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Environment & human rights: Oct. 2001 |
Oct. 2001:
Exxon says it is taking action on climate change: U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil defended its decision not to invest in renewable energy at an industry conference in London yesterday, and said it was focusing on energy efficiency instead...The company has come under fire from environmental groups for opposing the Kyoto Protocol (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 31 Oct. 2001)
A Ford takes the wheel at Ford: William Clay Ford Jr., the 44-year-old great-grandson of founder Henry Ford and already chairman of the world's second-largest automaker, replaced embattled President and Chief Executive Jacques Nasser yesterday...As chairman, Ford's most visible efforts have been moves to make the automaker more environmentally friendly, such as the company's pledge to raise the fuel economy of its sport utility vehicles by 25 percent by 2005. Ford has struggled to unite the drive for greater profits with social responsibility, arguing consumers would reward companies which thought about more than simply profit and loss. In the past few years, Ford has reached out to environmental groups such as Greenpeace and admitted the polluting nature of some of its vehicles - something unheard of in Detroit. (Justin Hyde, Reuters, 31 Oct. 2001)
Greenpeace urges public access to climate data: The environmental group Greenpeace yesterday called on countries negotiating a key climate-change treaty to ensure transparency and easy public access to technical data (Gilles Trequesser, Reuters, 31 Oct. 2001)
The Paradox of Poverty and Corporate Globalisation [refers to Shell's environmental and human rights impact on Ogoni community in Nigeria] (Owens Wiwa, Executive Director of AFRIDA - African Environmental and Human Development Agency and brother of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, speech to International Conference on Globalisation, 30 Oct. 2001)
Indigenous groups seek self-determination: Indigenous groups are organizing to demand control over their lands and resources. (Barbara J. Fraser, Inter Press Service, 30 Oct. 2001)
MINING: Company warned to observe environmental regulations [Thailand] - Forestry chief Plodprasop Suraswadi warned a gold mining company [Tungkum Co] to observe environmental protection regulations while mining in a forest reserve in Loei province. (Kultida Samabuddhi, Bangkok Post, 30 Oct. 2001)
Protesters urge World Bank to halt oil funding: Environmental group Friends of the Earth held a protest in Brussels yesterday against World Bank funding of oil, gas and mining projects in developing nations. (Reuters, 30 Oct. 2001)
Sustainability and Profitability: Conflict or Convergence? Report on the Inaugural U.S. Senior Executives' Seminar, 29th October to 2nd November 2001 [includes summary of presentation on "Global Business and Human Rights" by Michael Posner, Executive Director of Lawyers Committee for Human Rights] (HRH The Prince of Wales's Business & the Environment Programme, developed and run by the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry, 29 Oct.-2 Nov. 2001)
Responsible Care: Unions' New Offer To Chemical Employers - The world's chemical industry unions have launched a new drive for a global agreement with employers on the industry's Responsible Care programme. ICEM and the companies' International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)...were close to signing a global agreement on Responsible Care. But the deal was scuppered this April by the ICCA's US member, the American Chemistry Council (ACC). This was, apparently, at the behest of two anti-union American companies, Exxon and Dupont. (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 29 Oct. 2001)
Companies Get Help Building Green: The U.S. Green Building Council makes it easier for companies to be more energy efficient and friendlier to the environment by helping them construct "green" buildings...In its efforts to mitigate the building industry's impact on the environment, the USGBC serves as a center for information, debate, education and action on green building. (Robert Smith, SocialFunds.com, 29 Oct. 2001)
Illegal logging spreads in Russia: Environmental activists in the Russian Far East are becoming increasingly concerned about the extent of illegal logging in the region. (BBC News, 29 Oct. 2001)
ASIA: Rebuilding After Economic Crisis Exacerbates Environmental Problems - Efforts to rebuild following the 1997 financial crisis in Asia are exacerbating the region's environmental problems, according to new research from U.N. agencies, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The institutions say that almost every Asian government has slashed environmental protection spending and some are ignoring violations of pollution, illegal logging and overfishing standards. (UN Wire, 29 Oct. 2001)
Climate talks reach climax without main polluter: U.N. climate talks on a pact to limit global warming resume today with the world's main polluter, the United States, on the sidelines. The two-week meeting in the southern Moroccan city will seek to produce a legally binding document for industrialised nations to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade. (Gilles Trequesser, Reuters, 29 Oct. 2001)
Is FTSE4Good just stock market capitalism dressed in green? Craig Mackenzie [FTSE4Good Advisory Committee Deputy Chairman] and Rob Cartridge [Campaigns Director for War on Want] debate the credentials of the new stock index that boasts environmental standards (The Ecologist, 26 Oct. 2001)
Shell passes the buck in Nigeria: This week Shell announced that it is suing six Nigerian youths accused of occupying a Shell oil flow station in the Niger Delta on 27th September. The case, set to begin in court next week, has astounded oil campaigners...Shell’s own stated aim demonstrates the company’s lack of irony; a spokesman in London said last week, ‘We are the victim of frequent acts of vandalism and sabotage which is dangerous to human life and damages the environment. We have decided to take civil action against the individuals responsible for the acts of sabotage to send a signal that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable.’ Inhabitants of the Niger Delta have their own view of who is responsible for acts which are ‘dangerous to human life and damage the environment’ – the death and destruction resulting from Shell’s activities in the region and their use of the Nigerian military are well-documented. (Corporate Watch, 26 Oct. 2001)
Ireland goes for green with new recycling effort: Ireland aims to become greener than ever with a waste management plan that will see at least 650 million punts invested in recycling up to 2006, a government official told an industry conference yesterday (Amanda Cooper, Reuters, 26 Oct. 2001)
WWF urges reform of $15 bln fishing subsidies: Massive subsidies to the fishing industry, estimated at $15 billion per year, have depleted the world's fish stocks and contributed to a commercial fishing crisis, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said yesterday. (Stephanie Nebehay, Reuters, 26 Oct. 2001)
Protecting Gabon's pristine forests: Faced with balancing the threat to rain forests and animal species with the need for one of the world's poorest regions to create jobs, conservationists in central Africa are turning to an unlikely ally for help — the timber industry. It's a move that angers some in the conservation movement, but to scientists like Mr. White, it's the only choice left...They negotiate land swaps with loggers, keep track of long-term logging plans, and even arrange purchases of timber concessions for particularly valuable areas. (Tim Sullivan, Associated Press, in Washington Times, 25 Oct. 2001)
UK polluting more thanks to shift to coal: A shift towards burning more coal in Britain's power stations is threatening to derail government plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, seen by many scientists as contributing to global warming. (Matthew Jones, Reuters, 25 Oct. 2001)
Cyanide Spill Ghana's Worst Environmental Disaster: Villages in the Wassa West District of Ghana's western region have been hit by the spillage of thousands of cubic metres of mine wastewater contaminated with cyanide and heavy metals. The cyanide-laced waste contaminated the River Asuman on October 16 when a tailings dam ruptured at a mine operation owned by the South African company, Goldfields Ltd. (Mike Anane, Environment News Service, 24 Oct. 2001)
Big investors press for social responsibility [UK]: Britain's biggest investors are to put greater pressure on companies to sign up to the principles of corporate social responsibility, under tough new guidelines published yesterday by the Association of British Insurers. The move by the ABI, whose members control one quarter of the UK stock market, represents a significant shift by investors, who have traditionally seen social responsibility as a "distraction". Douglas Alexander, minister for corporate social responsibility, who addressed yesterday's ABI conference, signalled that the government might make a new operating and financial review - giving details on a company's approach to social and environmental issues - mandatory for the "most economically significant" companies...New research published by the ABI, shows that there are risks to shareholder value from human rights abuses, poor treatment of workers, suppliers and customers. (Simon Targett, Financial Times, 24 Oct. 2001)
Miners to focus on sustainability - Noranda CEO: Mining companies need to work in tandem with governments and NGOs to produce a viable sustainable development model for the industry, David Kerr, president of Canadian miner Noranda, said this week. In a speech prepared for the London Metal Exchange (LME) annual dinner, Kerr said the industry was taking steps to address its unfavourable image. "The fact is, we are perceived negatively, and our freedom to operate is increasingly coming under threat"...The economic requirement for sustainability is that a business should remain profitable, while on the environmental front the mining industry has made significant progress, he said. "When it comes to the social measures, however, our record is more checkered.... It is only recently that issues such as poverty and human rights have begun to bite," Kerr said. He cited the company's Antamina copper-zinc joint venture in Peru as an example of potential social issues facing mining development. (Reuters, 24 Oct. 2001)
Eastern Europe countries battle legacy of the past: More than 10 years after the 1989 collapse of communism, the rusting remains of smelters and mines are a legacy eastern Europe is finding hard to get rid of. Dilapidated smelting and mining facilities continue to spew toxins into an already befouled environment in these countries, many of which are hoping to join the European Union. The EU is using the lure of enlargement to push candidate states to put clean-up high on their agenda. [Details on Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria] (Adrian Dascalu, Reuters, 24 Oct. 2001)
Saving big business from extinction: Business Books - The Chrysalis Economy / The Civil Corporation / Everybody's Business: Roger Cowe is persuaded by the argument that sustainable development requires companies to rethink their values (Roger Cowe, Financial Times, 24 Oct. 2001)
Nissan to have fuel cell vehicle technology by 2005 (Reuters, 24 Oct. 2001)
WestLB, Germany’s Largest Public Bank Urged to Pull Out of Oil Pipeline in the Ecuadorian Amazon: World Wide Demonstrations Planned in 10 Countries on October 24! - Environmental activists in Los Angeles will join their counter parts around the world in protesting the involvement of Germany’s largest publicly held bank, WestLB, in financing the new heavy crude pipeline in the Ecuadorian Amazon. WestLB is the lead arranger for nearly $900 million in financing for the billion-dollar project, which not only cuts through fragile rainforests but will also result in the doubling of oil production from Ecuador’s fragile Amazon and Andean ecosystems. The project has been plagued by lawsuits and protests. Demonstrations and media events are also planned on October 24 in the following cities: San Francisco, Quito, Washington DC, Barcelona, London, Munster, Dusseldorf, Munich, Milan, Zurich, Warsaw, Sydney and Canberra. (Amazon Watch, 23 Oct. 2001)
A badge of approval: A new type of relationship is emerging between companies and NGOs, one where NGOs act as certification bodies, verifying, and in many cases permitting use of their logos for this purpose, that products and services are being produced in socially responsible and environmentally friendly ways. (Sarah Murray, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)
A need for one voice: As business ethics come under increasing scrutiny, a growing number of companies have begun to produce reports on their social and environmental performance...One problem with the current state of environmental and social reporting is that there is a plethora of different measures in use. (Vanessa Houlder, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)
A step towards unity of purpose: Few developments in corporate citizenship have attracted as much hope in advance of their launch as the Global Reporting Initiative, to be formally inaugurated early next year. The initiative will seek to create a common framework for assessing businesses' economic, environmental and social performance, collectively termed sustainability reporting. Its goals are ambitious - the GRI seeks to make sustainability reporting "as routine and credible as financial reporting in terms of comparability, rigour and verifiability". (Alan Pike, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)
Mining cleans up, embraces cutting edge technology: In the 21st century, the toolbag has been transformed as mining companies investigate new ways to mine and process metal to tackle rising costs and flak from environmentalist groups. (Martin Hayes, Reuters, 23 Oct. 2001)
BP to build Singapore stations for hydrogen cars: British energy group BP and the Economic Development Board (EDB) yesterday signed a letter of intent to build hydrogen refueling stations for future Singapore motorists driving hydrogen-powered vehicles. In May, the EDB signed a similar letter of intent with DaimlerChrysler to develop hydrogen-power cars for the Singapore market. "You'll probably see the installation of hydrogen systems in 2003, with the construction one year ahead of the introduction of the vehicles, which could be 2004," said Gary Oliver, hydrogen market development manager at BP. (Reuters, 23 Oct. 2001)
Deforestation Far Away Hurts Rain Forests, Study Says Ecology: Downing trees on Costa Rica's coastal plains inhibits cloud formation in distant peaks. 'It's incredibly ominous,' a scientist says - Weather itself is changing in the lush cloud forests of Costa Rica because of deforestation many miles away, scientists say in a new study published today in the journal Science (Gary Polakovic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2001)
WRI [World Resource Institute] Recognizes Eco-Friendly Enterprises: New Ventures program aims to bring together socially responsible venture capitalists with environment-friendly businesses looking to expand. Three enterprises won a competition sponsored by World Resource Institute (WRI)’s New Ventures program at its 2001 Investment Forum in Angra dos Reos, Brazil October 4-5. The award recognizes profitability coupled with environmentally sound practices. Of the nine contenders this year, the three winners are: Vehizero, an urban delivery vehicle provider that brings low-cost, environment-friendly hybrid electricity vehicles to the Mexican market; Rainforest Expeditions, an ecotourism outfit that is expanding to build an eco-lodge in Peru’s Sacred Valley, promising conservation assistance and community development there; and GE Forestal, a Peruvian forestry company that brings certified lumber and wood products to the international market while also investing in innovative reforestation techniques. (Susan Wennemyr, SocialFunds.com, 19 Oct. 2001)
Huge Amazon areas lost each year but forest stands: He [Carlos Nobre, general coordinator of temperature and climate studies at Brazil's National Institute for Space Research] warned that the logging, fires and farming in the Amazon could create "biodiversity losses of unknown magnitude." (Axel Bugge, Reuters, 19 Oct. 2001)
EPA says US air quality better, but smog still a problem:...Over 160 million tons of pollutants are released into the air each year, and 121 million people live where air quality is unhealthy, EPA said in its report on national air quality based on data collected in 2000. (Chris Baltimore, Reuters, 19 Oct. 2001)
US energy dept gives $51 mln for clean coal technology: The U.S. Energy Department will spend $51 million to begin testing cleaner-burning technologies at eight coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said yesterday. In addition to the federal spending, private companies will contribute another $61 million for so-called "clean coal technology" pilot program to cut emissions, increase reliability and improve waste removal. (Reuters, 19 Oct. 2001)
Serbian drug plants say waste may delay investment: Serbian drug producers said yesterday the unresolved problem of pharmaceutical waste stored at plants' compounds could hamper potential foreign investments and urged authorities to define a waste management strategy. (Reuters, 19 Oct. 2001)
Snapple's natural gas forklifts and refueling station set an example for companies nationwide and mean cleaner air for New York City -...We congratulate Snapple, Pride Equipment, Kingdom Group and KeySpan Energy for the collaboration that made this project possible. (Joanna D. Underwood, President, INFORM, 18 Oct. 2001)
Making the business case for going green -...Mr. McDonough's clientele includes such corporate powers as The Gap, Nike, Ford Motor Co., and myriad smaller firms, for which he has built eco-friendly offices (Michael Fainelli, Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2001)
Manufacturing Growth With Social Deficits: Environmental and Labor Issues in the High Tech Sector of Penang, Malaysia (California Global Corporate Accountability Project, 18 Oct. 2001)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: 2002 Summit To Stress Poverty Reduction - African environment ministers meeting this week at the U.N. Environment Program's Nairobi headquarters issued a statement yesterday outlining a common position to be pursued when delegates convene in Johannesburg next September for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The ministers said poverty alleviation and environmental regeneration will be key priorities for the summit, and that Africa will urge attendees "to adopt concrete measures to provide a solid foundation for an immediate and focused international assault on some of the worst aspects of global poverty and hence environmental degradation." (UN Wire, 18 Oct. 2001)
EU delay on climate change package angers greens: The European Commission postponed a major legislative package to combat global warming yesterday, angering environmentalists. EU officials insisted the delay was purely technical but pressure groups blamed last-minute industry lobbying. (Reuters, 18 Oct. 2001)
French judge probes TotalFinaElf on Erika oil spill: French oil company TotalFinaElf is to be placed under judicial investigation over the sinking of its oil tanker Erika, which caused huge marine and coastal pollution in 1999, the company said this week. TotalFinaElf said French judge Dominique de Talance had told the company she intended to investigate accusations that it failed to take the necessary action to avoid the accident and for complicity in deliberate violation of safety rules...TotalFinaElf rejected the accusations, saying it was not warned the ship was unsafe and therefore the security lapse was not its fault. It also said maritime authorities, not the company, should have worked to limit pollution. (Reuters, 18 Oct. 2001)
Ozone-depleting chemical may get reprieve: Developed countries may be allowed limited use of ozone-depleting methyl bromide beyond a 2004 deadline to phase out the chemical, officials at an environmental conference in Sri Lanka said yesterday. Methyl bromide is used as a crop fumigant and for pest control and although it is less damaging to the ozone layer than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) it is released directly into the atmosphere. (Reuters, 18 Oct. 2001)
Sustainability in the U.S. Sees Hurdles, Future Growth: Symposium discusses market hesitance and corporate attraction to embracing sustainability. Yesterday, representatives from the private sector, academia, and government gathered at a symposium to discuss how companies and the financial markets value sustainability, and how companies are benefiting from their sustainability initiatives. (Mark Thomsen, SocialFunds.com, 18 Oct. 2001)
Aboriginal Sea Rights Confirmed in Australia's High Court: A landmark ruling handed down by the High Court of Australia late last week has confirmed the validity of limited Aboriginal rights over 2,000 square kilometres of the seas adjoining traditional lands off the north coast. The decision has been cautiously welcomed by Aboriginal and environmental groups...A Northern Territory conservation group, the Marine and Coastal Community Network, sees the extension of Aboriginal rights as leading to better marine management than exists at the moment. "Aboriginal people have a really strong stewardship ethic and a lot of cultural law and I think that strengthening that recognition of people's cultural responsibilities and rights would empower people to look after their area," says network coordinator Patrick O'Leary. (Bob Burton, Environment News Service, 17 Oct. 2001)
India may allow GM crop production by March: India is likely to allow by March the commercial production of a genetically modified (GM) crop for the first time, a top government official said. (Atul Prakash, Reuters, 17 Oct. 2001)
Green Backlash Feared from World Slowdown: European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom has voiced fears that economic gloom in the wake of last month's terrorist attacks on the United States could crowd environmental issues off the global agenda. (Environment News Service, 16 Oct. 2001)
Bo Nok Power Plant [Thailand]: Developers say attack on staff won't scare them off - Firm plans legal action, says boss - Gulf Electric Plc, developer of the Bo Nok coal-fired power plant in Prachuap Khiri Khan, says an attack on its staff will not persuade it to pull out. Villagers who attacked its employees and a marine biologist last weekend had infringed on their human rights and legal action would be taken. (Anchalee Kongrut, Bangkok Post, 16 Oct. 2001)
OZONE LAYER: Governments Meet To Strengthen Montreal Protocol - ...Some 400 delegates from 130 countries will consider ways to accelerate the ozone layer's revival, including proposals to help governments comply with the agreed phase-out schedules under the treaty, discourage the development and marketing of new ozone depleting substances (ODS), instigate a long-term strategy to ensure that new chemicals are tested, promote alternatives to ozone depleting chemicals and accelerate ratification of the protocol's amendments. With these substances in developed countries now almost completely phased out, UNEP says attention is turning to developing countries, which account for 83 percent of the remaining global consumption. (UN Wire, 16 Oct. 2001)
EPA [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] OKs plan to cut Houston pollution by 75 pct: A plan that would cut air pollution by 75 percent in Houston, one of the nation's most polluted cities, was signed yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency after years of haggling with local officials. The plan, which sets a 2007 deadline for reaching the targets, calls for such things as reduced emissions from industrial plants and lower speed limits on city streets. (Reuters, 16 Oct. 2001)
US EPA proposes rules to encourage cogeneration: The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new rules yesterday to encourage U.S. manufacturing and industrial plants to use cogeneration, a more efficient technology for generating electricity. The planned rules, which would amend the federal Clean Air Act, would make it faster and easier for companies to build combined heat and power facilities, otherwise known as cogeneration. (Reuters, 16 Oct. 2001)
New European Sustainability Indexes Launched: Four Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability Indexes are introduced to satisfy the growing demand for sustainability benchmarks in Europe. (Mark Thomsen, SocialFunds.com, 15 Oct. 2001)
RUSSIA: Major Oil Company Joins Global Compact - At a ceremony Friday at the U.N. Office for Project Services' headquarters in New York, UNOPS [United Nations Office for Project Services] Executive Director Reinhart Helmke and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the chairman and CEO of Russia's second-largest oil company, YUKOS, signed a partnership framework agreement. YUKOS officially joined U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Global Compact initiative. Under the agreement, the two partners will undertake and design projects in Russia and surrounding countries, targeting areas such as social investment in post-conflict societies, environmental cleanup and management, educational and cultural exchanges in support of peace or stabilization processes, the digital divide, health care and the development of small- and medium-size enterprises..Khodorkovsky also met separately with Annan to sign numerous agreements on environmental protection and human rights, according to the RosBusiness Consulting Agency. (UN Wire, 15 Oct. 2001)
Clean Energy Blueprint: A Smarter National Energy Policy for Today and the Future [USA] (Union of Concerned Scientists, 15 Oct. 2001)
New US multilateralism won't stretch to Kyoto: The United States' quest to build an international coalition to fight terrorism is unlikely to make it adopt a multilateral approach to halt the threat of global warming, analysts said. (Robin Pomeroy, Reuters, 15 Oct. 2001)
IBP strikes deals with EPA over environmental claims [USA]: Beef and pork processor IBP Inc. said last week it reached a deal with federal and state officials to settle a lawsuit filed against it by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency alleging environmental problems at a company facility it owns and two former company plants. Under the agreement's terms, the federal agency will receive $2.25 million and the state of Nebraska will receive $1.85 million from IBP. (Reuters, 15 Oct. 2001)
Firms 'need forcing' to do the right thing: An Observer survey shows people don't believe companies will be socially responsible on their own. -...The research reveals high levels of scepticism among leaders from the voluntary sector, education, local government and media about companies' claims to be improving their environmental performance and benefiting communities. The panel of activists and leaders in key social sectors come across as firm believers in CSR [corporate social responsibility] but do not think the corporate world can be trusted with a voluntary approach, especially in the face of a recession. Their clear call for legislation comes as the [UK] Government is considering how to preserve its business-friendly stance and head off the anti-corporate sentiment fuelled by globalisation protests. (Roger Cowe, Observer [UK], 14 Oct. 2001)
Clean progress sought on pollution fight [China]: Local governments were Friday urged to co-operate in the national fight against pollution and cast off their parochial focus for the benefit of the whole nation. The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said in Beijing that local protectionism remained a big obstacle in the way of the country's anti-pollution campaign that SEPA launched since early this year. A total of 18,084 enterprises have been punished for damaging the environment in the past several months. But 10,000 cases have yet to be settled as local governments have refrained from taking action for fear that punishment would impair local economy, said Jiang Yandong, director in charge of law enforcement with SEPA. (China Daily, 13 Oct. 2001)
UNEP's [United Nations Environment Programme's] 18th Consultative meeting with Industry Associations Paris, 4 - 5 October, 2001: Preparing for the World Summit on Sustainable Development - A call for partnerships and a proactive approach - As a contribution to the preparation process for next year's World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, representatives of some fifty industry associations from different parts of the world met in Paris last week. The two day event, the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) 18th Consultative Meeting with Industry Associations, was, for the first time, also attended by non-industry civil society representatives such as Rémi Parmentier, Political Director of Greenpeace International and Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the Earth International. With discussion often returning to the need for "partnerships" and the greater involvement of business and industry from the developing world, various speakers called for a more pro-active approach by the sector in addressing the complex issues surrounding sustainable development. (United Nations Environment Programme, 12 Oct. 2001)
Thin roof caused 2000 Kentucky coal disaster - study [USA]: A thin roof above an underground coal mine caused last year's disaster in Kentucky that flooded rivers with millions of gallons of toxic coal sludge, according to a study soon to be released by the federal government. (Timothy Gardner, Reuters, 12 Oct. 2001)
Developing Countries Learn to Limit Chemical Risks: Officials from over 100 governments concerned with reducing the risks of chemical use, particularly in developing countries, have been meeting in Rome this week to prepare for the entry into force of a global treaty to govern these risks. (Environment News Service, 11 Oct. 2001)
Progress made towards reducing risks of pesticides and industrial chemicals in developing countries: Officials from over 100 governments are meeting here [Rome] this week (8-12 October 2001) to prepare for the entry into force of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure (PIC) for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade and to oversee the implementation of the voluntary interim PIC procedure. (U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, 11 Oct. 2001)
Poisoning victims of Japan's mercury bay may be double previous estimates: Poisoning from Japan's infamous mercury bay may plague tens of thousands more people than previously acknowledged, according to fresh research slated for release next week. The findings could increase pressure on the Japanese government to boost victim compensation as they refocus concern on an environmental catastrophe shadowing the country for nearly 50 years. The government officially recognizes 2,265 victims — 1,435 already dead — of the industrial dumpings at southern Japan's Minamata Bay, where chemical maker Chisso Corp. had been pouring tons of mercury compounds since in the 1930s. (Hans Greimel, Associated Press, 11 Oct. 2001)
Business tells governments to pay up for Jo'burg Summit: Business Action for Sustainable Development, a coalition of business associations, today called on governments to provide funding for next year's World Summit on Sustainable Development and relieve South Africa as host country of an unacceptable financial burden that was imperiling the event. (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 10 Oct. 2001)
Peru's rainforest natives pin future on ecotourism (Simon Gardner, Reuters, 10 Oct. 2001)
Sydkraft sells green certificates to Dutch Nuon: Swedish power company Sydkraft said yesterday it had sold 100 gigawatt hours of electricity with so-called green certificates to Dutch multi-utility Neon (Reuters, 10 Oct. 2001)
Forest industry takes lead in sustainable development practices: Failure to address the challenges of globalization and sustain the forestry and wood industry sectors could lead to elimination of more than 5 percent of the global workforce in this area, estimated at some 47 million, says a new report by the ILO. (Human.Rights@Work: A monthly newsletter produced by the ILO Bureau for Workers' Activities, International Labour Organization, 9 Oct. 2001)
Promoting sustainable tourism in the Caribbean: The participation of social partners in all regional and national bodies involved in sustainable tourism, the strengthening of Labour ministries to implement and enforce health and safety regulations relating to tourism and the promotion of key ILO standards and the concept of Decent Work in that industry, were among the key recommendations made last month (September 2001) at an ILO-sub regional seminar on the promotion of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean...Increased pollution, coastal zone degradation, freshwater shortages and loss of bio-diversity were all threatening the nature of the industry as a result of mass tourism and an unsustainable approach. (Human.Rights@Work: A monthly newsletter produced by the ILO Bureau for Workers' Activities, International Labour Organization, 9 Oct. 2001)
Nike releases first corporate responsibility report: Key Issues Identified in Report: Working Toward Sustainability Goals, Reducing Climate Impact, Improving Factory Compliance (Nike, 9 Oct. 2001)
UNDP Pledges Assistance to Fight Environmental Degradation [Nigeria]:..."The active participation of the private sector in funding thematic issues of the [environmental] conventions has to be encouraged", he [UNDP Resident representative in Nigeria] advised...[T]he Executive Director of the Nigerian conservation foundation (NCF), Dr Muhtari Amini-Kano, bemoaned the continued erosion of the nation's forest resources despite all efforts being taken to guard against the practice. "A combination of factors have been identified for the loss of forest resources in Nigeria. Apart from logging and farming, other direct causes of deforestation in Nigerian have included fuel-wood gathering, livestock grazing, bush burning, conversion of natural forest to plantations of commercial grade trees, mining, oil exploitation and de-reservation of forest reserves by government for non-forest uses, including urbnanisation and infrastructural development he observed. (Jude Njoku, Vanguard [Lagos], 9 Oct. 2001)
NGOs call on Environment Ministers to ensure ambitious environment indicators for EU: Three leading European environmental organisations have called on EU Environment Ministers, on the eve of a crucial working group meeting for the Environment Council, to claim a key role in the further development of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. In a letter to the Ministers, the three – the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Friends of Nature International (IFN) and Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE) – presented a set of 10 indicators that should be used to ensure that the environmental dimension of such a Strategy is safeguarded. (European Environmental Bureau, Friends of Nature International and Friends of the Earth Europe, 9 Oct. 2001)
Spy in the sky to protect rainforest: The Amazon, one of the world's remaining wilderness areas, is about to get a long-awaited aerial monitoring system to help protect the Brazilian rainforest against illegal exploitation. (Alex Bellos, Guardian [UK], 9 Oct. 2001)
Protesters bang the drum for BASD: More than 40 drum-wielding protesters besieged ICC headquarters today in an attempt to disrupt the inaugural meeting of Business Action for Sustainable Development. The protesters - some from as far as Denmark and The Netherlands - waved banners and brandished slogans decrying the creation of this new international business network. (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 9 Oct. 2001)
Business sees key consumer role at Jo'burg Summit: Business preparations for next year's World Summit on Sustainable Development moved into top gear today with an appeal to governments for clarity about what should be expected of companies - and insistence that consumers have a key role to play. (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 9 Oct. 2001)
UK power industry readies for green energy trading: British electricity companies are gearing up to start trading green energy certificates in January as part of a government scheme to encourage the expansion of the country's fledgeling renewable energy sector. (Matthew Jones, Reuters, 8 Oct. 2001)
Leaders gather in Paris to plan for 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development: Business leaders from across the world are gathering in Paris to discuss the role of business at the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting is being organized by the Business Action for Sustainable Development, a joint initiative of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). (Sacha Shivdasani, Earth Times News Service, 7 Oct. 2001)
Iranian forests are vanishing: report Tehran - A look at aerial photographs of Iran's forests shows that between 1969 and 1988 large parts of jungles in the north and northeast were destroyed, according to the Thursday edition of the English-language newspaper `Iran Daily.' At present, only 1.48 million hectares of the northern forests are intact. But they, too, are in constant danger from greedy loggers and wood smugglers. (Islamic Republic News Agency [IRNA] [Iran], 6 Oct. 2001)
Europe Tightens Corporate Environmental Accounting Rules: The European Commission has issued stricter guidelines for all financial environmental costs and liabilities reporting by companies covered by European Union accounting directives. The voluntary recommendation clarifies existing European Union accounting rules and seeks to improve the quality, transparency and comparability of environmental data in EU companies' financial reports to stakeholders. (Donald Sutherland, Environment News Service, 5 Oct. 2001)
Protesters arrested at Dutch chemical plant: Dutch police arrested 15 activists from environmental group Greenpeace yesterday after they occupied a chemical plant owned by French firm Atofina. Police said 10 of the protesters were arrested earlier in the day after chaining themselves to a fence at the plant's entrance to protest its production of a toxic paint additive...Atofina is owned by France's TotalFinaElf , the world's fourth largest oil company. (Reuters, 5 Oct. 2001)
US lawmaker - utilities must cut 4 pollutants, not 3: A high-stakes meeting to discuss proposed changes to the Clean Air Act began yesterday with the head of the Senate Environment committee vowing to hold U.S. electric utilities accountable for cutting emissions. Democrats want to require utilities to begin making steep cuts in 2002 in emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and carbon dioxide. (Chris Baltimore, Reuters, 5 Oct. 2001)
Unilever's Mercury Fever [India]: The fifth in our series of articles on Global Compact companies examines Unilever's response when caught dumping toxic mercury waste from a thermometer factory in Southern India earlier this year. The Anglo-Dutch company recently closed the factory. Community members, however, allege that the multinational has downplayed the dangers of mercury and misled the public in an attempt to cover up the truth. Indian journalist Nityanand Jayaraman reports for CorpWatch. (Nityanand Jayaraman, special to CorpWatch, 4 Oct. 2001)
KARACHI: Noise, air pollution on the rise in city [Pakistan] - Smoke and noise-emitting vehicles have converted Karachi into the most-polluted city of the country, compelling its citizens to breathe in an atmosphere full of carbon dioxide. According to a survey, for every litre of petroleum consumed by an automobile, 2.2 grams of carbon dioxide is released into the air, consequently spreading different kinds of diseases...It is surprising to note that the multinational petroleum-marketing companies operating in Pakistan have adopted dual standards for marketing their products. These oil-marketing companies, while operating in Western countries, maintain minimum levels of lead in petroleum products in order to abide by the strict environmental laws enforced in those countries. However, a doctor observed that they were least bothered about the general health of their fellow human beings in Pakistan and freely marketed heavily lead-loaded petroleum products (Latif Baloch, Dawn [Pakistan], 4 Oct. 2001)
EU stance on environment threatens new trade round: European Union insistence that the World Trade Organisation negotiate on environmental rules could sink prospects for a new global trade round, trade diplomats said on Thursday. (Frances Williams, Financial Times, 4 Oct. 2001)
Shell accused of mismanaging toxic waste in Brazil: The Brazilian state of Sao Paulo this week accused a subsidiary of Anglo-Dutch group Royal Dutch/Shell of exposing at least 156 people to toxic pesticides in a rural town in the interior of the state...But the company rejected the charges. (Sharon Cohen, Reuters, 4 Oct. 2001)
Energy giant Shell prepares for end of oil era: Big Oil must prepare itself for the end of the hydrocarbon age as alternative energies win over consumers in coming decades, chairman of world No. 2 energy firm Royal Dutch/Shell said yesterday...Shell has moved firmly into the same camp as fellow oil supermajor BP, which has made vigorous efforts to carve out an environmentally friendly public image. The world's No. 1 oil firm, Exxon, has by contrast concentrated firmly on its oil and gas interests, and had little truck with the environmental lobby. Shell has pledged to spend between $500 million and $1 billion in the next five years to develop new energy businesses, concentrating primarily on solar and wind energy. (Andrew Mitchell, Reuters, 4 Oct. 2001)
EU ups stakes over environment in trade round push: The European Union insisted yesterday that negotiations on environmental rules had to be included in a new trade round, upping the stakes in end-game efforts to get fresh liberalisation talks launched next month. (Robert Evans, Reuters, 4 Oct. 2001)
US gov't reports set stage for multi-pollutant debate: Tightening the Clean Air Act to limit toxic emissions by U.S. power plants would boost power generation costs by tens of billions of dollars over the next 20 years, the U.S. government said in a new pair of reports. (Chris Baltimore, Reuters, 4 Oct. 2001)
State of the World's Forests 2001 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 3 Oct. 2001)
Myths of the European forest: Air pollution is a major concern as yet not well understood. (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, 3 Oct. 2001)
Helping Iranian companies protect the ozone layer: Twenty Iranian companies will switch to ozone-friendly technologies over the next two years, thanks to support from UNDP. (U.N. Development Programme, 2 Oct. 2001)
Sustainable Development Lacking In Draft Declaration: As BRIDGES Weekly went to press, WTO Members were busy deliberating a new draft Declaration for the forthcoming WTO Ministerial in Doha, Qatar on 9-13 November...Language on trade and environment is limited to pursuing work in environment-trade 'win-win' situations and in deepening the understanding between the WTO and multilateral environmental agreements. (BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, 2 Oct. 2001)
State to honor Lundberg Farms: The rice producer uses innovative ways to control pests - Lundberg Family Farms, one of California's largest rice producers, will be recognized this week by the state for its longstanding environmentally friendly farming practices, such as reduced use of chemical pesticides. (Paul Schnitt, Sacramento Bee [California], 2 Oct. 2001)
US-Jordan free trade deal ratified; includes labour and environment provisions...The Agreement makes Jordan the fourth country after Canada, Mexico and Israel to obtain free trade partner status with the US. Labour and environmental text in the treaty maintains that the two sides will not lower labour and environmental standards for the purpose of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). The deal, if violated by one contractor, could trigger sanctions by the other. These provisions were strongly supported by Democrats who argued that without them, free trade would encourage companies to move operations to the lowest-wage and most environmentally lax nations. (BRIDGES Weekly Trade News Digest, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, 2 Oct. 2001)
New Movement Among Farmers to Give up the Plow Takes Root Across Asia's Breadbasket: "Low-till" Agriculture Yields Range of Benefits from Saving Water And Increasing Harvests to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Herbicide Use (Future Harvest, 2 Oct. 2001)
EU eases CO2 trading rules after industry pressure (Robin Pomeroy, Reuters, 2 Oct. 2001)
US panel backs caution on vaccines with mercury: There is no proof that a mercury-containing preservative present in some vaccines causes developmental disorders in children, but doctors should steer clear of giving children vaccines made with the substance just to be safe, a panel of experts said in a report yesterday. (Will Dunham, Reuters, 2 Oct. 2001)
FAO: Conventional ploughing erodes the soil - Zero-tillage is an environmentally-friendly alternative (UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 1 Oct. 2001)
The Reykjavik Conference on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem (1-4 October 2001): FAO Director-General: Too many vessels chasing too few fish - "The task at hand is to examine how to manage the fisheries with a view to ensuring sustainable utilization of the food available in the oceans for the benefit of present and future generations without harming the ecosystem's capacity to support human life" (UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 1 Oct. 2001)
Hungary still counting cost of pollution legacy: Varga and more than 1,000 other local residents sued the former Metalloglobus battery disposal factory nearly 10 years ago, claiming it was responsible for tainting 200,000 square metres (2.15 million square feet) of nearby land with lead, copper and other heavy metals that leaked deep into the soil. The cancer rate in the capital's 22nd District, where Varga lives, is officially three times the national average...some are questioning how Hungary succeeded in completing environment negotiations with the European Union, which it hopes to join by 2004. (Kristen Schweizer, Reuters, 1 Oct. 2001)
Selling sustainable success: A guide to corporate responsibility for consulting and professional services firms (Alok Singh, Dave Prescott & Aidan Davy, Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, Oct. 2001)
Sustainable Finance and Banking - The Financial Sector and the Future of the Planet: Banking and finance...are crucial in determining whether society - from governments to individual consumers - succeeds in following an environmentally sustainable path. However, those working in the financial sector are largely unaware of the rationale and pressures for sustainable development and its bearing on their work, while those in the relevant research and policy areas commonly overlook how vital the financial sector is for progress. This book sets out to rectify this state of affairs (Marcel Jeucken, Earthscan Publications, Oct. 2001)
Nike's first Corporate Responsibility Report: This month Nike released a new Corporate Responsibility Report...The report includes some useful information, but its failure to respond to arguments made by the company's critics is deeply disappointing. Here are the positives and negatives. (NikeWatch [Oxfam - Community Aid Abroad], Oct. 2001)
Peru: loggers poised to overrun uncontacted Indians - The Peruvian government is poised to allow logging companies to invade the territory of uncontacted Indians in the Amazon. (Survival International, Oct. 2001)