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  Environment & human rights: Mar. 2002 

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Mar. 2002:

A glimpse of the future - Factory life in the "new China" - [China] has become a "capitalist paradise" of low wages, long hours, no member-controlled unions, no environmental or occupational health regulations, and no problem that cannot be solved with the discreet use of influence peddling and/or bribery. (Maquiladora Health & Safety Support Network Newsletter, 31 Mar. 2002)

Ecuador Police Detain, Deport Anti-Pipeline Activists: Ecuador's police have detained 17 environmental activists who tried to block construction of a controversial oil pipeline through an ecologically unique Andean rainforest and plans to immediately deport the 14 foreigners in the group (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 29 Mar. 2002) 

Government Failing on Carbon Emissions [UK]: Friends of the Earth demanded that the Government take urgent action to tackle carbon emissions, following the publication today of the latest provisional carbon emission estimates,showing an increase for the second successive year (Friends of the Earth, 28 Mar. 2002)

Businesses are called to account: A new initiative should make it possible to compare companies' impact on society and the environment - Next week in New York an extraordinary coalition of companies, governments and pressure groups will launch an ambitious attempt to harmonise the way businesses report their impact on society and the environment. The Global Reporting Initiative hopes to break through the fog surrounding "green" and ethical accounting and bring transparency and comparability to this fledgling form of corporate disclosure. If it works, it could become the international standard for non-financial reporting. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 28 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Mapuches demandan a Repsol [la empresa Repsol-YPF] por 445 millones [Argentina]: Presentan hoy ante el juzgado federal un reclamo civil por esa suma (en dólares) a raíz los daños producidos por la explotación de hidrocarburos. (Diario Río Negro [Argentina], 27 marzo 2002)

MEPs Cave In To Big Business: Friends of the Earth today slammed MEPs on the European Parliament's Industry Committee for rejecting a proposal forcing EU firms to report on their social and environmental performance. The Committee instead opted for a 'voluntary approach' allowing corporations to decide for themselves whether to report on these issues - even though businesses have ignored similar requests, including one made by Prime Minister Tony Blair. (Friends of the Earth, 27 Mar. 2002)

DJIBOUTI: U.N. Repeats Request For International Help To Stop Toxic Leak - The United Nations yesterday reiterated a request made by the Food and Agriculture Organization for immediate international assistance to stop toxic chemicals being stored at a port city in Djibouti from seeping into the Gulf of Aden and damaging local fish stocks. (UN Wire, 27 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Caso OCP: demandan libertad de 17 ecologistas [Ecuador] - El grupo de activistas ecológicos se encontraba desde el dos de enero en una de las zonas más frágiles del bosque protector de Mindo Nambillo, para impedir el avance de la construcción del Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados (OCP). (La Hora [Ecuador], 27 marzo 2002)

Earthjustice Hails Court Decision Rejecting Industry’s Five-Year Campaign Against Clean Air [USA] (Earthjustice, 26 Mar. 2002)

New Website Supports Corporate Accountability in India: The US-based corporate accountability group CorpWatch today launches a new website -- www.CorpWatchIndia.org -- to expose the social and environmental impacts of corporate investment in India. (CorpWatch India, 26 Mar. 2002)

Energy Task Force [Bush administration's energy policy task force] Courted Industry, Excluded Green Groups [USA] (Cat Lazaroff, Environment News Service, 26 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Adelanta Sheinbaum plan contra emisiones: La Ciudad de México será la primera urbe del mundo que cuente con un programa para reducir las emisiones de contaminantes que produce el cambio climático, informó la titular de Medio Ambiente, Claudia Sheinbaum. (Tatiana Adalid, Reforma [México], 26 marzo 2002)

US reaches cleanup deal at Alabama PCBs site:...Under the settlement, Solutia and Pharmacia have agreed to continue the emergency cleanups of area residences that are the worst contaminated. (Reuters, 26 Mar. 2002) 

German brewers file suit against recycling law: An association of German brewers has filed a suit against Germany's 16 federal states seeking to block a government directive introducing deposits on non-returnable beer and soft drink cans and bottles. (Reuters, 26 Mar. 2002)

British companies warm to greenhouse gas trading (Reuters, 26 Mar. 2002) 

The Winds Of Liability in Bhopal [India] [refers to Union Carbide and Dow Chemical] (Dilip D'Souza, special to CorpWatch India, 25 Mar. 2002)

Trashing Water is Good Business For Water Companies [India]: In Chennai, a major port city in southern India, two sister companies, French multinationals Onyx and Vivendi, are working at cross-purposes. While Vivendi is in partnership with civic authorities to convert scarce fresh water from a public service to a commercial product, Onyx collects the city's garbage and dumps it in one of the most important freshwater ecosystems in the city. (Nityanand Jayaraman, CorpWatch India, 25 Mar. 2002)

Bt Cotton: Seeds of Discontent -...U.S. chemical giant Monsanto's efforts -- through its Indian partner Mahyco -- to seek approval for commercializing the controversial transgenic Bt Cotton seeds in India has come under intense criticism. (Meena Menon and Nityanand Jayaraman, CorpWatch India, 25 Mar. 2002)

Finland reindeer herders want halt to logging: Northern Finland's reindeer-herding Sami people appealed last week for loggers to be kept out of the region's last virgin forests so as to protect the grazing and safeguard their age-old livelihood. (Reuters, 25 Mar. 2002) 

Germany seizes Amazonian mahogany shipment: The German government said last week it had seized a shipment of Amazonian mahogany because it had suspicions the timber had been logged illegally. (Stefano Ambrogi, Reuters, 25 Mar. 2002)

Handful of US utilities pollute most - study: Less than 20 U.S. utilities produced half of the industry's noxious air emissions in 2000, showing that tough laws are needed to force companies to clean up their plants, a green group said last week...the report found that American Electric Power Co. Inc. , Southern Co. and the Tennessee Valley Authority emitted from 17 percent to 24 percent of harmful emissions in 2000. (Chris Baltimore, Reuters, 25 Mar. 2002)

Ship officers indicted in Alaska dumping case [USA]: A captain and two chief engineers of cargo vessels that shipped frozen seafood from Alaska have been indicted for alledgely scheming to dump oil and sludge from their ships, Department of Justice officials said last week. (Reuters, 25 Mar. 2002)

Toxic Trade? A Canadian chemical firm says California's pollution controls violate NAFTA rules...In Santa Monica...the groundwater is poisoned... a pollutant has leaked from the underground tanks of gasoline stations. The culprit: methyl tertiary butyl ether...As lawsuits against 18 oil companies drag on, California has ordered a phaseout of the chemical, and a dozen other states have followed suit...METHANEX, the Canadian company that makes a key ingredient of MTBE, is challenging California's ban under the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement. (Margot Roosevelt, Time Magazine, 25 Mar. 2002)

The New Accountability: Tracking the Social Costs:...Pressure from investors, customers, consumer activists and even some governments is pushing more companies, particularly multinational ones, to report their nonfinancial performance, detailing the impact of their businesses on the environment and human rights... McDonald's...plans to release its first sustainability report the week of April 15...In a move that advocates of social reporting say foreshadows corporate reporting to come, Shell will include its sustainability report in the same binding as its annual financial report for the first time this year, underscoring the message that the two go hand in hand. (Amy Cortese, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2002)

Open Letter to Nitin Desai: An open letter of protest against UN Under Secretary General Nitin Desai's embrace of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and their self-proclaimed "commitment to sustainable development." (from Corporate Europe Observatory, numerous other NGOs, Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, 23 Mar. 2002)

Nike greenwash over sweatshop labour - Following years of criticism over its poor labour and environmental standards, Nike claims to have cleaned up its act, even signing onto the Global Compact to prove it. But the truth is rather different, and the company’s recent behaviour is a textbook study in greenwash. (Sharon Beder, Ecologist, 22 Mar. 2002)

Piles of poisons: Despite NAFTA's green promises, hazardous waste problems are deepening in Mexico; Sustaining Livelihoods (Jennifer Clapp, Alternatives Journal, 22 Mar. 2002)

Leading Environmentalists Launch Global Initiative: Leading Indian environmentalist and activist, Vandana Shiva and award winning South African community leader, Mandla Mentoor will join Friends of the Earth Director- Designate, Tony Juniper to launch the Peoples Earth Summit on Thursday 28 March. The event is a global initiative that brings together communities world-wide in the lead up to the Earth Summit in South Africa later this year. (Friends of the Earth, 22 Mar. 2002)

How to develop win-win partnerships in developing markets: Established in 1998 at the initiative of the World Bank, Business Partners for Development/Natural Resources (BPD/NRC) has conducted a three-year exercise to see if business, government and civil society can get better results by partnering up in developing countries. [report on a project in India involving Integrated Coal Mining Limited, community leaders in the affected villages and local government officials] (Michael Warner, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 22 Mar. 2002)

KPA, Sweden, joins UNEP [U.N. Environment Programme] Insurance Industry Initiative: KPA, Sweden, a pension fund with $1.5 billion in assets has become the latest signatory to the UNEP FI Statement of Environmental Commitment by the Insurance Industry Initiative, a commitment by companies to incorporate environmental principles into their internal and external business activities. (U.N. Environment Programme, 22 Mar. 2002)

United States announces intent to lodge settlement for comprehensive study of PCB contamination in Anniston, Alabama: Agreement ensures continued, immediate cleanup of worst-contaminated residential areas - The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency today announced its intent to lodge on Monday, March 25, 2002, a comprehensive environmental settlement with Solutia Inc., and Pharmacia Corporation, to investigate and address the serious polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) contamination in Anniston, Ala. (U.S. Justice Department, 22 Mar. 2002)

Uzbek east suffers man-made famine [Uzbekistan]:...The babies are among thousands of victims of an agricultural policy, fashioned by the Soviet Union and pursued enthusiastically by independent Uzbekistan, which is creating a desert, destroying the Aral Sea, poisoning land, and cutting harvests. And killing people. Cotton is the main culprit. (Sebastian Alison, Reuters, 22 Mar. 2002)

Jakarta to seek parl't ratification on mining deals: Indonesia's government will ask parliament to ratify about 50 existing mining contracts that have been hit by uncertainty following rules aimed at protecting the environment, a senior official said yesterday. (Reuters, 22 Mar. 2002)

Vehicle pollution major killer: Vehicle emissions are killing around 400 New Zealanders aged 30 and over every year, a report shows. (NZPA, in New Zealand Herald, 22 Mar. 2002)

Time to consider environmental ethics [remarks by Richard Evanoff, an associate professor of environmental ethics in the department of international politics, economics, and business at Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan] (Takeshi Suzuki, special to The Daily Yomiuri [Japan], 22 Mar. 2002) 

course (including syllabus): Environmentally Benign Manufacturing (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spring 2002)

Women plantation workers poisoned by toxic pesticides [Malaysia]: study - Two non-governmental organisations today called for a ban on paraquat and other toxic pesticides as plantation workers exposed to them suffered poisoning and developed serious medical conditions. Tenaganita and Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN-AP) said those affected were women plantation workers who sprayed these toxic pesticides. (Kevin Tan, Malaysiakini, 21 Mar. 2002)

Report Benchmarks Pollution from Top 100 Electric Companies, Shows Disparities Among Competitors [USA]: Groups Say Congress, Wall Street Should Look To the Best Performers - In a finding that highlights the financial and political stakes in the current debate over reducing power plant emissions, a report released today reveals wide disparities in air pollution emissions from the 100 largest electric generating companies. (CERES, 21 Mar. 2002)

Forest Policy Will Alleviate Poverty: Uganda's new policy on forestry can be best described as a the voice of the people. This is because it has evolved out of consultations and is expected to bring about poverty alleviation and enhance conservation. (Gerald Tenywa, New Vision [Uganda], 21 Mar. 2002)

Clinton, Nevada's Reid seek link between disease, environment [USA]: Concerned about the unexplained growth in the rate of some chronic diseases, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Harry Reid on Thursday proposed creating a national tracking system to study the link between a person's health and their environment. (AP, in Las Vegas Sun, 21 Mar. 2002)

DJIBOUTI: Toxic leak "not a public health concern" - A toxic leak in the port of Djibouti is confined to the port area itself and has not become a public health concern, an environmental expert said on Wednesday. (IRIN - U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 21 Mar. 2002)

Green protesters target Morgan Stanley meeting: Pro-environment activists attended the annual meeting of U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley this week to protest against the bank's financing of certain projects in Asia. The campaigners have criticised the bank for backing projects such as the Three Gorges Dam in China and the Golud-Lhasa Railway in Tibet, which they say have huge environmental and social impact. (Reuters, 21 Mar. 2002)

Don't use banned chemical, Thai shrimp farmers told:...The EU bans the use of nitrofuran in food-producing animals because of the risk of causing cancer in humans. (Reuters, 21 Mar. 2002) 

MYANMAR [Burma]: Grim outlook for Asia's final frontier of biodiversity - The very existence of the regime rests upon the exploitation of natural resources. The generals have allowed massive logging -- particularly of teak -- and the construction of gas pipelines and other development projects that have caused serious environmental damage. Uncontrolled fishing by Thai companies, to whom the junta gave concessions, has led to the impoverishment of people in fishing villages. The exploitation of natural gas and minerals and the implementation of large dam projects continues with little concern for the effect on the environment or on the populations in the areas being exploited. (Cesar Chelala [author of "Impact of the Environment on Children's Health," a publication of the Pan American Health Organization], in Japan Times, 20 Mar. 2002)

EMISSIONS: NGO Says Trading Popular, But U.S. Remains Uninvolved - At least 55 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions have since 1996 been traded by companies and countries in an effort to limit global warming, but the world's largest emitter -- the United States -- continues to isolate itself from the growing market, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change said in a new report yesterday. (UN Wire, 20 Mar. 2002)

Efforts made to reduce acid rain: China pledged to strictly control the country's emissions of sulphur dioxide yesterday in a bid to reduce acid rain, which is threatening more than 30 per cent of Chinese territory...All coal mines containing sulphur are required to set up desulphurization facilities by 2005. (Zhang Yong, China Daily [Beijing], 20 Mar. 2002) 

Walhi blames destruction of Medan forests on six firms [Indonesia]: A leading environmental watchdog based in North Sumatra blamed on Tuesday at least six plantation companies for the destruction of around 300,000 hectares of forest in Mandailing Natal regency...The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) said the six concessionaires were PT Gruti, PT Mujur Timber, PT Keang Nam Development Indonesia (KNDI), PT Inanta Timber, PT Rimba Mujur Mahkota and PT Supraprimoris Corporation...Walhi said the six plantation firms had for years slashed and burned forests. (Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta Post, 20 Mar. 2002)

press release: Morgan Stanley Exposed Over Controversial Asian Projects - Share Value Threat From Growing Consumer Concerns - Human rights and environmental campaigners will highlight the growing threat to investment bank Morgan Stanley's shareholder value at the company's annual general meeting in London today (19th March). Efforts to pressure Morgan Stanley are being led by Friends of the Earth, the International Rivers Network, Students for a Free Tibet and Free Tibet Campaign. The groups are all engaged in campaigns targeting Morgan Stanley for its lack of environmental and social risk management policies, which have led the company to underwrite some of the most controversial projects in Asia. These include the Three Gorges Dam in China, resource extraction projects in Tibet and rainforest destruction in Indonesia. (Friends of the Earth, International Rivers Network, Free Tibet Campaign, Students for a Free Tibet, 19 March 2002)

Report Diagnoses Ills in the Pharmaceutical Sector: A German rating agency reports that many pharmaceutical companies are failing to follow the example of the sector’s leaders in solving environmental and social problems...The report analyzed the 22 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, based on more than 200 social and environmental criteria...Denmark-based Novo Group and U.S.-based Bristol-Myers Squibb led the class with B grades. U.S.-based Pharmacia received the lowest mark, a C-. (Willliam Baue, SocialFunds.com, 19 Mar. 2002)

Environmentalists Sue over Transmission Lines from Mexico to US: Plan to evade US laws would pollute poor region of Mexico -...Earthjustice and Wild Earth Advocates, representing Border Power Plant Working Group, filed a lawsuit against the federal government today challenging permits granted to two companies planning to build electrical transmission lines from Baja, Mexico into California (Earthjustice, 19 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Turismo Responsable: una visión homeostática (Jesus M. Delgado, EcoPortal.net, 19 marzo 2002)

Mining expert calls for enviro improvements: Environmentally and socially conscious development is the only way forward for the mining industry. This was said by Anita Roper, deputy secretary-general of the International Council and Mining and Metals, who spoke at an official function of the Chamber of Mines in Windhoek last weekend...Roper acknowledged that mining's poor reputation was, in some cases, well-deserved. [refers to Romania, Spain, Namibia, South Africa] (The Namibian, 19 Mar. 2002)

EPA to ease coal plant rules, pollution suits - Post [USA]: The Bush administration has decided to shift from a Clinton-era clear air enforcement initiative that led to dozens of lawsuits against aging coal-fired power plants, The Washington Post reported yesterday. According to U.S. Environment Protection Agency officials, the administration plans to unveil new rules that would offer incentives for reductions in toxic emissions without threatening legal action against plant operators, the newspaper said. (Reuters, 19 Mar. 2002)

Government and Ferro Corporation settle Clean Air Act claims [USA]: Company violated new source review at its former flame retardant manufacturing operations - The Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the state of Indiana, and the city of Hammond, Ind. today jointly entered into a $3 million settlement of claims against Ferro Corporation for the company's violations of the federal and state "new source review" provisions of the Clean Air Act (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 18 Mar. 2002)

The New EPA: Protecting Polluters - EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] Administrator Christine Todd Whitman's Tenure Is Marked By Rollbacks and Missed Deadlines -...It’s no secret that the toxic chemicals being pumped into the air every day kill people, kill wildlife and permanently damage the environment...Thanks to foot-dragging by EPA, 80,000 major polluters -- each capable of spewing at least 10 tons of toxic gas and particles into the air each year -- are doing little or nothing to reduce their emissions. (James Pew, EarthJustice, in TomPaine.com, 18 Mar. 2002)

FORESTS: NGOs Call U.N. Declaration Too Timid; More Environmental groups have criticized as too limited a call Thursday by ministers at a U.N. Forum on Forests meeting for this year's World Summit on Sustainable Development to support immediate action against illegal forest exploitation. (UN Wire, 18 Mar. 2002)

Poor countries hit by subsidised fishing, UN says: The United Nations environmental agency UNEP warned poorer countries that uncontrolled opening of their waters to subsidised fishing fleets from Europe and Asia could bring economic disaster [refers to problems of nations like Argentina, Senegal and Mauritania which had allowed in foreign fleets from European Union member states, Japan, South Korea & China] (Robert Evans, Reuters, 18 Mar. 2002)

Norway to halt oil leaks, urges UK nuke closure: Norway said it wanted to stop leaks from its oil and gas platforms by 2005..."Our main goal is that one multi-billion industry should not kill off another," [Norway's] Environment Minister Boerge Brende said, referring to the threat to fisheries from oil and gas. (Alister Doyle, Reuters, 18 Mar. 2002)

Train derails in Georgia, releasing toxic chemical [USA]: A CSX Corp . freight train derailed on the weekend near an Atlanta water reservoir, and at least one of its cars was leaking a hazardous chemical...Atlanta police and fire department officials evacuated residents and businesses within a half-mile of the area...at least four people, one adult and three children, were taken to a hospital to be treated for possible chemical exposure (Reuters, 18 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Instancia decisiva en litigio con la Texaco [Ecuador]: La justicia de Estados Unidos deberá fallar esta semana sobre la procedencia de una demanda iniciada en 1993 por indígenas de Ecuador contra la compañía petrolera ChevronTexaco, a la que acusan de contaminar la selva amazónica. (Danielle Knight, Inter Press Service, in La Hora [Ecuador], 17 marzo 2002)  

Greenpeace targets imports of Russian timber into Europe: Greenpeace activists prevented a shipment of over 10,000 cubic metres of Russian timber from entering the port of Amsterdam in the Netherlands in the organisation’s ongoing boycott of ancient forest products coming into Europe...The Russian spruce and pine timber comes from the Solombalsky Lumber Company (Greenpeace, 17 Mar. 2002)

Billowing Rage [India]: The Sukruli cauldron threatens to boil over if the Orissa government does not act against the smoke-spewing sponge iron plant in the area...tribal women have held three demonstrations in Bhubaneswar and Baripada against Shiv Shakti Sponge Iron Limited (SSSIL), whose carbon monoxide, sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions have become a nightmare for the 15,000-odd villagers residing in the Sukruli block of Mayurbhanj district. (Satyasundar Barik, in Down to Earth, Centre for Science and Environment [India], 15 Mar. 2002)

PESTICIDES: $200M Needed For Obsolete Stocks Destruction -- OAU Report: Almost $200 million is needed to remove and destroy obsolete pesticides in Africa, the secretary general of the Organization of African Unity said this week in a report to an OAU Council of Ministers meeting....an international interagency steering committee, made up of pesticide industry representatives and governmental and international organizations, including U.N. agencies and the OAU, has been formed to develop a project proposal to relocate the African stockpiles to European facilities for destruction. (UN Wire, 15 Mar. 2002)

US failing to comply with international accord to protect forests: Conservation Groups Say Bush Administration Rolling Back Forest Protections While Reducing Public Involvement (American Lands Alliance, 15 Mar. 2002)

Settlement talks in Alabama pollution case fail - WSJ [USA]: The Alabama Supreme Court ordered a halt to settlement talks in a lawsuit against Solutia Inc. , Monsanto Co. and Pharmacia Corp. after a judge threatened to jail company executives, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. (Reuters, 15 Mar. 2002)

UK group urges retailers to reduce pesticide levels: Exposing young children to pesticides in fruit, vegetables and popular nibbles like crisps may cause them serious health problems in later life, a report [by Friends of the Earth] urging retailers to eliminate such residues said this week..."Retailers should come clean with their customers by publishing the results of their residue testing - so far only the Co-op and M&S have been honest enough to do this," she [Sandra Bell, Friends of the Earth] said. (Veronica Brown, Reuters, 15 Mar. 2002)

China's poor pick profits from toxic tech trash:...Electronic waste can contain 1,000 different substances including lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury - heavy metals which are highly toxic...This brew of toxic substances can damage nervous, kidney and reproductive systems, while some of the metals contain carcinogens...Despite the Basel Convention, which in 1994 banned the export of hazardous waste from rich to poor countries, electronic waste from the United States and to a lesser extent Europe, South Korea and Japan has ended up on Chinese shores, environmentalists say. (Reuters, 15 Mar. 2002)

Campaigners Hail Company Pull-out from Turkish Dam: A range of environmental and rights groups have welcomed the decision by a major British construction firm Wednesday to withdraw from a controversial hydroelectric dam project on Turkey's Coruh river. Campaigners from Friends of the Earth and the Kurdish Human Rights Project, among others, said the future of the Yusufeli dam, in northeast Turkey, is uncertain following AMEC's pull out from a consortium of companies involved in the multi-million dollar scheme. (Daniel Nelson, OneWorld UK, 14 Mar. 2002)

Latest pesticide results bad news for children: The latest pesticide residue results released today by the [UK] Pesticides Residues Committee show that processed food popular with children such as cereal bars often come with hidden pesticide residues. The Government wants children to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables but today's results also revealed worrying levels of pesticides in fresh fruit. Friends of the Earth released a new report today highlighting the health concerns for babies and children exposed to pesticide residues. (Friends of the Earth, 14 Mar. 2002)

New French Law Mandates Corporate Social and Environmental Reporting: French social and environmental rating agency offered both kudos and criticism for a new law requiring French companies to disclose social and environmental performance. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 14 Mar. 2002) 

Greenpeace exposes DLH links to forest crime around the world: Greenpeace activists today scaled the international headquarters of the Danish timber trader DLH..."DLH chooses to turn a blind eye to the social, economic and environmental damage that their suppliers like OTC in Liberia and Hazim in Cameroon are causing, and just continue to buy from them regardless,” said Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Filip Verbelen. “By doing this DLH is fuelling illegal and destructive logging practices, serious social conflicts, human rights abuses and even the funding of war.” (Greenpeace, 14 Mar. 2002)

Chile's fruit growers phase out methyl bromide to save ozone layer: Chile has launched an initiative to eliminate the use of methyl bromide in its orchards and vineyards by 2007, substituting other products that do not damage the ozone layer in the atmosphere. (U.N. Development Programme, 14 Mar. 2002)

Construction giant drops controversial Turkish dam plan: One of Britain's leading construction companies pulled out of the planned Yusufeli dam in Turkey yesterday after environmentalists said it would be the target for protests. The move by Amec avoids a big embarrassment for the Government, which has been asked to underwrite the firm's involvement in the £590m scheme...Critics say the new dam would displace 30,000 people by flooding the area around Yusufeli in north-east Turkey. (Saeed Shah, Independent [UK], 14 Mar. 2002)

Greenpeace to appeal UK mahogany ruling: Greenpeace said this week it would appeal against a High Court decision to allow a shipment of Amazonian mahogany to enter Britain. (Stefano Ambrogi, Reuters, 14 Mar. 2002)

Ten Brazilian Dam Protesters Hospitalized: Ten anti-dam protestors were hospitalized on Tuesday after clashes with the police...The demonstrators are part of Brazil's Movement of Dam-Affected People (MAB) which is engaged in a national campaign of protests against Brazil's hydropower energy policy...The group is demanding that the government halt subsidies to energy intensive industries, such as aluminum production, and instead provide electricity to rural communities. Aluminum companies, including multinationals Alcoa and Billiton, plan to build a series of huge dams in the Brazilian Amazon. (Environment News Service, 13 Mar. 2002)

Gardening Supplier to End Sale of Chemical Pesticides: Canadian food distributor Loblaw Companies Limited has announced that it will stop marketing chemical pesticides in its 440 garden centers across Canada by next spring. (GreenBiz.com, 13 Mar. 2002)

BP Beats Greenhouse Gas Target Source: Gas and oil company BP has announced that it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more that nine million tons, eight years ahead of target. The company said it will peg future net emissions at this new, lower level -- despite plans to grow its oil and gas production by 5.5% per year. (GreenBiz.com, 13 Mar. 2002)

U.S. and Boise Cascade reach Clean Air Act settlement...Air pollution to be reduced by 95 percent [USA]: The U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency today announced a comprehensive Clean Air Act (CAA) agreement with wood products industry giant Boise Cascade Corporation that will require reductions of up to 95 percent of the harmful emissions from the company's eight plywood and particle board plants. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 13 Mar. 2002)

Ecuador Amazon Indians appeal Texaco-case ruling: Rainforest Indians of Ecuador and Peru urged a U.S. appeals court to reinstate nine-year-old litigation against Texaco, alleging that toxic dumping devastated their environment and exposed residents to cancer-causing pollutants (Gail Appleson, Reuters, 13 Mar. 2002)

EPA reaches consent agreement with DuPont on plan to supply drinking water: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a consent agreement with E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Co. (DuPont), which would require the company to provide an alternate drinking water supply to residents in communities surrounding its Washington Works facility near Parkersburg, W. Va. if water supplies show high levels of Ammonium Perfluorooctanoate (or C8), an unregulated contaminant. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 12 Mar. 2002)

CA Pulp Mill to Manufacture Tree-Free Samoa Cane Source [USA]: Samoa Pacific Cellulose, LLC., a California-based pulp mill, has produced the first commercial trial run of bleached pulp from the Arundo Donax plant, a reed that grows wild in southern California. The company plans to market the new pulp as a “tree-free” fiber for papermaking applications such as printing and tissue papers. (GreenBiz.com, 12 Mar. 2002)

Pollution constricts blood vessels, study finds: Air pollution causes the blood vessels of healthy people to close up, which helps explain why high levels of pollution are linked to heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, researchers said Monday. (Maggie Fox, Reuters, 12 Mar. 2002)

Greenpeace action hits SPP shale oil plans [Australia]: Southern Pacific Petroleum NL said environmental activist group Greenpeace was undermining a demonstration project to develop vast Australian shale oil reserves...Greenpeace said the demonstration plant produced high greenhouse gas emissions, dioxin releases, air and water pollution and affected the health of local people. (Reuters, 12 Mar. 2002) 

Greens say plan new protest against Esso in UK: The StopEsso campaign said last week it would organise a second round of demonstrations at over 300 UK Esso petrol stations on May 18 to persuade motorists to boycott the oil giant over its stance on climate change. (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 12 Mar. 2002) 

The Uructu-Porto Velho Gas Pipeline: At What Cost to Indigenous Peoples? [Brazil]...Indigenous peoples and representatives of the gas pipeline company Petrobas have been recently involved in discussions initiated by environmental organizations. (Cultural Survival, 11 Mar. 2002)

Romanian villagers oppose Canadian gold mine at Rosia Montana: A new citizens' organization called Alburnus Major has been organized in Romania to oppose an open pit gold mine being promoted by Canadian company Gabriel Resources...Gabriel intends to relocate their town and build a gigantic open pit gold mine on the site. (MiningWatch Canada-Mines Alerte, 11 Mar. 2002)

Non-Permitted Polluters Given Secret Free Ride [USA]: New England is the worst and the Rocky Mountain region is the best, but across the country nearly one third of all factories, power plants and other major sources of air pollution do not have permits required under the Clean Air Act. (Environment News Service, 11 Mar. 2002)

Rainforest Indians [from Ecuador] in New York for major showdown with Chevron-Texaco: Billions at stake as tribal leaders press groundbreaking lawsuit before Appeals Court - Assert Texaco ruined their rivers and land, destroying their centuries-old way of life...and dramatically increased the risk of cancer for tens of thousands of people. (Frente para la Defensa de la Amazonia, 11 Mar. 2002)

POLLUTION: High Altitude Latin American Cities Struggle With Emissions -...200,000 deaths a year in Latin American cities -- mostly among the poor -- are attributable to suspended fine particles, one of the pollutants emitted by vehicles [article refers to Mexico City, and lower-altitude cities São Paulo & Santiago] (UN Wire, 11 Mar. 2002)

Bitter taste of Starbucks' success: Starbucks has become a target for environmental pressure groups partly because its socially responsible image makes it an easy target, writes Alison Maitland (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 10 Mar. 2002)

Japan to propose system to combat illegal logging: Japan has decided to propose introducing an international system to verify that wood and wood products originate from appropriately managed forests to an ongoing U.N. conference on forestry, Japanese diplomatic sources said Saturday. (Japan Times, 10 Mar. 2002)

Koo's Group faces protest [Taiwan/USA]: Activists are upset that the company is doing little to solve a lingering dispute between workers and plant management at one of its factories in the US - US and Taiwanese labor and environmental activists yesterday protested in Taipei City against the Koo's Group, urging the corporation to solve disputes [including labour safety and environmental issues] in the US surrounding one of its subsidiaries, Continental Carbon Company. (Chiu Yu-Tzu, Taipei Times, 9 Mar. 2002)

Shell to Stand Trial for 1990s Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria: A U.S. Federal Court rejected Shell's plea to dismiss a case charging the company with human rights abuses in Nigeria dating back to 1995. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 8 Mar. 2002)

Global Principles for Cleaner Vehicles Released: Global principles for achieving cleaner, more efficient road vehicles worldwide have been developed by an international group of regulators and industry representatives. Just released by the Energy Foundation, a San Francisco based partnership of major foundations, the "Bellagio Memorandum" is based on discussions held at a meeting last June in Bellagio, Italy. (Environment News Service, 8 Mar. 2002)

Ecuador environment ministry suspends OCP license: Ecuador's Environment Ministry has temporarily suspended pipeline builder OCP Ecuador SA's license until it repairs damages near a protected forest, an official said this week. (Reuters, 8 Mar. 2002) 

INTERVIEW - Shell set for rapid growth in wind power: Anglo-Dutch Energy giant Shell is poised for three years' of rapid growth in wind power as part of a billion dollar push into green energy, a senior executive told Reuters this week. (Stuart Penson, Reuters, 8 Mar. 2002)  

Workers Demand Independent Health Assessment [India]: Employees from the now-closed controversial Hindustan Lever Thermometer thermometer factory in Kodaikanal today condemned the company's efforts to stifle their right to demand an independent medical and health evaluation for the mercury contamination caused due to mercury exposure at the thermometer factory. (United Citizens Council of Kodaikanal, Palni Hills Conservation Council, and Greenpeace India, 7 Mar. 2002)

{···español} TC define caso Texaco [Ecuador]: La suerte del juicio que los colonos e indígenas amazónicos plantearon en contra de la petrolera Texaco desde 1993 por perjuicios al medio ambiente en una corte de la ciudad de Nueva York, se definirá en los próximos días en el Tribunal Constitucional. (La Hora [Ecuador], 7 marzo 2002)

CHILD MORTALITY: Remove Lead From Gasoline, Conference Delegates Say - The First International Conference on Environmental Risks to Children's Health ended today in Bangkok with more than 300 participants calling on Asian governments to remove lead from gasoline and reduce tobacco smoke in public areas and private homes. (UN Wire, 7 Mar. 2002)

New Report Finds That Conserving the World's Forests Depends on Support for Community-Based Forest Enterprises: Indigenous and Local Groups Now Control 25 Percent Of Developing World's Forests...The report cites 57 countries with at least one existing partnership between forest industry and local communities. (Future Harvest, 7 Mar. 2002)

EPA Violates Clean Air Act - Agency Attempts to Delay Public Health Protections [USA]:...The US Environmental Protection Agency approved regulations yesterday that violate a key provision of the Clean Air Act. The agency’s action will prolong and increase the public’s exposure to hazardous air pollutants--chemicals such as dioxins, mercury, and PCBs that, even in minute quantities, can cause cancer, birth defects, reproductive disorders, and other similarly devastating diseases. (Earthjustice, 7 Mar. 2002)

Indian court sends author Roy to jail: India's highest court has found Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy guilty of contempt of court over a campaign to halt the building of a controversial dam [on the Narmada River]...Critics say that the dam, India's biggest hydroelectric project, will mean large-scale flooding, cause huge environmental damage and result in the displacement of millions of people. (Amanda Cooper, Reuters, 7 Mar. 2002)

UK stalls on EU directive for recycling old cars: Britain has made little progress in solving a gridlock between car makers and recyclers on how to dispose of scrapped cars under a new European law. (Reuters, 7 Mar. 2002)

Court rules against seizure of Amazonian timber: Greenpeace says its bid to force the [UK] government to impound an imported cargo of Amazonian mahogany has failed in the High Court...The importing agent in Britain, Alan Thomas Craig, declined to comment on the case. (Stefano Ambrogi, Reuters, 7 Mar. 2002)

US study indicts particulate air pollution: Long-term exposure to the kind of air pollution common in many metropolitan areas increases the risk of death from lung cancer and other heart-lung diseases, according to a study published this week. (Reuters, 7 Mar. 2002)

EPA Orders Air Quality Improvements at Mystic Station Power Plant in Everett [USA]: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has ordered the Mystic Station power plant in Everett to take immediate steps to reduce the amount of soot and other particulate pollutants coming out of its smoke stacks. Sithe Mystic, which owns the oil-fired power plant, is cooperating with EPA's compliance order. The order comes after years of complaints by Greater Boston residents about Mystic's smoke, which contains particulate pollution that can trigger asthma and other respiratory illnesses. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 6 Mar. 2002)

What's Inco Doing in New Caledonia? [overseas territory of France]...During a visit to Canada in October of 2001, Kanak officials of the Customary Senate and New Caledonian environmentalists told INCO executives and government officials of Natural Resources Canada and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade that they want greater disclosure about INCO's plans, better public consultation, and a longer time frame for public review of INCO's forthcoming EIA so that they can commission an independent environmental assessment of the EIA and a thorough social impact assessment. (Catherine Coumans, MiningWatch Canada-Mines Alerte, 6 Mar. 2002)

Big cuts in cancer gases achieved [UK]: The amount of cancer-causing chemicals being released by Britain's biggest factories has fallen by almost 40 per cent over the last three years according to an analysis of official pollution data by Friends of the Earth, published today. But the figures also reveal that over 9,000 tonnes of cancer causing gases are still released. Seventy per cent of the pollution is released by just 10 factories [10 companies owning factories with highest releases of recognised carcinogens, 1998 - 2000: Ineos Chlor, Associated Octel, Glaxo, Carpenter, Ineos Chlor, Acordis Acetate, Recticel Manufacturing, BASF, Vitafoam, Esso Petroleum] (Friends of the Earth, 6 Mar. 2002)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Desai Speaks Out On Mining, Cars, More -  The Aug. 26-Sept. 4 World Summit on Sustainable Development will be marked by a new level of support from business for sustainable development goals, summit head Nitin Desai told Le Figaro...Desai said...mining companies will be invited to seek new modes of operation. ... Big automobile makers like Renault, Toyota, Honda, Ford and Volkswagen, together with oil companies like BP and Shell, will also have to develop a new strategy of sustainable mobility...All big businesses must become good planetary citizens. (UN Wire, 6 Mar. 2002) 

FORESTS: Conference Participants Fault Warming For Deforestation - Delegates to a Winnipeg, Canada, meeting of the World Commission on Forests and Sustainable Development said yesterday that global warming is making forests around the world more vulnerable to fires, droughts and pest infestations. (UN Wire, 6 Mar. 2002)

Lawsuits may be next weapon in climate change fight: Lawsuits may become the next weapon against climate change as impotent, tiny islands, sinking beneath the waves, seek revenge on the rich polluting nations and multinational concerns they accuse of wiping them out...Australia and the United States could possibly be challenged in the International Court of Justice for not ratifying Kyoto...An alternative avenue might be the U.S. alien tort claims act, which could allow Pacific islands to sue car makers, power station operators or oil firms for pollution. (Michael Christie, Reuters, 6 Mar. 2002)

Major Canadian business groups take aim at Kyoto: Two influential Canadian business groups [Canadian Chamber of Commerce & Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers] urged Ottawa not to ratify the Kyoto protocol on global warming, saying that to do so would cost thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. (David Ljunggren, Reuters, 6 Mar. 2002) 

Greenpeace seeks seizure of Amazonian timber [UK]: Greenpeace has taken the [UK] government to court in a bid to force it to seize a cargo of Amazonian mahogany which it says has been imported illegally. (Reuters, 6 Mar. 2002)

UK firm suspected in chemical leak: Hundreds of tonnes of a toxic chemical leaking from shipping containers at Djibouti port in East Africa pose a serious threat to human health and the environment, the United Nations world food body said. (David Brough, Reuters, 6 Mar. 2002)

EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] Administrator Whitman Honors 47 Citizen, Industry, Government Groups for Innovative Efforts to Clean Air [USA]: For their outstanding and innovative efforts in helping clean the nation's air, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman today honored 47 local and state governments, industries and citizens groups at the second Annual Clean Air Excellence Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. [companies receiving awards include CSX Transportation, Orbital Engine Corporation, Intel Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Corp., Gibson Technologies, Playa Capital Company, Con Edison, Merck] (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 5 Mar. 2002)

Greenpeace says 40 percent of Japanese plywood imports illegal: Environmental group Greenpeace Tuesday accused Japan of being a "partner in crime" in the destruction of ancient forests by importing illegally felled plywood. (Agence France Presse, 5 Mar. 2002)

Forest Watch slams review [Papua New Guinea]: The World Bank funded Independent Forest Review failed to identify specific recommendations for action to remedy the abuse and corruption in the forest sector, PNG Forest Watch has claimed...“The logging will cause massive detrimental social, environmental and economic effects that will severely impact on the quality of life for the local people" (Post-Courier [Papua New Guinea], 5 Mar. 2002)

Lawsuit Against Shell for Human Rights Violations in Nigeria to Proceed: A U.S. Federal Court has ruled that a civil lawsuit [Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co.] charging multinational oil giant Shell with complicity in human rights violations will go forward. (EarthRights International, 5 Mar. 2002)

Does caring boost the bottom line? Businesses are under increasing pressure to embrace community concerns. Michael Skapinker and Alison Maitland begin a four-part series by examining whether ethics and environmentalism are just a PR exercise or whether they can help improve profits (Michael Skapinker and Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 5 Mar. 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: European Environment Ministers Endorse Kyoto Protocol (UN Wire, 5 Mar. 2002)

Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development: Project Draft Report for Comment - All comments on the Report are welcome until 17 April 2002 (Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development Project, IIED - International Institute for Environment and Development, 4 Mar. 2002)

{···español} Indígenas burlados por compañías petroleras [Ecuador]: Las comunidades huaorani de Ecuador aceptaron unos pocos alimentos, medicinas y utensilios a cambio de permitir a la petrolera italiana Agip Oil explorar su territorio, lo cual constituye "una burla a los derechos colectivos" de los indígenas, afirmó la organización ambientalista Acción Ecológica. (La Hora [Ecuador], 4 marzo 2002)

Ecuador Amazon Protests End; Army Control Lifted: Ecuador's government and Amazon jungle protestors struck an accord Monday that put an end to 10 days of violence that left one dead and dampened oil output, officials said...Lozada said one issue still under discussion is a demand by local leaders in Sucumbios that pipeline builder OCP Ecuador SA grant more development funds to the area, the heart of Ecuador's oil industry. (Amy Taxin, Reuters, 4 Mar. 2002)

Swedish global development policy: Executive Summary: A new Swedish policy for global development [final report of the Parliamentary Commission on Sweden's policy for global development (GLOBKOM)] [excerpts from page 9, section entitled "The business sector": "The experience and expertise of the Swedish business sector and trade unions should be put to better use in Swedish development assistance by including them to a greater extent in the formulation of country assistance strategies."  "The Committee proposes to study further whether a need exists for legislation requiring companies and pension funds to render social and environmental accounts and, secondly, whether there is any need to make export credits conditional on the assumption of social and environmental responsibility."] (Parliamentary Commission on Sweden's policy for global development - GLOBKOM, on the website of Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2002)

Mexico's 'devastating' forest loss: Deforestation - which environmentalists say is one of the most pressing concerns affecting the planet - will top the agenda at a United Nations meeting of environment ministers in New York on Monday. (Nick Miles, BBC News, 4 Mar. 2002)

Governments must restore forests for the world's poor:...WWF believes that sound environmental practices which protect and restore forests go hand-in-hand with human well-being and the alleviation of poverty. (WWF, 4 Mar. 2002)

Mexico's 'devastating' forest loss:..There is a growing body of opinion that the government's focus on removing the settlers from their land is simply a smokescreen deflecting attention from the widespread illegal logging going on across the country. (BBC News, 4 Mar. 2002)

Nigeria sets $176 million fine for oil spills: Nigeria said oil tankers or production companies responsible for oil spills in its territorial waters could face a fine of up to $176 million. (Reuters, 4 Mar. 2002)

Cargill farm to pay $1.55 mln for polluting river [USA]: A Cargill pig farm in Missouri agreed to pay $1.55 million in fines after admitting it illegally polluted a local river with hog waste (Reuters, 4 Mar. 2002) 

ENVIRONMENT: Australia Hit for Backing PNG Logging Seminar - The Australian government's support for a trade fair at a seminar this month, organised to promote an expansion of Papua New Guinea's controversial logging industry, has angered environmentalists (Bob Burton, Inter Press Service, 3 Mar. 2002)

Environmental Hazards Kill at least 3 Million Children Aged under 5 Every Year: Opening Today of Bangkok Conference Marks New Initiative to Fight Child Mortality and Morbidity linked to Unhealthy Environments -...topics such as children’s exposure to lead, mercury, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants and other chemicals will be discussed. The effects of environmental tobacco smoke, radiation, climate change, and food quality and safety on children will also be discussed. (World Health Organization, 3 Mar. 2002)

A Rights Based Approach to Development: Presentation to the World Social Forum Seminar on Globalization and Human Dignity - Porto Allegre (Jorge Daniel Taillant, Executive Director of CEDHA - Centro de Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente/Center for Human Rights and Environment, 2 Mar. 2002)

The World Bank’s ‘Extractive Industries Review’ - The Extractive Industries Review (EIR) is an initiative of the World Bank, undertaken mainly at the prompting of US-based NGOs and members of Friends of the Earth-International, to work out how it should deal with the oil, gas and mining sectors. (Marcus Colchester, Director, Forest Peoples Programme, 1 March 2002)

Desperately seeking a sustainable vacation [Arizona, USA]: Phoenix begins to meet the challenge - Several hotels and resorts [& golf courses] are slashing their water use and employing innovative strategies to lessen the strain they put on Phoenix's over-taxed desert environment. (Koren Capozza, Environmental News Network, 1 Mar. 2002)

Sustainable slopes [Colorado, USA]: Aspen skiing company makes the environment its business (Katherine Kerlin, E/The Environmental Magazine, on Environmental News Network website, 1 Mar. 2002)

Carbon plant union files lawsuit [USA]: The union that represents workers at the Continental Carbon plant filed a notice of intent to sue this week against the company, alleging violations of environmental regulations that jeopardize worker safety...The union alleges that Continental Carbon [which converts carbon black oil, a byproduct of oil refining, into carbon black, which is used in tires and plastic products] handles and disposes of hazardous waste without proper permits or procedures to protect workers or the local environment. (Greg Cunningham, Amarillo Globe-News [USA], 1 Mar. 2002)

Is the United States a Pollution Haven?...The question arises from a look at agriculture under NAFTA, particularly the trade in corn...Corn production is moving from Mexico, where it was more sustainable, to the United States, where it involves serious environmental impacts. (Frank Ackerman, Americas Program, 1 Mar. 2002)

Oil: A Life Cycle Analysis of its Health and Environmental Impacts [includes reference to case studies in Nigeria, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru] (Paul R. Epstein & Jesse Selber, eds., Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School, Mar. 2002)

Whose Business? A Handbook on Corporate Responsibility for Human Rights and the Environment -...Produced primarily for use by North American educators, students, and activists...The central theme of this handbook is that the institutions and regulatory frameworks now governing the global economy have not adequately protected human rights, the environment, and labor rights. (California Global Corporate Accountability Project, Mar. 2002)

Mounting pressure for a global law for multi-national corporations (Chris Albertyn, Groundwork Newsletter, Groundwork: Environmental Justice Action in Southern Africa, Mar. 2002)

Food for thought: Corporate Social Responsibility for food and beverage manufactures -  An introduction for policy-setters and operational managers, featuring best practice from eight leading companies in the food and beverage sector. [includes reference to social & environmental issues; cocoa, coffee, tea & banana sectors; Tea Sourcing Partnership in the UK; Chiquita/Rainforest Alliance's 'Better Banana Project'] (Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, Mar. 2002)

The Human Cost of Global Warming: Global warming is not just facts, figures and future forecasts. Meet the people whose lives are already being affected by it. [refers to countries including Honduras, Venezuela, India, Mozambique, Indonesia, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, France, Nigeria, Canada, Tuvalu, Peru, Somalia] (The Ecologist, Mar. 2002)