 39 industrialized countries. (UN Wire, 12 July 2002)

US must tackle the problems of business accountability - President George W. Bush's address to the nation about corporate responsibility presents an unprecedented opportunity for all of us - those in business as well as those who are affected by it - to identify how we want companies to provide economic, social and environmental value to our society. True corporate responsibility entails putting policies and practices in place that deal with the impact of business decision-making on everyone not just investors. (letter to editor from Robert Dunn, Chief Executive, Business for Social Responsibility, in Financial Times, 11 July 2002)

For High-Tech Companies, Energy Efficiency Can Help Avert Financial Losses - High-tech information companies like data centers can cut their energy bills in half and protect computers and other electronic equipment from crashing by utilizing new power technologies, the Center for Energy and Climate Solution reported today (GreenBiz.com, 11 July 2002)

Investment Partnership Has SRI Mandate: The Global Environment Fund Group manages four funds and is a majority owner of a South Africa-based forestry company -...GEF holds a controlling interest in Global Forest Products (GFP), a South Africa-based forestry company. GFP is exemplary in terms of the sustainability of its operations. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 11 July 2002) 

Corrupt Practices Continue in Developing World - Critics - The multinational firms recently fingered for corrupt practices in the United States may be practising similar operations on a larger scale in developing countries...Multinational watchdog Corpwatch says that these firms violate international law on many counts, including social and environmental violations and with flagrant corruption. (Emad Mekay, Inter Press Service, 11 July 2002) 

U.S.: New Survey Shows Public Support For Mandatory Emissions Cuts - In a Zogby survey released this week, three-fourths of 1,008 likely U.S. voters said they want Washington to set regulations requiring power plants and industry to cut greenhouse gas emissions rather than relying on voluntary cuts. (UN Wire, 11 July 2002)

Cooper Cameron says sued over water contamination - Cooper Cameron Corp. said this week that it had been sued by a resident of Houston over contamination of underground water. The Houston-based maker of valves and other equipment for the oil and gas industry (Reuters, 11 July 2002)

CHILE: World Bank Starts Region's First Kyoto Project (UN Wire, 11 July 2002)

ExxonMobil wins lawsuit against Greenpeace [Greenpeace France] over misuse of logo [France] -...In the hearing in the first instance in Paris, the judge ruled that Greenpeace had to remove the changed logo from its webpage within four days, or it would face fines of 5,000 euro per day. (EurActiv.com, 11 July 2002) 

• {···français} ExxonMobil a gagné son procès contre Greenpeace pour usage illicite de son logo (EurActiv.com, 11 juillet 2002) 

• Can Esso silence your voice? Greenpeace ordered by French court to cease Esso parody - The right to freedom of expression on the Internet suffered as a Paris judge ordered Greenpeace to stop using a parody of the Esso logo in its StopEsso campaign in France, pending a full hearing of the case. (Greenpeace, 9 July 2002)

Responsibility vs. accountability - Counter viewpoint: Joshua Karliner and Kenny Bruno, CorpWatch, San Francisco - The world has moved backward on environment and development since Rio. Governments surely bear primary responsibility for this failure. However, global corporations are at the root of many of the most intractable problems and have hamstrung governments preparing for Earth Summit II in Johannesburg, South Africa. [refers to Shell & Enron]. (Joshua Karliner & Kenny Bruno, in International Herald Tribune, 10 July 2002)

Cement Companies Churn Out Action Plan to Promote Sustainable Development - The Cement Sustainability Initiative, a consortium of ten global cement companies, recently released a report outlining specific steps to achieve sustainable development...The ten member companies include Mexico-based Cemex, France-based Lafarge, U.K.-based RMC, and Thailand-based Siam Cement. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 10 July 2002) 

Peru peasants march to Lima, protest mining damage - After a week of marching from villages across Peru, some 1,000 peasants arrived in Lima this week to demand government action against what they say is the contamination or seizure of land by big mining companies [refers to Manhattan Minerals Corp., Southern Peru Copper Corp. - a unit of Grupo Mexico] (Teresa Cespedes, Reuters, 10 July 2002)

Corporate responsibility must include not letting polluters off the hook [USA]: Sierra Club Rallies to say President's Plan Doesn't Hold Corporations Responsible - Environmental activists went to Wall Street today to tell President Bush that corporate responsibility must include holding corporations accountable for the environmental messes they create (Sierra Club, 9 July 2002)

The Private Sector - White Gold [South Africa] - Right in their backyard - Just down the road from the wealthy Johannesburg suburb of Sandton, home to the World Summit on Susutainable Development 2002 venue, a human and environmental tragedy is being played out that has nothing to do with sustainability and everything to do with big business’ push for profits at any cost...since the city’s water services were sold off to French-based multinational Suez (formerly Suez Lyonnaise) the bills have tripled and many people [in community of Alexandra, a shanty-town in Johannesburg] can no longer afford to keep the water flowing. (Corporate Watch [UK], 9 July 2002)

• company website: Suez

Tibet group slams oil giants over China pipeline - Pro-Tibet activists accused oil giants [Shell, ExxonMobil, & Russia's Gazprom] last week of exploiting lands they said were under Chinese occupation, by agreeing to help build a $20 billion gas pipeline in China's Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang. Royal Dutch/Shell Group, the lead partner in the consortium of three oil majors, responded that the project would bring jobs and cash to some of China's poorest areas and help clean up smoggy coastal cities. (Reuters, 9 July 2002)

• Shell, ExxonMobil and Gazprom sign up for controversial West - East pipeline, joining BP in supporting PetroChina's implementation of political Development Plan -...Free Tibet Campaign, working in solidarity with exiled Uighurs, opposes the West - East pipeline on the grounds that China is exploiting resources which rightfully belong to people under occupation, and that the project is part of China's Western Development Plan designed to consolidate political control of Tibet and East Turkestan. (Free Tibet Campaign, 4 July 2002)

• Tibet campaigners question Shell and UN Development Programme over controversial West - East pipeline (Free Tibet Campaign, 2 July 2002)

Humans running up huge 'overdraft' with the planet says new WWF report - Standards of living and human development will start to plummet by 2030 unless humans stop using more natural resources than the planet can replace (WWF, 9 July 2002)

• NATURAL RESOURCES: Consumption Rates Unsustainable, Warns WWF (UN Wire, 8 July 2002)

• Earth 'will expire by 2050' -...Earth's population will be forced to colonise two planets within 50 years if natural resources continue to be exploited at the current rate, according to a report out this week. A study by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to be released on Tuesday, warns that the human race is plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life. (Mark Townsend & Jason Burke, Observer [UK], 7 July 2002)

Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline project to go ahead - A controversial Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline project will go ahead despite strong protests from villagers and environmentalists, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on the weekend...Thailand's state-run PTT Plc and Malaysia's Petronas are joint operators of the proposed pipeline project. (Reuters, 9 July 2002)

Bhopal Survivors Stage Protest Over Lessened Accusation - India Seeks to Reduce Charge Facing Ex-Union Carbide Boss...The [Indian] government has asked the Bhopal District Court to reduce the charges against Anderson from culpable homicide to negligence. (Rama Lakshmi, Washington Post, 8 July 2002)

• Indian government goes soft on Bhopal crimes - Indians protest reduced charges for Union Carbide CEO (Greenpeace, 10 July 2002)

• Carbide Victims Oppose Move - Bhopal Gas Victims Oppose Move to Let Off Anderson (Basharat Peer, Rediff India, 11 July 2002)

Release of reports of the Independent Observer of Forest law enforcement in Cameroon - Global Witness has been working as the Independent Observer of the forestry sector in Cameroon since May 2001..."The chief indicator of progress will be for the government to impose meaningful sanctions on the companies which are known by all those concerned to be logging illegally," said Stuart Wilson of Global Witness. There are a number of high profile cases of illegal logging documented in these reports detailing the operations of both European and Cameroonian based companies. (Global Witness, 8 July 2002)

Corporate Social Responsibility Should Remain Voluntary, Says Commission - The European Commission has released a strategy paper declaring that the emerging field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) should remain a voluntary endeavour largely dictated by business imperatives...The Commission signalled last week that it would not yield to European Parliament pressure to propose binding legislation for firms to report on social and environmental issues alongside their annual financial accounts. (Edie News, 8 July 2002)

Africa needs green growth to fight pollution - UN - Africans are likely to suffer increasing pollution, ill-health and loss of farmland unless the continent adopts "clean" technologies and the world does more to fight global warming, the United Nations said (Paul Busharizi, Reuters, 8 July 2002)

• The State Of Africa's Environment Chronicled In Ground-breaking Report: Hard Facts Tough Choices - Sharp increases in air and water pollution, land degradation, droughts and wildlife losses are facing Africa unless urgent action is taken to deliver environmentally-friendly development for its citizens, a report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says. (U.N. Environment Programme, 4 July 2002)

•  Africa Environment Outlook: Past, present and future perspectives (U.N. Environment Programme, 2002)

Away on Business - Green is still gold - Business travelers can take credit for inspiring at least one trend in the lodging industry that has stayed strong despite the bumpy business conditions of the last two years. That's the growing environmental awareness or "green" movement in hotels and motels that has affected everything from how often sheets are washed to the kinds of lighting put in guest rooms. (Michael Conlon, Reuters, 8 July 2002)

UK fridge pile nears one million, to shrink this year - Britain's environmental authority says the country's fridge mountain should begin to shrink towards the end of this year and disappear in 2003 (Amanda Cooper, Reuters, 8 July 2002)

Initiative to Test Berkeley Voters' Coffee Conscience [USA] -...After gathering 3,000 signatures, Mr. Young's voter initiative requiring that all cups of coffee sold in Berkeley be Fair Trade, shade-grown or organic has qualified for the November ballot. If it passes, it would make this the only city in the nation with an official coffee policy. (Evelyn Nieves, New York Times, 7 July 2002)

• A great city's people forced to stop drinking swill [Berkeley, USA]? Berkeley ordinance would ban all but politically correct coffee - Berkeley, a place passionate about coffee and progressive politics, could become the only city in the nation to ban coffee not grown with strict protections for workers and the environment. (Charles Burress, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 June 2002)

Business Role Crucial at Global Summit, Leader Says - Mark Moody-Stuart, the former chairman of Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch/Shell, said this week that business was essential if the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development next month is to succeed. (Jodie Ginsberg, Reuters, 5 July 2002)

Shell executive calls for decarbonisation of energy (Edie News, 5 July 2002)

Contractors could face responsibility for pollution incidents [UK] - Legal responsibility for pollution incidents and serious failures in water quality standards could soon be borne by contractors as well as water companies, reports Malcolm Hallsworth, Editor of Water and Waste Treatment magazine. (Edie News, 5 July 2002)

Rio + 10 Series: Progress and Regress--Energy Sectors Report on Their Efforts Toward Sustainability - Three industry sectors that supply energy--oil and gas, coal, and electricity--reported on their improvements and shortcomings in sustainable development since the Rio Summit. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 5 July 2002)

Cement Companies Make Concrete Commitment to Sustainability - Ten major cement companies have published an agenda for action on sustainable development, which aims to accelerate sustainable practices in the cement industry. Produced by the Cement Sustainability Initiative in association with the Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 'Our Agenda for Action' is the next step of a project spearheaded by 10 of the world's largest cement producers: Cemex (Mexico), Cimpor (Portugal), HeidelbergCement (Germany), Holcim (Switzerland), Italcementi (Italy), Lafarge (France), RMC (United Kingdom), Siam Cement (Thailand), Taiheiyo (Japan) and Votorantim (Brazil). (GreenBiz.com, 5 July 2002)

Failure in pollution fight in Calcutta - The authorities in Indian state of West Bengal have been criticised by a federal auditing body for failing to fight pollution in Calcutta...World Health Organisation figures show more than eleven-thousand people die each year in Calcutta because of pollution, and more than half of the city's children have excessive amounts of lead in their blood. (BBC News, 5 July 2002)

Quebec to ban most non-farm pesticides by 2005 [Canada] (Reuters, 5 July 2002)

Environmental enemy No. 1: Cleaning up the burning of coal would be the best way to make growth greener -...it makes sense to start a slow shift away from today's filthy use of fossil fuels towards a cleaner, low-carbon future. There are three reasons for calling for such an energy revolution...The third reason is the most pressing of all: human health. (Economist, 4 July 2002)

Survey: The Global Environment (Economist, 4 July 2002):

• The great race - Growth need not be the enemy of greenery. But much more effort is required to make the two compatible, says Vijay Vaitheeswaran (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• Flying blind - It comes as a shock to discover how little information there is on the environment (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• Blowing hot and cold - Climate change may be slow and uncertain, but that is no excuse for inaction (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• Local difficulties -...Every year in developing countries, a million people die from urban air pollution and twice that number from exposure to stove smoke inside their homes. Another 3m unfortunates die prematurely every year from water-related diseases. (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• Working miracles - Can technology save the planet? (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• The invisible green hand - Markets could be a potent force for greenery—if only greens could learn to love them (Economist, 4 July 2002)

• Insuring a brighter future - How to hedge against tomorrow's environmental risks (Economist, 4 July 2002)

No mandatory CSR regulations in Commission's proposal -...On 2 July, the Commission [European Commission] published a Communication entitled "Corporate Social Responsibility: A business contribution to Sustainable Development". It is a follow-up of the Green Paper issued last summer. [includes links to the official documents] (EurActiv.com, 4 July 2002)

• {···français} Pas de réglementation obligatoire en matière de RSE dans la proposition de la Commission (EurActiv.com, 4 juillet 2002)

Report: Business in the Environment: Managing the supply chain conference, June 20 2002 - Our roving correspondant Toby Kent reports on what was said at the recent UK sustainable supply chain conference in London (Toby Kent, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 4 July 2002)

{···español} Grupos indígenas de AL exhortan a gobiernos a proteger la biodiversidad - Rechazan transgénicos y agrotóxicos, en documento final - Organizaciones indígenas, campesinas y sociales de 12 países, reunidas en Guatemala en la segunda Semana por la Diversidad Biológica y Cultural, aseguraron en su declaración final que es responsabilidad de los gobiernos de América Latina y de las empresas biotecnológicas la destrucción de esta riqueza. (Elio Henriquez, La Jornada [México], 3 Julio 2002)

• Indigenous Groups of Latin America exhort governments to Protect Bio-Diversity - In the Final Document they reject transgenic and agro-toxins - Farming and Social indigenous Organizations of 12 countries recently reunited in Guatemala in the second week of Biological and Cultural Diversity, assuring that the destruction of their natural wealth is due to the governments of Latin America, and Bio-Technological companies. (translation of article by Elio Henriquez, La Jornada [Mexico], 3 July 2002)

One Week After Worldcom: Europe Bows to Big Business - White Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility disappointing, says FoEE [Friends of the Earth Europe] - The European Commission has missed a huge opportunity to stop big business scandals by producing a White Paper on Corporate Social Responsibility that advocates leaving big business to regulate itself...The Commission’s paper ignores calls from Friends of the Earth and others for binding rules to regulate multi-national companies world-wide. FOE has called for the paper to address binding corporate accountability including key measures such as, at the very least, mandatory social and environmental reporting. (Friends of the Earth Europe, 3 July 2002)

European energy company Alstom dumping dirty technology on South - On the day of its annual general meeting in Paris, the French-UK energy company Alstom faced international action from Greenpeace, as activists in Manila protested against the multinational's participation in climate changing coal-fired power stations in the Philippines. (Greenpeace, 3 July 2002)

• company website: Alstom

'Big Box' Retailers Can Ring Up Billions in Energy Savings, Says Study - Large retailers could save $3 billion every year on energy costs while cutting 20 million tons of pollution and helping avoid brownouts by using recommended strategies and technologies. [report by Center for Energy and Climate Solutions] [refers to steps taken by Shaw Supermarkets and Wal-Mart] (GreenBiz.com, 3 July 2002)

Study Shows Eco-Efficiency Yields Healthy Returns on Pharmaceuticals’ Stock - Pharmaceutical companies with superior environmental performance have outperformed laggards by 17% in the stock market over the past year, according to a new study (GreenBiz.com, 3 July 2002)

• Eco-Efficient Pharmaceutical Companies Have Higher Share Value (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 3 July 2002)

African Commission Hands Down Far-reaching Human Rights Decision - Groups hailed Tuesday a sweeping and unprecedented ruling by Africa's premier human rights tribunal that held that the former military regime of Nigeria violated the economic and social rights of the Ogoni people by failing to protect their property, lands, and health from destruction caused by foreign oil companies and the Nigerian security forces. The decision...calls for the civilian-led government, which took power in 1999, to provide adequate compensation to the victims and ensure that future oil development on its territory is closely monitored to ensure the rights of local people. (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 3 July 2002)

Indian Environmentalists Call for Ban on Pesticide - Indian environmentalists called Wednesday for an immediate ban on endosulfan, a pesticide that is already outlawed in many parts of the world and has recently been linked to disease and deformity in southern India by a confidential government report. (Kalyani, OneWorld South Asia, 3 July 2002)

Sustainable Tourism Council created in Brazil - Environmentalists, tourism businessmen, and experts from all over the country met in São Paulo on 28–29 June to officially found the Brazilian Sustainable Tourism Council (WWF, 3 July 2002)

PESTICIDES: New EU Paper Prepares For Policy Debate - The European Union adopted a paper Monday on the sustainable use of pesticides, calling for reduction and transparency in their use and for safer alternatives. (UN Wire, 3 July 2002)

SHIPPING: Landmark Rules On Safety, Pollution Control Come Into Effect (UN Wire, 3 July 2002)

Plight of Peru town dim after mine's mercury spill -...Chuquitucto blames her blindness on the June 2000 spill from one of the world's top gold mines, Yanacocha, an environmental disaster that has prompted villagers to file a lawsuit in Colorado against Denver-based Newmont Minerals. (Missy Ryan, Reuters, 3 July 2002)

A raft of new laws aimed at bolstering ship safety and cutting down pollution from ships and accidents at sea came into force, the United Nations' maritime body [International Maritime Organisation] said in a statement. (Reuters, 3 July 2002)

California legislature OKs greenhouse gas emissions bill - The California legislature approved a controversial bill that would make the state the first in the nation to regulate vehicle greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming. The Assembly voted 41 to 30 for the measure, which opponents such as the automobile industry have criticized... (Alex Gronke, Reuters, 3 July 2002) 

UK Parliamentarian calls for mandatory social reporting law [UK] - Labour member of the UK Parliament, Linda Perham, has tabled a proposal for a corporate ethics bill. It would make environmental and social reporting a legal requirement [includes links to official documents] (EurActiv.com, 2 July 2002)

• {···français} Un parlementaire du Royaume-Uni demande une loi rendant obligatoire les rapports sociaux et environnementaux (EurActiv.com, 2 juillet 2002)

China Launches Campaign to Ensure Ship Safety - China Monday joined the world's leading port states in launching a three-month Concentrated Inspection Campaign to ensure cargo ships are operating safely and in an environmentally conscious manner. (Xinhuanet, 2 July 2002)

Bush administration cuts clean-up funding [USA] - The Bush administration has cut the funds necessary to clean up 33 toxic waste sites in 18 states under the Superfund cleanup program, according to a new report to Congress by the inspector general of the Environmental Protection Agency, The New York Times reported yesterday...Sites affected by the cuts include a manufacturing plant in Edison, New Jersey, where the herbicide Agent Orange, used in the Vietnam War, was produced, as well as several chemical plants in Florida and two old mines in Montana. (Reuters, 2 July 2002)

Answering the Challenge to Make Business Sustainable -...As the president of a top-selling winery, I am often asked exactly what it means to run our business sustainably – not only to the wine industry, but also to all American businesses. In the simplest terms, it means making all business decisions and actions socially just, environmentally sound, and economically viable; employing a triple bottom line for evaluating every business decision. [includes reference to pesticides, energy reduction] (Paul Dolan, President, Fetzer Vineyards, on Business for Social Responsibility website, 1 July 2002) 

The Climate Neutral Challenge - Global warming, until recently the lonely province of tree-huggers and wonks, is fast becoming a mainstream issue – and one, as some executives are learning, with profit potential...In the U.S., one can now book hotel rooms and flights and buy products – from household cleaning solutions to carpets – that are certified as having no net climate impact. (Katherine Ellison, on Business for Social Responsibility website, 1 July 2002)

Peru Forestry Law Triggers Violent Protests - A new forestry law that changes the way logging concessions for Peru's tropical forests are granted is facing violent opposition by a small group of loggers who environmental groups say represent big logging interests responsible for decades of depredation in the lush Amazon rainforest. (Mary Powers, Environment News Service, 1 July 2002)

All Party Parliamentary Group on Corporate Social Responsibility [UK] - 1 July 2002 - Submission by Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder-Chair, Amnesty International UK Business Group 1991-2001 and former senior executive Royal Dutch/Shell Group -... CSR [corporate social responsibility] will be largely cosmetic if there is no commitment to labour conditions based on acceptable standards for a company's own employees and its supply chains, if there is no acceptance of responsibility for the environmental and human rights impact of its operations, if there is no monitoring and reporting on that impact as rigorous in principle as reporting on money. (Sir Geoffrey Chandler, 1 July 2002)

Ecuador oil line ready next June despite protests - Ecuador's energy minister said the nation's second oil pipeline will start flowing in a year despite construction disruptions caused by heavy rainfall and violent protests. (Manuela Badawy, Reuters, 1 July 2002)

BHP Billiton - Not just a new face - a new beginning? -...From the Canadian Arctic where it is facing an environmental prosecution, to South America, displacing indigenous people, to labour rights in Mozambique, to Papua New Guinea and clean up of massive destruction caused by two decades of Ok Tedi mining, BHP Billiton has a long path of reform ahead. (Mineral Policy Institute, 1 July 2002)

• company website: BHP Billiton (BHP Billiton)

Eco-Intelligence: Nike Transforms the Textile Industry - How does a company with annual revenues in the billions and more than 700 contract factories worldwide profitably integrate ecology and social equity into the way it does business, every day and at every level of operation? Ask Nike. (William Mcdonough and Michael Braungart, green@work magazine, July-Aug. 2002) 

Ownership and Sustainability: The Case for Shareholder Activism to Promote Corporate Responsibility - An Interview with Robert Monks [the world's highest profile shareholder activist; founder of Lens, an institutional shareholder activist fund, and Institutional Shareholder Services, now the leading provider of proxy voting and corporate governance services] (Multinational Monitor, July-Aug. 2002)

The Enforcement of Environmental Law from a Human Rights Perspective (Romina Picolotti & Sofia Bordenave, CEDHA - Center for Human Rights and Environment, July 2002)

• {···español} La Justiciabilidad del Derecho Ambiental desde una Perspectiva de Derechos Humanos (Romina Picolotti y Sofía Bordenave, CEDHA - Centro de Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente, julio 2002) 

Guidelines for Civil Society Advocacy on Human Rights and Corporate Behavior (Jorge Daniel Taillant, CEDHA - Center for Human Rights and Environment, July 2002)

Development Aggression: Observations on Human Rights Conditions in the PT Freeport Indonesia Contract of Work Areas With Recommendations [West Papua, Indonesia] - This paper is a presentation of observations, conclusions, and recommendations regarding human rights conditions in the PT Freeport Indonesia [majority owned and controlled by US-based mining company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc] Contract of Work areas in Papua, Indonesia...The presentation below has been circumscribed by Freeport's lack of cooperation and other interference with the assessment process...Some of these violations - such as those caused by environmental destruction - are the direct by-products of Freeport's mining operations. Others - such as physical attacks - are the result of the illegal, indiscriminate, and/or disproportionate use of force against civilians by the Indonesian military and police providing security for and funded by Freeport. (Abigail Abrash, consultant for the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, July 2002)

• company website: Freeport in Papua (Freeport-McMoRan)

• company website: Fast Fact: Human Rights (Freeport-McMoRan)

• company website: Fast Fact: Benefits for the Papuan People (Freeport-McMoRan)

Beyond Good Deeds: Case Studies and a New Policy Agenda for Corporate Accountability [coverage includes oil industry & high tech industry; environment; pollution & its impact on human health; health & safety in the workplace; labour rights; security arrangements & human rights abuses; supply chain; codes of conduct; legal accountability; case studies on: Nigeria - Chevron & Shell; Azerbaijan & Kazakhstan - Unocal & Chevron; Ecuador - Occidental; Peru - Shell; Taiwan - Shengli Chemical Co.; Thailand - Seagate Technology, Advanced Micro Devices, Read-Rite, IBM, Lucent Technology, Hana Microelectronics, Philips; India; Malaysia - Seagate Technology, Agilent Technologies, Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, Dell, Fairchild Semiconductor, Integrated Device Technology, Iomega, Knowles Electronics, KOMAG USA, Linear Semiconductor, MCMS, Motorola Technology, Quantum Peripherals, Solectron Technology, Xircom Operations; Costa Rica - Intel, Romic; California] (Michelle Leighton, Naomi Roht-Arriaza & Lyuba Zarsky, California Global Corporate Accountability Project, July 2002)