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  Oil, gas & coal companies: General materials 1 July 2002 to present  

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NEW (recent additions to this section; top item is most recent addition)
OIL POLLUTION: IMO Seeks To Set Up New Compensation Fund - International Maritime Organization Secretary General William O'Neil yesterday called for ensuring that those affected by oil pollution around the world are fairly compensated for damages. (UN Wire, 13 May 2003)

Suit Says ChevronTexaco Dumped Poisons in Ecuador - A group of American lawyers representing more than 30,000 indigenous people in Ecuador filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the ChevronTexaco Corporation yesterday. The suit was filed in Ecuador on behalf of 88 plaintiffs in Lago Agrio, a small oil town in northern Ecuador, and asserts that during two decades of operation, from 1971 to 1992, ChevronTexaco dumped over four million gallons a day of toxic wastewater, contaminated with oil, heavy metals and carcinogens into open pits, estuaries and rivers. It also says the company left behind nearly 350 open waste pits that killed people and animals. (Abby Ellin, New York Times, 8 May 2003) 

Analysis: The oil curse - The history of oil investment in the developing world hints at trouble ahead for the multinationals in Iraq, writes Daniel Litvin. (Daniel Litvin, in Prospect, reproduced in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 4 May 2003)

Occidental Sued in Human Rights Case - The oil firm, accused of aiding a deadly military assault in Colombia, joins list of U.S. firms charged in overseas incidents. - The list of corporations sued in American courts for their alleged involvement in human rights violations in foreign countries grew longer Thursday, when Occidental Petroleum Corp. was accused of aiding a deadly military assault on a Colombian village. (Lisa Girion, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2003)

Groups File Claim Against BP and Pipeline Partners in 5 Countries: "Green" Company Violating International Norms in Controversial Caspian Oil Pipeline - As political and business leaders gather in Paris for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Forum 2003, environmental organizations today submitted complaints to the British, French, German, Italian, and US governments charging that BP and its consortium partners [SOCAR (Azerbaijan), Unocal, ConocoPhillips, (US) Statoil (Norway), TPAO (Turkey), ENI (Italy), TotalFinaElf (France), Itochu, Inpex (Japan), and Delta Hess (joint US-Saudi)] in the proposed Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline are breaching the OECD's "Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises." (Friends of the Earth, 29 Apr. 2003)

{···français} Apartheid: des firmes sommées de réparer - Des plaignants sud-africains réclament des milliards de dollars ( Sabine Cessou, Libération, 12 avril 2003)

Shell feels heat at AGM -...Shell’s managers were also given a tough time by environmental activists who had flown in from around the world to raise issues at the AGM. They criticised the company for not doing enough and providing spin over substance in key areas of environmental and social performance. Activists from the US, South Africa and the Philippines made varied accusations (Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation Magazine, 25 Apr. 2003)

Religious Shareholders to Challenge PepsiCo To Report Effect of AIDS in Africa Operations - Coalition's Resolution Asks Company for Report on Business Impact of AIDS - Concerned PepsiCo shareholders today announced their sponsorship of a proxy resolution asking the soft drink industry giant to report on how it plans to deal with the business and employee impact of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. (MMA, 24 Apr. 2003)

FTSE4Good raises the bar for companies - FTSE Group recently announced a new, more stringent set of human rights criteria for companies in the socially responsible index series FTSE4Good...FTSE are trialling the human rights standards on the global upstream oil gas and mining sector...They are asking companies to commit to ILO core labour standards on a global scale, support publicly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have guidelines on the use of armed security guards according to the UN Basic Principles of the Use of Force and Firearms and to reference “respect of the rights of indigenous peoples”. In order to stay in the FTSE4Good Index, companies will also have to provide training for employees on human rights policy, provide evidence of undertaking a human rights impact assessment and integration of their policy into risk assessment processes...In countries of particular concern such as Angola, China, Burma, Zimbabwe and Sudan, resource companies must commit to meeting more stringent guidelines (Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation Magazine, 21 Apr. 2003)

Shell meetings hit by protests over pay, ethics -...Environmental group Friends of the Earth Netherlands urged Royal Dutch Petroleum to have an independent investigation into the quality of its oil pipelines in the South African city of Durban. Friends of the Earth activist Paul de Clerck said millions of litres of gasoline had leaked from the pipelines in a series of incidents over the past two years...Royal Dutch Petroleum president Jeroen van der Veer acknowledged there had been oil leaks and Shell Chairman Watts urged communities which felt they had suffered health problems due to Shell pipelines to get in touch with the group. (Sudip Kar-Gupta and Otti Thomas, Reuters, 25 Apr. 2003)

Human rights groups sue Occidental over 1998 Colombia bombing - International human rights groups filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Occidental Petroleum and one of its security contractors over a 1998 bombing that killed 17 civilians in a Colombian village...The lawsuit names Los Angeles-based Occidental and Rockledge, Fla.-based Airscan Inc., an aviation security firm, as defendants and accuses the companies of aiding the raid with the Colombian military. (Paul Chavez, Associated Press, 24 Apr. 2003)

Shell faces international protest at AGM - Oil giant Shell is still putting short-term profit before people and the environment, despite its public commitment to a "green" future, according to a shocking new report launched today to coincide with the company's London AGM.  Failing the challenge: The Other Shell Report...contains first hand testimonies from communities living next door to Shell in the US, the Philippines, South Africa, Nigeria, Argentina and China and catalogues the environmental damage, the health problems and the impacts of accident these communities face.  But the report also shows how inadequate current UK company law is in protecting local people and the environment from UK companies who profit at the expense of people's health and the natural world. (Friends of the Earth, 23 Apr. 2003)

  • full report: Failing the challenge: The Other Shell Report 2002 (Friends of the Earth, Refinery Reform Campaign, groundWork South Africa, South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, South African Exchange Program on Environmental Justice, Fundacion Ala Plastica, Global Community Monitor and FreeTibet Campaign, Apr. 2003)

1 July 2002 to present:

2003:

OIL POLLUTION: IMO Seeks To Set Up New Compensation Fund - International Maritime Organization Secretary General William O'Neil yesterday called for ensuring that those affected by oil pollution around the world are fairly compensated for damages. (UN Wire, 13 May 2003)

Suit Says ChevronTexaco Dumped Poisons in Ecuador - A group of American lawyers representing more than 30,000 indigenous people in Ecuador filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the ChevronTexaco Corporation yesterday. The suit was filed in Ecuador on behalf of 88 plaintiffs in Lago Agrio, a small oil town in northern Ecuador, and asserts that during two decades of operation, from 1971 to 1992, ChevronTexaco dumped over four million gallons a day of toxic wastewater, contaminated with oil, heavy metals and carcinogens into open pits, estuaries and rivers. It also says the company left behind nearly 350 open waste pits that killed people and animals. (Abby Ellin, New York Times, 8 May 2003) 

Analysis: The oil curse - The history of oil investment in the developing world hints at trouble ahead for the multinationals in Iraq, writes Daniel Litvin. (Daniel Litvin, in Prospect, reproduced in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 4 May 2003)

Groups File Claim Against BP and Pipeline Partners in 5 Countries: "Green" Company Violating International Norms in Controversial Caspian Oil Pipeline - As political and business leaders gather in Paris for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Forum 2003, environmental organizations today submitted complaints to the British, French, German, Italian, and US governments charging that BP and its consortium partners [SOCAR (Azerbaijan), Unocal, ConocoPhillips, (US) Statoil (Norway), TPAO (Turkey), ENI (Italy), TotalFinaElf (France), Itochu, Inpex (Japan), and Delta Hess (joint US-Saudi)] in the proposed Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline are breaching the OECD's "Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises." (Friends of the Earth, 29 Apr. 2003)

Occidental Sued in Human Rights Case - The oil firm, accused of aiding a deadly military assault in Colombia, joins list of U.S. firms charged in overseas incidents. - The list of corporations sued in American courts for their alleged involvement in human rights violations in foreign countries grew longer Thursday, when Occidental Petroleum Corp. was accused of aiding a deadly military assault on a Colombian village. (Lisa Girion, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2003)

Shell feels heat at AGM -...Shell’s managers were also given a tough time by environmental activists who had flown in from around the world to raise issues at the AGM. They criticised the company for not doing enough and providing spin over substance in key areas of environmental and social performance. Activists from the US, South Africa and the Philippines made varied accusations (Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation Magazine, 25 Apr. 2003)

Shell meetings hit by protests over pay, ethics -...Environmental group Friends of the Earth Netherlands urged Royal Dutch Petroleum to have an independent investigation into the quality of its oil pipelines in the South African city of Durban. Friends of the Earth activist Paul de Clerck said millions of litres of gasoline had leaked from the pipelines in a series of incidents over the past two years...Royal Dutch Petroleum president Jeroen van der Veer acknowledged there had been oil leaks and Shell Chairman Watts urged communities which felt they had suffered health problems due to Shell pipelines to get in touch with the group. (Sudip Kar-Gupta and Otti Thomas, Reuters, 25 Apr. 2003)

Religious Shareholders to Challenge PepsiCo To Report Effect of AIDS in Africa Operations - Coalition's Resolution Asks Company for Report on Business Impact of AIDS - Concerned PepsiCo shareholders today announced their sponsorship of a proxy resolution asking the soft drink industry giant to report on how it plans to deal with the business and employee impact of the AIDS pandemic in Africa. (MMA, 24 Apr. 2003)

Human rights groups sue Occidental over 1998 Colombia bombing - International human rights groups filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Occidental Petroleum and one of its security contractors over a 1998 bombing that killed 17 civilians in a Colombian village...The lawsuit names Los Angeles-based Occidental and Rockledge, Fla.-based Airscan Inc., an aviation security firm, as defendants and accuses the companies of aiding the raid with the Colombian military. (Paul Chavez, Associated Press, 24 Apr. 2003)

Shell faces international protest at AGM - Oil giant Shell is still putting short-term profit before people and the environment, despite its public commitment to a "green" future, according to a shocking new report launched today to coincide with the company's London AGM.  Failing the challenge: The Other Shell Report...contains first hand testimonies from communities living next door to Shell in the US, the Philippines, South Africa, Nigeria, Argentina and China and catalogues the environmental damage, the health problems and the impacts of accident these communities face.  But the report also shows how inadequate current UK company law is in protecting local people and the environment from UK companies who profit at the expense of people's health and the natural world. (Friends of the Earth, 23 Apr. 2003)

Earth Day Founder Not the Only One to Link Climate Change and Investing - The voices of institutional investors representing public pension funds join those from the insurance industry to advance a business case for addressing climate change...Mr. Hayes [Earth Day founder Denis Hayes] pointed out that precious few companies are following the examples of BP, DuPont, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson, which are recognizing the business case for improving environmental performance and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 22 Apr. 2003)

FTSE4Good raises the bar for companies - FTSE Group recently announced a new, more stringent set of human rights criteria for companies in the socially responsible index series FTSE4Good...FTSE are trialling the human rights standards on the global upstream oil gas and mining sector...They are asking companies to commit to ILO core labour standards on a global scale, support publicly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have guidelines on the use of armed security guards according to the UN Basic Principles of the Use of Force and Firearms and to reference “respect of the rights of indigenous peoples”. In order to stay in the FTSE4Good Index, companies will also have to provide training for employees on human rights policy, provide evidence of undertaking a human rights impact assessment and integration of their policy into risk assessment processes...In countries of particular concern such as Angola, China, Burma, Zimbabwe and Sudan, resource companies must commit to meeting more stringent guidelines (Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation Magazine, 21 Apr. 2003)

In the green dock: corporate targets [sub-section of article entitled "Asda 'exploiting loophole' for store space"] - FoE [Friends of the Earth] is also targeting some of Britain's largest listed firms, which it claims are putting profits before people and the environment; it has bought shares in 18 publicly quoted firms and has been questioning boards about the impact their businesses are having on the environment. The campaign, to run through the summer, started this week when FoE accused Rio Tinto of human rights abuses and environmental destruction in Indonesia at its AGM. FoE is also pushing for UK law changes requiring firms to take account of their wider responsibilities and offer affected communities redress or compensation when they fail to do so. The 18 firms targeted...: British American Tobacco (Activities in Burma and use of pesticides in Brazil); Associated British Ports; Rio Tinto (Destructive mining activities in Indonesia); Shell (Environmental damage in the Philippines; South Africa, Nigeria and US); Barclays (Rainforest destruction in Indonesia); BP (Impact of the Baku to Ceyan Russian pipeline); Anglo American (Mining in South America and Africa); BAE Systems; Amec (Subsidiary Spie has a construction contract for BP's Baku-Ceyan pipeline); Premier Oil; Balfour Beatty; P&O; HSBC (Oil industry involvement in Sudan); Tesco; British Airways; Sainsbury; Safeway; BAA. (Julia Finch & Neil Hume, Guardian [UK], 19 Apr. 2003)

Low Levels of Lead Damage Children - It can reduce IQ, delay puberty, new research says...The main exposure to lead [in USA] now occurs in housing built before 1950, where paints with high levels of lead are more common. (Ed Edelson, HealthScoutNews, 16 Apr. 2003)

Total launches review of corporate ethics - TotalFinaElf has launched an independent review of its safety and ethical standards as it attempts to shed its controversial image. The French oil group has come under fire from a mixture of non-governmental organisations, safety regulators and some shareholders because of its links with regimes in Iran, Iraq and Libya, as well as its accident record...Mr Cordier [Jean-Pierre Cordier, head of Total's ethics committee] said that Total had no plans to abandon any of its more sensitive operations. Of Burma, its most controversial, he said: "We could pull out, but what would happen? Would it improve the situation?" (Carola Hoyos, Financial Times, 14 Apr. 2003)

{···français} Apartheid: des firmes sommées de réparer - Des plaignants sud-africains réclament des milliards de dollars ( Sabine Cessou, Libération, 12 avril 2003)

Thirteen dead in Chinese mine blaze - Thirteen miners and rescue workers were killed after a fire ripped through a coal mine in China's northern Hebei province...Chinese mines have an appalling safety record, and the number of mining deaths last year reached 14,924, according to the work safety bureau. (AFP, 12 Apr. 2003)

Environmentalists set sights on Sasol - A website has been established to keep an eye on the environmental impact South African oil and chemicals group Sasol's operations has on communities in South Africa and the US. (Justin Brown, Sunday Times [South Africa], 10 Apr. 2003)

Nigeria: Government and Oil Firms Should Act on Delta Violence - The Nigerian government and multinational oil companies should take immediate measures to prevent further violence and abuses around Warri in the oil-rich Niger delta, Human Rights Watch today said in letters to President Olusegun Obasanjo and the managing directors of three companies...Human Rights Watch appealed to the main companies operating in the area - ChevronTexaco, Royal Dutch/Shell and TotalFinaElf - to publicly urge the Nigerian government to restore security in a manner that respects due process and fundamental human rights, and that is not disproportionate to the threat. (Human Rights Watch, 9 Apr. 2003)

Lundin and OMV criticised for resumed oil exploration in Sudan - Sweden's Lundin Petroleum and Austria's OMV have attracted criticism for their decision to resume oil exploration in southern Sudan. The companies said that their action had been made possible by "positive developments in the peace process and the improved conditions in the concession area". (Mallen Baker, Business Respect newsletter, 6 Apr. 2003)

Firms urged to help control Aids [Thailand] - Incentives suggested for businesses - International organisations urged the business sector yesterday to make the HIV/Aids epidemic one of the ``bottom line issues'' at the workplace. A one-day study programme, entitled ``Thailand CEO study mission on HIV/Aids'', was organised by Thailand Business Coalition on Aids (TBCA) to brief top management people about the HIV/Aids epidemic's impact on businesses and their employees. It was attended by more than 25 CEOs and senior managers of leading firms in Thailand including Unocal, Nike, Siam Commercial Bank, Thai Airways International and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. (Preeyanat Phanayanggoor, Bangkok Post, 5 Apr. 2003)

They provide for education what the government cannot give: Private sector support [Philippines] - The Coca-Cola Foundation, for instance, has its Little Red Schoolhouse. Pilipinas Shell Foundation is constructing school facilities such as teachers' quarters and libraries. (Constantino C. Tejero, Philippines Inquirer, 5 Apr. 2003)

Oil, poverty ignite Nigerian delta -...Ijaw militants now say they will blow up oil facilities if troops do not withdraw - threatening to cut off Nigeria's economic lifeline, from which Niger Delta communities say they have never drawn their fair share. (Daniel Balint-Kurti, Reuters, 4 Apr. 2003)

Gas explosion at Fushun’s Mengjiagou coalmine kills 25 miners [China] -A victim’s wife is beaten and hospitalized by company security guards for asking about compensation (China Labour Bulletin, 3 Apr. 2003)

Colonial Pipeline to pay $34 mln for oil spills [USA] - Colonial Pipeline Co., the nation's largest petroleum products pipeline, agreed to pay a record $34 million to settle a government investigation into a series of oil spills that fouled water in seven states, the U.S. Justice Department said this week. (Reuters, 3 Apr. 2003)

SUDAN: Renew Mandate of Human Rights Rapporteur, Bishops Urge -...A Rapportuer is needed, the bishops said, because "military action of armed groups supported by the Khartoum regime continued to violate the lives and safety of villages in the oil rich areas in the recent months." (Catholic Information Service For Africa, 2 Apr. 2003)

Revenue Transparency: The Extractive Industry and Developing Countries - Over 40 representatives from extractive companies, non-governmental organizations, government and international finance institutions met last Wednesday in a confidential roundtable, chaired by representatives of the American Petroleum Institute and Transparency International-USA, to discuss the issue of revenue transparency. The discussion focused primarily on elements of a UK-led Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Publish What You Pay Campaign. (Fund for Peace, 2 Apr. 2003)

Legal case for doing the right thing -...As a wave of legal actions - such as a case alleging that Unocal, the US oil company, used forced labour in Burma - put business responsibility on trial, the voluntary versus mandatory debate is increasingly being overtaken by the law. Many question whether a law passed in 1789 - the Alien Tort Claims Act, through which some US courts have allowed lawsuits that allege US companies have violated international laws abroad - should be used in this way. But whatever the outcome of such cases (no company has yet made any payment) and the result of the debate, the potential liability of multinational companies in relation to corporate responsibility is becoming harder to ignore...Laws on misrepresentation or false advertising can come to bear on what companies voluntarily disclose about themselves. Currently under the spotlight is Nike, which was sued by Marc Kasky, an activist who alleged the company made false statements in press releases about its labour practices...Many of the legal challenges facing companies today are examined in a report released last month. Prepared by the International Institute for Environment and Development, it aims to demonstrate how the law is shaping corporate responsibility. (Sarah Murray, Financial Times, 31 Mar. 2003)

Appellate court ruling means potential trial for Unocal over Myanmar project - A state [California] appellate court ruling could lead to a trial against Unocal Corp. over allegations that it shares responsibility for abuses allegedly conducted by troops guarding a pipeline project in Myanmar. Refugees from the southeast Asian nation formally known as Burma have accused Unocal of being complicit in slavery, murder and rape related to the 1990s construction of the $1.2 billion Yadana pipeline. (Associated Press, 29 Mar. 2003)

Activists Call for Moratorium on Turkish Pipeline [BP leads consortium of oil companies investing in the pipeline] - Amid tensions in eastern Turkey arising from the U.S. invasion of Iraq, environmental and Kurdish rights groups are calling for a moratorium on the construction and financing of a pipeline that will link the Caspian Sea to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 25 Mar. 2003)

EBRD [European Bank for Reconstruction and Development] meets demonstrators on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline proposal [Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey] - EBRD officials today received a letter from demonstrators protesting the planned Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Turkey's Mediterranean coast. The EBRD is evaluating whether to finance the project and is in the midst of a thorough examination that involves dialogue with local communities as well as financial, legal, economic and environmental issues. (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 25 Mar. 2003)

The UK Corporate Sustainability Reporting Awards [refers to The Co-operative Bank, Shell,  BT Group, Risk and Policy Analysts Ltd., Unilever, Scottish Power, Canary Wharf Group, Best Foot Forward Ltd, FRC Group, Co-operative Insurance Society, Traidcraft, British American Tobacco] (Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation Magazine, 25 Mar. 2003)

Inter-American Development Bank President Iglesias Admits Serious Flaws in Camisea Gas Project [Peru]: Still No Commitment to Loan -...The meeting between NGOs and Iglesias came after the recent release of a memorandum documenting alarming deaths inside a legally recognized reserve for isolated and uncontacted indigenous peoples, where part of the project is located. [companies involved in Camisea Gas Project include: Pluspetrol (Argentina), Hunt Oil (U.S.), SK Corporation (South Korea), Techint, Tecgas (a division of Techint), Sonatrach (Algiers), Grana y Montero SA (Peru), Tractebel (Belgium)] (Friends of the Earth, 24 Mar. 2003)

50 Bodies Found in Chinese Mine Blast -...China's mining industry is one of the world's deadliest. More than 5,000 deaths were reported last year in coal mines. Many accidents were blamed on a lack of fire and ventilation equipment in small, often illegally run mines. (AP, 24 Mar. 2003)

The Shell Report and Annual Reports published today - The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies published its sixth Shell Report today, alongside its 2002 Parent Company Annual Reports. This year's report, entitled "Meeting the Energy Challenge" describes Shell's economic, environmental and social performance in 2002. (Royal Dutch/Shell, 21 Mar. 2003)

Suit Alleging Firm Aided Genocide Proceeds - A Southern District of New York federal judge has refused to dismiss claims that a Canadian oil company abetted genocide by the government of Sudan against its own people. Talisman Energy Inc. had asked Judge Allen G. Schwartz to dismiss the case brought by plaintiffs who said the company was complicit in a campaign of kidnapping, rape, murder and land confiscation conducted by the government against non-Muslim residents who lived within a 50-mile radius of oil fields and transport systems. (Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal, in New York Lawyer, 20 Mar. 2003)

Rights case against Talisman allowed to proceed - A federal [U.S.] judge Wednesday refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Talisman Energy Inc., one of Canada's biggest oil companies, alleging it participated in human rights abuses against non-Muslim residents of southern Sudan. (Reuters, 19 Mar. 2003)

Eight killed, including ChevronTexaco worker, as violence escalates in oil-rich Niger Delta [Nigeria] - Ethnic clashes in an oil-rich area of Nigeria have left eight people dead, including an employee of ChevronTexaco, officials said Tuesday...The Ijaws...accuse Nigeria and multinational companies of unfairly favoring smaller, rival tribes with lucrative contracts and development projects. (Dulue Mbachu, Associated Press, 19 Mar. 2003)

Silver Bay man wins age discrimination lawsuit [USA] - The court rules the employer [Anderson Fuel and Lubricants Inc.] was wrong to demote the man after his heart surgery. - A Silver Bay man was awarded a $157,000 judgment after a court determined that a Superior company was guilty of age discrimination and reckless indifference to the Minnesota Human Rights Act in firing him. (Mark Stodghill, Duluth News Tribune, 18 Mar. 2003)

Unocal adopts company-wide principles - Unocal Corporation has announced the adoption of new corporate principles covering fundamental rights, such as freedom from discrimination in employment, the elimination of child labour and freedom of association and collective bargaining. The move was welcomed by the Amalgamated Bank, which was one of the company's investors that had urged the company to take the step in a shareholder resolution that won 32.8 percent support at the company's AGM - at the time the largest ever such vote of support recorded for a human rights motion...Unocal has been the focus of criticism due to its business activities in Myanmar - particularly alleged complicity with the actions of security services who committed various human rights violations. (Business Respect newsletter No. 52, 15 Mar. 2003)

The launch of the UK Corporate Responsibility Index - Toby Kent reports from the launch of the BitC [Business in the Community] Corporate Responsibility Index, highlighting its main components and the major issues it raises. (Toby Kent, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 14 Mar. 2003)

BP faces record fine for spoiling Los Angeles air [USA] - BP is facing a record $320m (£200m) pollution fine and allegations that the oil company submitted false documentation to air quality control regulators (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 14 Mar. 2003)

Global Compact Participants Implementing Host of Supply Chain Initiatives - Reflecting a growing trend within the Global Compact initiative, Tweezerman, a leading manufacturer of personal-care products, announced that it plans to implement a new supplier agreement that mandates adherence to the nine principles of the Global Compact...Other companies that have submitted related examples [actively incorporating the Global Compact principles into their supply chains] to the Global Compact Learning Forum are: Petro-Canada, William E. Connor & Associates, Bayer AG, Li & Fung (Trading) Ltd., Ericsson, Robert Stephen Holdings, OneNest, and Engineers India Limited (U.N. Global Compact, 13 Mar. 2003)

Indigenous Struggle in Ecuador Becomes a "Cause Beyond Control" - Transnational Oil Companies Free to Leave Amazon -...On March 4, 2003, the Ecuadorian newspaper Hoy reported that the Ministry of Environment has agreed to allow two transnational companies to cancel their oil concession contracts under the provision of force majeure. The force majeure they are referring to is the determined opposition of Kichwa, Shuar and Achuar people who live in the concession areas to ongoing activities by the companies, Burlington Resources of Texas and Compania General de Combustibles (CGC) of Argentina. The CGC concession is owned partly by ChevronTexaco, according to Platt's Oilgram News. (Kenny Bruno, EarthRights International, CorpWatch website, 13 Mar. 2003)

Prudence Pays - practical steps to bridge conflicting views on climate change - Climate change is a fundamental challenge in a world where energy needs could grow threefold over the next 50 years. There is compelling evidence that climate change is a threat, although there are still huge uncertainties about the risks and impact. There are no quick fixes so we need to take action now (Philip Watts, Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors, Royal Dutch/Shell, 12 Mar. 2003)

BP panel warns of risk to human rights in Indonesia - BP has been warned by a panel of experts led by the US senator, George Mitchell, that it could trigger human rights abuses if it proceeds with a $2bn gas scheme in Indonesia. Concern centres on the role of the military which could be brought in to guard the Tangguh LNG facilities to be built in the Papua region...Despite this, the American politician...said yesterday the massive financial benefits of the scheme outweighed the problems...BP established the panel last year and is keen to avoid the kind of difficulties that have intermittently closed ExxonMobil's operations in Aceh province. (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 12 Mar. 2003)

Bankwatch: Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in Turkey poorly planned - The CEE Bankwatch Network today released a report critical of an environmental and social impact assessment (EIA) of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline. Bankwatch's report, a quality analysis of the EIA for the pipeline's Turkish section, criticises the BTC company -- led by BP (formerly British Petroleum) -- for inadequately assessing the effects of the planned pipeline. (CEE Bankwatch Network, 12 March 2003)

Reps Order Shell to Pay Ijaw $1.5b Compensation [Nigeria] -...the House of Representatives has ordered Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Limited to pay the sum of US$1.5 billion to Ijaw Aborigines of Bayelsa State as compensation for the untold hardship and environmental devastation it has brought the Ijaws since 1956. The House of Representatives issued this directive to Shell (SPDC) following the recommendation of a-four-man advisory legal panel which it set up to consider the petition filed by Ijaw Aborigines against Shell. (Lemmy Ughegbe, Vanguard [Nigeria], 12 Mar. 2003)

Pollution agency seeks $319 million from BP Arco [USA] - The South Coast Air Quality Management District filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking more than $319 million in damages from BP Arco for alleged violations of emissions standards. (Associated Press, 12 Mar. 2003)

Lion Oil Reaches Clear Air Settlement With Government [USA] - The U.S. Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said they had reached a comprehensive Clean Air Act settlement with Lion Oil Co. to reduce harmful air emissions from the company’s El Dorado refinery by 1,380 tons per year. (Arkansas Business, 12 Mar. 2003)

Shell chief delivers global warming warning to Bush in his own back yard - Shell chairman Sir Philip Watts risks stirring up a controversy in America today when he calls for global warming sceptics to get off the fence and accept t hat action needs to be taken "before it is too late". (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 12 Mar. 2003)

Talisman completes Sudan sale - Talisman Energy Inc. said Wednesday it has completed the sale of its oil interests in Sudan...Critics including human rights groups and churches said revenues from the Sudan project helped finance the country's civil war, which began in 1983 and has left more than two million people dead through fighting and famine. Talisman has always maintained that its presence promoted peace and development in the east African country. (Canadian Press, 12 Mar. 2003)

Communities Give Shell 2-Week Ultimatum [Nigeria] - The leadership of two oil-rich communities in Delta State have handed down a two-week ultimatum to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to embark on infrastructural development of their areas or stop oil exploration activities...The two communities at a news conference addressed by Chief B.O. Asaboro on their behalf at Owevwe town hall alleged that the management of SPDC and its contracting firm, Dresser -and Nigeria Ltd. were using the soldiers to torment and harass the hamlets and law abiding villagers. (Sola Adebayo, Vanguard [Nigeria], 11 Mar. 2003)

CHEMICALS: U.N. Panel Calls For Further Controls On Asbestos, Pesticides - A panel set up under the Rotterdam Convention on hazardous chemicals called yesterday for tougher trade controls on all forms of asbestos, several deadly pesticides and two highly toxic lead fuel additives. (UN Wire, 11 Mar. 2003)

Charter for voluntary pollution control [India] - The Ministry of Environment and Forests and industrial sector are all set to enter into a partnership on voluntary pollution control by releasing a charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection in New Delhi on March 13...The 17 major polluting industries identified for preparatory approach towards pollution control are: cement, aluminium, thermal power plants, oil refineries, pesticides, iron and steel, pulp and paper, copper and zinc, distilleries, sugar, petrochemicals, dye and dye intermediates, caustic soda, pharmaceuticals, tanneries and fertilizer industry. (The Hindu, 10 Mar. 2003)

Effects of Oil and Gas Development Are Accumulating On Northern Alaska's Environment and Native Cultures - The environmental effects of oil and gas exploration and production on Alaska's North Slope have been accumulating for more than three decades, says a new report from the National Academies' National Research Council. Efforts by the oil industry and regulatory agencies have reduced many environmental effects, but have not eliminated them. The committee that wrote the congressionally mandated report also said that the social and economic effects have been large, and both positive and negative. (National Academies' National Research Council, 5 Mar. 2003)

INDIA: Banks, UNEP Launch Solar Power Initiative - The U.N. Environment Program and two of India's largest banks [Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank] yesterday launched a $7.6 million solar power initiative aimed at helping 18,000 households in southern India conserve energy and emit fewer pollutants...UNEP backed the project along with the United Nations Foundation and the Shell Foundation. (UN Wire, 5 Mar. 2003)

Talisman promises Sudanese sale - Talisman has promised that the $758m sale of its Sudanese oil project to India will go ahead, despite months of delays. The sale to India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) would end stinging criticism of the company by human rights groups, who claim the Sudanese government uses the oil revenues to buy arms to fight a civil war...On Monday Swedish oil exploration company Lundin Petroleum said it would consider reducing its investments in Sudan, but ruled out a total withdrawal like Talisman. (BBC News, 5 Mar. 2003)

When does protest work? Leading campaigners and experts told The Observer what made campaigning effective - and how companies needed to ensure that corporate accountability was not simply a PR exercise if they wanted to protect their brands and reputations. [refers to Shell, ExxonMobil/Esso, Nestle, Unity Trust Bank, Co-operative Bank, Cobbetts solicitors, Enron, Rio Tinto] (Lola Okolosie, Observer [UK], 2 Mar. 2003)

International Right to Know Campaign Promotes Disclosure of Global Corporate Impacts - In a recent report, the International Right to Know Campaign outlines the benefits of corporate disclosure of global environmental and social policies and practices...The McDonald's (MCD) case study illustrates the use of child labor in China to produce its Happy Meal toys, the Nike (NKE) case study focuses on labor rights abuses in Indonesia, and the Unocal (UCL) case study discusses human rights abuses in its use of security forces in Burma. The ExxonMobil (XOM) case study alone illustrates several of the environmental as well as human rights abuses that the IRTK guidelines are meant to expose. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 27 Feb. 2003)

Multinational corporations: Balancing trick - [book review of Empires of Profit: Commerce, Conquest and Corporate Responsibility, by Daniel Litvin] -...a similar pattern emerges time and again: ill-prepared central managers, local officers facing unexpected difficulties on the ground, political pressures at home and abroad, all resulting in a catalogue of unintended and sometimes tragic consequences. [refers to case studies in the book, including United Fruit Company in Central America in the 1950s, Nike in Asia in the 1980s & 1990s] (Clive Crook, Economist, 27 Feb. 2003)

Latest mine explosion at Muchonggou coal mine compounds appalling loss of life in China’s coal mining industry - In the afternoon of 24 February 2003, a huge explosion rocked the Muchonggou coal mine in Shuicheng County, Guizhou province, killing up to 40 miners and injuring scores more (China Labour Bulletin, 26 Feb. 2003)

ExxonMobil Receives 23 Shareowner Resolutions on Issues Ranging from Climate Change to Corporate Governance -...The social resolutions filed with ExxonMobil ask the company to implement a sexual orientation nondiscrimination policy, review and implement human rights standards, affirm political nonpartisanship, and report on the impact of AIDS on operations. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 26 Feb. 2003)

Peru Pipeline Endangering Lives of Indigenous People, Say Groups - Funding should be withheld from the sponsors of a gas pipeline project in the Peruvian Amazon, whose imported workers are seriously threatening the health and well-being of previously isolated indigenous people living in the area, according to six environmental and watchdog groups. The groups, which include Rainforest Action Network, Environmental Defense, and Friends of the Earth International, maintained that the sponsors of the US$1.4 billion Camisea Gas Project, Pluspetrol of Argentina and Texas-based Hunt Oil, were "forcibly contacting groups living in voluntary isolation" in violation of internationally recognized rights of indigenous peoples. (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 26 Feb. 2003)

Erin Brockovich firm to sue over Beverly Hills oil -...a lawsuit against the city of Beverly Hills and three oil companies for allegedly ignoring cancer-causing toxic gases leaking from oil wells on the Beverly Hills High School grounds. Masry told Reuters the lawsuit would be filed within a month in Los Angeles Superior Court against the city, the school district and Occidental Petroleum Corp., ChevronTexaco Corp. and privately held Venoco Inc. of Carpinteria, California, on behalf of more than 80 cancer patients who are former students, teachers or school employees. (Gina Keating, Reuters, 25 Feb. 2003)

NIGERIA: Fresh spill reported in Ogoniland - An explosion at an abandoned oil well belonging to oil transnational giant Shell, has created a major oil spill in the Ogoni ethnic minority area of Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta, local rights activists said on Thursday. (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 21 Feb. 2003)

Nigerian Oil Spill Is a Threat to Environment, Say Activists - An abandoned Shell oil well exploded in southeast Nigeria, and activists said the spill had contaminated farms and streams. (Dulue Mbachu, Associated Press, 21 Feb. 2003)

World Corporations Put Environmentalists Under Fire Worldwide - Amnesty International Campaigns for Corporate Accountability on Human Rights - In a new report released today, Amnesty International charges that corporate interests are inflicting a devastating worldwide toll on human rights and the environment. The report, Environmentalists Under Fire, cites the US for failing to use its influence to protect environmental defenders around the world, and highlights cases in Russia, Ecuador, Mexico, Indonesia, India, Chad and Cameroon...While environmental defenders can only appeal to the US government to live up to its rhetoric on rights, the corporations cited in the report - ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, Occidental Petroleum and Freeport-McMoRan - have considerable ability to influence the US Government, having collectively made more than $2.8 million in campaign contributions during the 2002 election cycle. (Amnesty International USA, 20 Feb. 2003)

Bush Administration Hides Reports on Mercury Risks While Simultaneously Weakening Mercury Protections - The Sierra Club today called on the Bush Administration to immediately release a long-delayed report on the health risks children face from toxic mercury spewing from coal power plants. (Sierra Club, 20 Feb. 2003)

Analysis: Premier Oil and Burma – who are the real winners? Alex Blyth looks at the story of Premier Oil and its controversial corporate responsibility programme in Burma (Alex Blyth, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 18 Feb. 2003)

BP gas field 'ravaged the rainforest' - The oil giant's green credentials take yet another battering as its subsidiary is sued in the US courts - In a court action launched in the US state of Delaware earlier this month, BP has been accused of despoiling a 70,000-acre area of largely virgin Argentinian rainforest earmarked for a "sustainable" hardwood harvesting project. (Severin Carrell, Independent [UK], 16 Feb. 2003)

Refinery pollution report a shock: [San Francisco] Bay Area plants belching 30% more gases than realized [USA] -..."I was astounded to see how much pollution was being released from the flares," said Contra Costa Health Director Wendel Brunner, who has expressed serious concern about their impact on public health. (Jason B. Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Feb. 2003)

Exxon CEO backs mandatory emissions reports - Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Lee Raymond said this week companies should be required to report carbon emissions before any rules are created to target cuts in gases blamed for global warming. (Reuters, 13 Feb. 2003) 

Social & environmental impact of Coal India projects [India]: IBRD urged to act fast on inspection report - The Chotanagpur Adivasi Sewa Samiti (CASS), along with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs), has addressed a sign-on letter to the World Bank board, which is scheduled to review in late February its inspection panel's report on two World Bank-supported Coal India projects in eastern and central India, urging the directors "to take seriously and act rigorously" on the report which has commented adversely on the projects' social and environmental impact. (Pratap Ravindran, Business Line, 11 Feb. 2003)

ChevronTexaco Gives Away Greenhouse Gas Management System to Industry Source - ChevronTexaco Corp. has made its proprietary system for estimating and managing greenhouse gas emissions and energy utilization data available free of charge to the worldwide energy industry. (GreenBiz.com, 10 Feb. 2002)

Poland's leading oil company joins public-private partnership - PKN ORLEN, the largest oil company in Poland, has forged a pioneering partnership with the city of Plock, where it is based, and UNDP to promote corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. (U.N. Development Programme, 4 Feb. 2003)

Swiss Aid Group Keeps Watchful Eye on Chad Pipeline -...human rights groups say it is already having a negative impact on ordinary people...Human rights groups have criticised the project, saying it is damaging water supplies and depriving farmers of their land...Ron Royal, the general manager of Esso Chad, says the criticisms are unjustified [refers to Exxon Mobil, Petronas and Chevron] (NZZ, 4 Feb. 2003)

Oil giants get slick with bid for new image - All the soft-focused ads in the world cannot detract from the fact that the major oil firms don't do enough, writes Faisal Islam [refers to BP and Exxon] (Faisal Islam, Observer [UK], 2 Feb. 2003)

Legal Issues in Corporate Citizenship -...Mandatory legislation on various aspects of business transparency is emerging around the world. It can form part of company law, environmental regulation, or tailored legislation for institutional investors or on social and environmental reporting. Pressure for enhanced public sector accountability has also given rise to calls for company reporting on revenues paid to host government by companies in the extractive industries...A new wave of legal actions – mostly in US courts, but also in some EU countries – is testing the boundaries of existing legal principles in relation to some of the most difficult issues of the CSR agenda. For example, a series of cases in the US, France and Belgium are testing how fundamental principles of international law – particularly human rights law – apply to parent companies of multinational corporate groups. (Halina Ward, International Institute for Environment and Development, Feb. 2003)

ExxonMobil in Aceh [Indonesia] - In Aceh, where security concerns forced ExxonMobil's gas operations to close down for several months in 2001, a peace agreement between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), has been given a cautious welcome...For Acehnese living near the ExxonMobil operations in North Aceh, the deal will hopefully reduce the numbers of Indonesian troops stationed to guard the site, although post-Bali fears of terrorist attacks may well persuade ExxonMobil and Jakarta that current numbers should be maintained. This is the security force that stands accused of subjecting local people to torture, killings and disappearances, prompting a lawsuit against ExxonMobil in the US (Down to Earth Newsletter, Feb. 2003)

BP and Pertamina in pipeline safety row [Indonesia] - The British oil company BP has been accused of negligence in maintaining gas collection pipes at its offshore Pagerungan gas field near Madura in East Java. The president of state oil company Pertamina, Baihaki Hakim, said in January that BP should have anticipated a possible gas leak but had "failed to deal with it". (Down to Earth Newsletter, Feb. 2003)

Public Eye on Davos takes stock -...The Public Eye on Davos, in the spirit of transparency and open dialogue invited Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, and Lord Browne, CEO of BP, to share their views with civil society within the Public Eye. Both corporations have representatives attending the WEF, but they failed to attend the Public Eye. (Friends of the Earth, 28 Jan. 2003)

Analysis: BP and the Baku pipeline: Whose standards are high enough? - [regarding the BP-led consortium's Host Government Agreement with Turkey, Georgia & Azerbaijan, which grants the consortium exemption from national laws]...Environmental and human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth (FoE), are concerned the consortium will not be held legally or financially responsible for any environmental or social wrongdoings. (Jaime Eastham, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 27 Jan. 2003)

Davos, Shell - Can industries be trusted? [South Africa] -...Shell's contradictory record in south Durban, South Africa, speaks volumes for its "commitment". Here Shell continues its usual practice of dumping pollution on communities due to poor operational systems, misrepresenting information to the public, withholding information from the public and suffering worker injuries...FoE [Friends of the Earth] South Africa raises concerns at the Public Eye on Davos about the reality that multi-nationals like Shell are not being held accountable for their environmental and human rights abuses in the South. (Friends of the Earth South Africa, 24 Jan. 2003)

Protestors force way into EBRD over Baku-Ceyhan - Nine protestors demanding the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development halt funding for the controversial Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline in the Caspian [Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey] forced their way into the bank's London headquarters at midday (Reuters, 24 Jan. 2003)

Beyond petroleum, or beyond the pale? BP left out in the cold -...one of the UK's leading ethical investment funds, Henderson Global Investors, announced it was selling millions of pounds of BP shares because it could no longer assure its investors of the company's commitment to worker safety and the environment in Alaska. (Andrew Gumbel and Marie Woolf, Independent [UK], 23 Jan. 2003)

Irene Khan's [Amnesty International Secretary-General Irene Khan] Speech at the World Economic Forum, Davos -...We will now campaign for legal accountability of corporations for human rights under international law...Of course, companies tell us we should trust them, that their voluntary principles will do the trick. But in reality it took violence and unrest around oil pipelines and oil installations in Nigeria, Colombia and Indonesia to bring oil companies in the US, UK and now Norway and the Netherlands to endorse voluntary principles for the use of security forces in the extractive industry. It was fear of a consumer boycott and concerted effort by NGOs that led governments and industry to put in place the Kimberly process for international certification of diamonds so that conflict diamonds could be eradicated.  Voluntary codes are important but Amnesty International is convinced that voluntarism alone is not enough. (Irene Khan, Secretary-General, Amnesty International, speech delivered to the World Economic Forum, Davos, 23 Jan. 2003)

ICCR Proxy Resolutions Book Gauges Shareowner Action Climate -...the auto sector resolutions...ask General Motors and the Ford Motor Company to evaluate what new public policies would enable and assist the companies in achieving GHG emissions reductions...The utilities sector resolutions ask American Electric Power, Cinergy Corporation, Southern Company, and TXU Corporation to report on the potential economic benefits of committing to a substantial reduction in GHG emissions...Sr. Wolf also highlighted the resubmission of the renewable energy resolution at ExxonMobil...Finally, Sr. Wolf highlighted the increasing number of Canadian resolutions that are making their way into the Proxy Resolutions Book. Placer Dome (PDG) has received three separate resolutions, and the five top banks in the country have been asked to disclose their social and environmental risks. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 22 Jan. 2003)

press release: Coalition Tells World Economic Forum: Building Trust Requires Disclosure - New Report Highlights U.S. Multinationals' Shameful Human Rights, Environmental and Labor Records - a coalition of environmental, development, labor and human rights groups today released a joint report entitled "International Right to Know: Empowering Communities Through Corporate Transparency."  The report documents the irresponsible environmental, labor and human rights practices committed by ExxonMobil, Nike, McDonald's, Unocal, Doe Run, Freeport McMoRan and Newmont Mining. (AFL-CIO, Amnesty International USA, EarthRights International, Friends of the Earth-US, Global Exchange, Oxfam America, Sierra Club, Working Group on Community Right to Know, 22 Jan. 2003)

Does US Bank Harbour Equatorial Guinea’s Oil Millions in Secret Accounts? - Information published in today’s LA Times indicates that a massive US$300-500 million of Equatorial Guinea’s oil revenues may have been parked in a provincial Washington DC bank [Riggs Bank], under the control of President-for-life Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. (Global Witness, 21 Jan. 2003)

Brazil's "green" chief targets Petrobras polluter - Brazil's new Environment Minister Marina Silva says she wants to crack down on the country's record holder for environmental fines, state-owned oil giant Petrobras. (Frances Jones, Reuters, 21 Jan. 2003)

EU plans tougher sanctions against marine polluters (Reuters, 20 Jan. 2003) 

WWF seek curbs on oil tankers cleaning at sea (Reuters, 20 Jan. 2003) 

Camisea Oil & Gas Project in Peru -...The following memo details new information regarding recent impacts of Peru’s Camisea oil and gas project...Illnesses are now spreading among peoples living in voluntary isolation within the Nahua-Kugapakori Reserve. Observers have repeatedly warned that project operations within the Reserve and Pluspetrol’s policy of forced contact with isolated peoples pose a direct threat to the physical and cultural integrity of peoples living in voluntary isolation. (Amazon Watch, 14 Jan. 2003)

TotalFinaElf weathers the storms [refers to complaint in a French court alleging the company used forced labor during pipeline construction in Burma] (Kim Housego, Associated Press, 14 Jan. 2003)

HRC co-files resolution urging ExxonMobil to prohibit sexual orientation discrimination - The Human Rights Campaign has joined the New York City Employees' Retirement System in filing a shareholder resolution calling on ExxonMobil to add sexual orientation to its written non-discrimination policy. (Wayne Besen, Human Right Campaign, 14 Jan. 2003)

EEOC sues Pickle Manufacturing Company for discrimination against workers from India [USA] - Low Wages, Mistreatment, Harsh Living Conditions Lead to Federal Suit on Behalf of Immigrants - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that it has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against the John Pickle Company, alleging that the Tulsa-based oil industry parts manufacturer discriminated against a class of at least 52 workers on the basis of their race (Asian) and national origin (East Indian) (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2 Jan. 2003)

Meanwhile, At Home: Oil’s Threat To U.S. Waters -...Floating rustbuckets like the Liberian-registered Prestige are just one of many threats the oil business poses to U.S. waterways. (David Helvarg, founder of Ocean Awareness Project, in Multinational Monitor, Jan./Feb. 2003)

Pesticide Justice - Dow Chemical, Shell Oil Company and Standard Fruit (Dole Food Company in the U.S.), must pay $490 million in compensation to 583 banana workers injured by Nemagon, an extremely toxic soil fumigant that has sterilized thousands of Central American banana workers, a Nicaraguan judge ruled in December 2002. (Amy Ling and Martha Olson Jarocki, Pesticide Action Network North America, in Multinational Monitor, Jan./Feb. 2003)

Deconstructing Engagement: Corporate Self-Regulation in Conflict Zones - Implications for Human Rights and Canadian Public Policy [includes sections on: case study of Talisman Energy in Sudan, "Talisman Energy's Corporate Social Responsibility Reports and Verification by PricewaterhouseCoopers", the liability of corporations under international law, "Domestic Disclosure and Corporate Laws", "Litigation", "Consumer and Investor Campaigns", codes of conduct, social reporting, verification/monitoring, "Emerging State Duty to Regulate the Extraterritorial Activities of Corporations"] (Georgette Gagnon, Audrey Macklin, Penelope Simons, A Strategic Joint Initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Law Commission of Canada, Jan. 2003)

2002:

Jungle energy project sparks controversy in Peru - For Peru's government, a plan to pipe natural gas from the remote Camisea jungle brings hope of economic growth. But to environmentalists, the $2 billion project sounds a death knell for one of the world's last pristine jungles and the indigenous groups who live there. [refers to Pluspetrol, Hunt Oil, Techint, Tractebel, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux] (Missy Ryan, Reuters, 17 Dec. 2002)

Eight oil workers freed in Ecuador's Amazon - Eight workers for Argentine oil company CGC have been freed after being held for nine days by Ecuadorean Indians protesting the firm's exploration in the Amazon jungle (Reuters, 17 Dec. 2002)

IADB OK's loan for Enron backed pipeline in Bolivia - The Inter-American Development Bank has approved a controversial loan for a Bolivian company partly controlled by bankrupt U.S. energy giant Enron to build a gas pipeline through an environmentally sensitive forest. [refers to indigenous peoples; refers to Transredes, partly controlled by Enron & Royal Dutch/Shell]. (Anna Willard, Reuters, 13 Dec. 2002)

Cut greenhouse gas emissions, investors tell Petro-Canada -...Ethical Funds Inc. and Real Assets Investment Management have jointly filed the resolution to be distributed to all Petro-Canada shareholders in the company's management proxy circular and voted on at the 2003 annual general meeting. (Ethical Funds Inc., 12 Dec. 2002)

Court puts Exxon Valdez punitive damages at $4 bln [USA] (Reuters, 10 Dec. 2002)

How Green Is BP? -...he [Lord John Browne, group chief executive of BP] has shown the ambition to redefine the very nature of Big Oil: pushing BP to confront global warming, candidly acknowledge the company's mistakes (environmental penalties against the company appear on its Web site), enter into dialogue with environmental groups, hire people with strong environmental ethics and opinions...But to persuade the public that BP is no rapacious multinational, that it is instead an organization thinking first and foremost of the public good, may not come so easily as long as BP remains an oil company, deriving the vast majority of its profits from the black stuff that -- from drilling rig to oil tanker to refinery to gas station -- scars the earth, pollutes the air and eventually warms the planet. (Darcy Frey, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2002)

PERU: $5 Million IDB Loan To Fund Monitoring Of Natural Gas Project - The Inter-American Development Bank said yesterday it has approved a $5 million loan to Peru to strengthen hydrocarbon safeguards, particularly in relation to the country's Camisea natural gas project. The loan is meant to help Peru monitor the Camisea plan's impact and other social and environmental measures...Preventative health care for native communities is also planned. (UN Wire, 5 Dec. 2002)

Peru's Camisea - Economic boon or environmental bane? For Peru's government, the Camisea natural gas project brings hope of economic growth and freedom from costly energy imports. But to environmentalists, the $2 billion project sounds a death knell for one of the world's last pristine jungles and the indigenous groups who live there. [refers to Pluspetrol, Hunt Oil, Techint, Pluspetrol, Tractebel - a unit of Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux] (Missy Ryan, Reuters, 4 Dec. 2002)

U.N. as Consultant to Oil Majors  - In agreeing to manage the welfare projects of ChevronTexaco in Nigeria and Angola, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has enabled the U.S. majors to step back from the local competition for benefits generated by the oil industry and positioned itself for further sub-contracting work that had previously been a World Bank monopoly. (Africa Energy Intelligence, 4 Dec. 2002)

OIL SPILLS: EU To Consider Blacklist Of Ships After Accident Near Spain - Following last month's oil spill off the coast of Spain, the European Commission today published a blacklist of ships that could be banned from European waters and urged the European Union to prohibit the transport of heavy fuel in single-hulled tankers. (UN Wire, 3 Dec. 2002)

Eco-warriors fail to stop Estonia tanker departure - Greenpeace activists failed to stop an elderly oil tanker from leaving an Estonian port last week on a journey they feared might result in a repeat of a disastrous oil spill 10 days ago...Like the Prestige, the Byzantio is chartered by Swiss-based Russian oil trader Crown Resources (Reuters, 2 Dec. 2002)

Russia Greens say security service oppressing them - Ecologists said this week a police swoop on a group [Baikal Environmental Wave] denouncing radioactive pollution of Russia's unique Lake Baikal was part of a long-term security service campaign to crush environmental movement...the group...publicised business and government activities it said were harmful to the vast lake's environment...It also campaigned against a pipeline due to run to China through the area and backed by YUKOS, Russia's number two oil company, and the China National Petroleum Corp. (Oliver Bullough, Reuters, 28 Nov. 2002)

ExxonMobil Caves To Science: Slick Maneuvering By Oil Giant On Climate Change -...The world's largest oil company softened its long-standing campaign of disinformation against mainstream science by acknowledging the potential risks of climate change and announcing a 10-year $100 million grant to Stanford University for research on "low-emissions" technologies. Still, ExxonMobil can't seem to break its disinformation habit. (Ross Gelbspan, TomPaine.com, 27 Nov. 2002)

Oil spill cripples Spain fishing villages' economy (Adrian Croft, Reuters, 26 Nov. 2002)

Argentine court orders Shell to clean up spill - mayor - An Argentine court ruled that Royal Dutch Shell Group must pay an estimated $10 million to clean up damage from a 1999 oil spill, the mayor of the city which filed the suit said. (Reuters, 25 Nov. 2002)

Companies Will Pay for Polluting New Jersey Water [USA] - Nineteen polluters will together pay a total of $3 million to compensate the state of New Jersey and East Hanover Township for contamination of the local drinking water supply...The settling parties are: Voltronics Corporation; G & F Management; Vincent and Irene Muccione; Viscot Industries, Inc.; MCE/KDI Corporation; Colgate-Palmolive Company; Deforest Investment Co. L.L.C.; Philomena Gasparine; Estate of Sylvio Gasparine; Prime Fabricators, Inc.; Township of East Hanover; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Dorine Industrial Park Partnership; Precision Rolled Products, Inc.; Phelps Dodge Corporation (f/k/a Cyprus Amax Mineral Company); GTE Operations Support Incorporated; Ingersoll-Rand Company and Royal Lubricants Company, Inc. (Environment News Service, 25 Nov. 2002)

Show solidarity for Acehnese detainees [reportedly detained by Indonesian military units stationed in sites where there is an Exxon-Mobil pipeline] (Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence - Aceh, 22 Nov. 2002)

ExxonMobil deflects critics with $100m green donation - ExxonMobil, the biggest publicly quoted oil group in the world, yesterday wrongfooted green activists by announcing plans to invest $100m (£63m) into a project organised by Stanford University to tackle global warming...Exxon has joined up with General Electric and Schlumberger to provide $225m funding over 10 years to lead a search for solutions to global climate and energy needs. (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 21 Nov. 2002)

The hunt for oil-spill compensation - As efforts continue to limit or clean up the mess caused by oil from the sunken tanker Prestige [off the coast of Spain], the question of who will pay is coming to the fore. (Keith Somerville, BBC News, 20 Nov. 2002)

OIL SPILL: Cracked Tanker Sinks Off Spain; Ecological Disaster Feared -...According to Reuters, major oil companies have stricter standards for tankers than smaller operations such as Crown Resources, the Alfa Group-owned company that chartered the Prestige. (UN Wire, 20 Nov. 2002)

Making a Killing: The Business of War [11-part series] (Center for Public Integrity’s International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 11-part series, chapter 11 issued 20 Nov. 2002, other chapters issued earlier)

'prestige' oil tanker sinking today: make oil companies liable for damage, says friends of the earth (Friends of the Earth, 19 Nov. 2002)

Shell green record holds lessons for Big Oil - book - All big oil companies have their share of environmental record blemishes, but examining the way Royal Dutch Shell has dealt with its problems may lead the industry to a greener future, according to a new book. In "Riding The Dragon: Royal Dutch Shell and the Fossil Fire," Jack Doyle chronicles a sampling of 300 incidents of fires, leaks and explosions throughout the petroleum infrastructure of the world's second-largest oil firm, including in the United States, Nigeria and South Africa. (Timothy Gardner, Reuters, 18 Nov. 2002)

Foreign firms must put safety first, says OWTU [Oilfields Workers Trade Union] [Trinidad & Tobago] - All foreign companies wishing to do business in Trinidad and Tobago should be mandated to adhere to international health, safety and environmental (HSE) laws before they are given work permits to operate here. (Cheryl Ann Chaitoo-Bernard, Trinidad Express, 18 Nov. 2002)

Oil spill off Spain: FOC [flag of convenience] ship behind latest environmental disaster - An oil slick has blackened 20 miles along the Spanish coast as the Bahamas flagged tanker Prestige threatened an ecological and economic disaster in a region where shellfish farming and fishing are important industries. (Maritime Union of Australia, 18 Nov. 2002)

chapter 9 of "The Business of War": The Field Marshal [regarding arms dealer Jacques Monsieur; refers to Elf Aquitaine / TotalFinaElf, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Angola, Iran, Burundi, France, Belgium] (Center for Public Integrity’s International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 15 Nov. 2002)

Environmentalists level charges against Citigroup - A California-based environmentalist group [Rainforest Action Network] this week ran a big print ad claiming Citigroup Inc., the No. 1 U.S. financial services firm, has been funding companies whose activities have hurt the environment. (Reuters, 15 Nov. 2002)

NGO Launches US Apartheid Reparations Law Suit [lawsuit in U.S. court against companies for past conduct in South Africa] - A non-governmental organisation has filed a lawsuit against 21 multinational corporations and leading international banks for helping prop up the apartheid state...The companies and banks named in the lawsuit are: Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Exxon Mobil, Caltex Petroleum, Fluor Corporation, Ford, General Motors and IBM in the United States; German-based Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, DaimlerChrysler, and Rheinmetall; Credit Suisse and UBS in Switzerland; Barclays Bank; British Petroleum, Rio Tinto and Fujitsu ICL in the United Kingdom; Total-Fina-Elf from France and Royal Dutch Shell from the Netherlands.  The list was expected to grow by at least 100 names. (South African Press Association, 12 Nov. 2002)

Community Lauds Shell's Development Projects [Nigeria] - For complementing governments' development efforts, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has received encomiums from Egwa community in Delta state...Assessing Shell's performance in Egwa, the community's chairman, Benson Lawei, said: "...In the past few years, SPDC has really reached out to us." (Vanguard [Nigeria], 11 Nov. 2002)

"Older and wiser" Exxon listens to the locals - Oil major Exxon Mobil is now working more closely with non-governmental organisations on upstream projects to help avoid the social unrest it has suffered in the past, a senior executive said. [refers to Exxon-led Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline, Exxon's operations in Aceh] (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 11 Nov. 2002)

Investing in Africa, challenges and initiatives - Alex Blyth looks at the principal issues around western business investment in Africa and some of the companies that are attempting to improve their impact on the landscape and people of the continent [refers to Environment: TotalFinaElf in Nigeria; Palabora Mining Company (49% owned by Rio Tinto) in South Africa; Anglo American; DeBeers; Water & sanitation: Suez in Morocco & South Africa; Thames Water in Tanzania & South Africa; Education: ChevronTexaco in Nigeria; Old Mutual in South Africa; Barclays Africa; Economic development: Richards Bay Minerals (50% owned by Rio Tinto) in South Africa; HIV/AIDS:  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland; DaimlerChrysler in South Africa; Coca-Cola]  (Alex Blyth, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 11 Nov. 2002)

NIGERIA: Oil Giant, UNDP Sign Development Accord For Volatile Niger Delta - U.S. oil giant ChevronTexaco today said it signed an agreement with the U.N. Development Program to assist Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, which is the source of more than 90 percent of Nigeria's foreign earnings but one of its most underdeveloped and violent areas.  Chevron...will work with the UNDP on projects for health, education, agriculture and empowerment of youth and women (UN Wire, 11 Nov. 2002)

Trico USA Accepts the Right to Organize -...In the agreement, Trico has obligated themselves to send a letter to every one of the employees ensuring that the company accepts the right to organize and the company declares that there shall be no discrimination or harassment of pro-union workers. (NOPEF, 8 Nov. 2002)

No Graceful Exit: Talisman may be leaving Sudan, but critics of the company’s contentious operations in the war-torn East-African country aren’t planning to forgive and forget (Byron Christopher, Our Times, 5 Nov. 2002)

Angolan oil millions paid into Jersey accounts - Hundreds of millions of pounds supposedly being paid by western oil companies to the government of Angola have been discovered going into secret offshore accounts in Jersey. (David Leigh, Guardian [UK], 4 Nov. 2002)

Activists criticise BP-led Baku-Ceyhan pipeline [Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey] - Environmental and human rights groups launched a campaign against a BP-led trans-Caspian oil pipeline...BP holds a 33 percent stake in the venture, Unocal has 8.9 percent, Norway's Statoil 8.7 percent and the Azeri state oil company SOCAR 25 percent. The remainder is owned by Turkish, French, Japanese and Saudi firms...the campaigners say the pipeline will further damage the Caspian's delicate ecology and that the impoverished populations of the three participating countries will not benefit from the oil revenues because of corruption. BP denies the allegations (Reuters, 30 Oct. 2002) 

EEOC [U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] racial harassment suit against Texas drilling company [TMBR/Sharp Drilling] settles for $859,000: Employees Allegedly Subjected to Hangman's Nooses and Nazi Symbols at Drilling Site (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 29 Oct. 2002)

Greenpeace shuts down Esso Luxembourg petrol pumps -...Greenpeace alleges that intense lobbying by Esso's parent company ExxonMobil contributed to the U.S. pulling out of the U.N. Kyoto Protocol on climate change, as well as to watered down commitments to renewable energies at last month's Earth Summit in Johannesburg. (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 28 Oct. 2002)

Tribe Joins Chemical Workers to Protest Ponca City, Okla.-Area Pollution [USA] -...Feeling trapped and overwhelmed by industry and environmental contamination, a diverse group of about 150 people rallied recently in a walking "toxic tour" of the major industrial facilities adjoining tribal lands...the group's major environmental concern is focused on a company that was formerly Witco, now Continental Carbon based in Houston. The China Synthetic Rubber Company of Taiwan owns Continental Carbon. [refers also to Conoco] (JoKay Dowell, Indian Country Today [USA], 27 Oct. 2002)

Methanex to file new NAFTA case on Calif MTBE ban (Allan Dowd, Reuters, 23 Oct. 2002)

Nigeria: No Democratic Dividend for Oil Delta -...The 40-page report, "The Niger Delta: No Democratic Dividend," considers several recent violent incidents around oil facilities, and concludes that both the government and the oil company have failed to fulfill their responsibilities. (Human Rights Watch, 22 Oct. 2002)

Oil Giant Refutes Workers' Claim of Forced Labor in Myanmar - French oil giant TotalFina-Elf flatly rejected accusations by a global trade union body Monday that its investments in Myanmar (formerly Burma) were directly linked to forced labor used for road-building and other heavy work around the Yadana oil pipeline (Kalyani, OneWorld South Asia, 22 Oct. 2002)

Four refineries face Texas environmental probes - Four out of five refineries and chemical plants in the Texas town of Port Arthur are under investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality...The plants being investigated are owned by Premcor Inc, ChevronTexaco Corp. , BASF Corp. and Atofina, a subsidiary of France's TotalFinaElf. (Reuters, 21 Oct. 2002) 

POLLUTION: European Studies Target Health Implications - Two European studies published over the weekend in The Lancet emphasized the damaging effects of air pollution -- particularly that caused by the burning of coal -- on the heart and lungs, intensifying concern about the health of residents of smoggy, coal-dependent Asian behemoths China and India. (UN Wire, 21 Oct. 2002)

New ICFTU evidence of increasing forced labour in Burma and multinational enterprise involvement -...Evidence submitted by the ICFTU to the United Nations’ ILO in a 350-page report includes allegations of connections between oil giant, TOTALFINA-ELF, the Burmese military and the use of forced labour. (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 21 Oct. 2002)

Norway's green rebel befriends oil industry -...Norway's leading environmental campaigner Frederic Hauge seeks to promote his vision of a green and sustainable future by working as a friend rather than foe of the oil industry...Hauge says Shell and British Petroleum rank ahead of the competition in their environmental policies, but others are responding to the new trend. (Barbara Lewis, Reuters, 18 Oct. 2002)

NATURAL RESOURCES: Consumer Demand Still Fueling Wars, NGO Says - A new report released today by the nongovernmental Worldwatch Institute urges better monitoring of trade in natural resources taken from conflict zones, saying that such imports fuel brutal conflicts in the developing world..."Brutal wars over natural resources like coltan -- a mineral that keeps cell phones and other electronic equipment functioning -- diamonds, tropical woods and other rare materials have killed or displaced more than 20 million people and are raising at least $12 billion a year for rebels, warlords, repressive government and other predatory groups around the world," the institute says...Opium, gems, oil, timber, natural gas, precious metals, coffee and cocoa are among the resources cited as helping to pay for wars over the past 50 years. (UN Wire, 17 Oct. 2002)

Activists say US task force favors mining industry - A coalition of nearly 50 environmental interest groups said yesterday a Department of Interior task force may be giving mining, oil and gas companies an edge in discussions over toxic chemical cleanup costs. (Reuters, 15 Oct. 2002)

Clouds Over Global Warming -...The oil and coal industry, the auto companies and the electric utilities of the world form such a powerful force that the struggle to defeat them on this crucial environmental issue is not going to be easy. (C. E. Karunakaran, CorpWatch India, 14 Oct. 2002)

Beer Boiling, Green Traffic Lights Scoop EU Business Awards - Ten companies have won European Business Awards for their efforts in sustainable development [includes reference to BP, B&Q, Bofferding brewery, brewing-technology expert Steinecker, Integral Umwelt und Anlagentechnik, ST-Microelectronic] (Edie News, 11 Oct. 2002)

GPIC forms trade union - Bahrain's first company trade union became a reality last night, following an election at the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC). (Gulf Daily News [Bahrain], 9 Oct. 2002)

Justices turn away asbestos fight [USA] - The Supreme Court has refused again to get involved in a dispute over a giant asbestos trial in West Virginia that big corporations claimed could cost them millions. The court in September refused to stop the trial from starting and then said today it would not review arguments from Mobil Corp. and other large companies that the large trial was unconstitutional. (Associated Press, 7 Oct. 2002)

A War Waiting to Be Fought -...Recently, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, launched an attack on casualisation of the workforce in the country when it went about picketing companies, which thrived in casual labour in addition to operating a regime of poor working conditions....the NLC...has visited a number of companies and told their operators to convert their casual workforce to regular staff.  In Lagos , the NLC officials visited Eleganza Industries Limited, Dunlop Nigeria Limited, Afribank Nigeria plc and West African Household and Utensils Manufacturing Company Limited, WAHUM with its picketing hammer.  Chevron Nigeria Limited and Statoil Company were also picketed in the oil sector. The NLC also picketed factories of Unilever plc in Agbara, Ogun State as well as the factories of Michelin Nigeria Limited in Port Harcourt . (Obong Akpaekong, Newswatch [Nigeria], 6 Oct. 2002)

IFC Chief: Industry Should Disclose Payments to Developing Nations - Oil, gas, and mining companies should fully disclose their payments to governments in the developing nations, according to the head of the International Finance Corporation. (GreenBiz.com, 2 Oct. 2002)

Chad oil pipeline under attack for harming the poor -...Embarrassed World Bank officials have already admitted that the notoriously corrupt Chad government has spent the first £10m of grant money it received from the consortium on arms for its security forces rather than on the educational and development projects for which the money was intended. (Paul Brown, Guardian [UK], 27 Sep. 2002)

Shell faces litigation - Fourteen individual plaintiffs filed a class action suit [in a U.S. court] against Royal Dutch Petroleum and Shell Transport, plc, on September 20 for alleged human rights abuses in Ogoniland, Nigeria...the complaint alleges that Shell knowingly instigated, planned and facilitated in unprovoked attacks by the former Nigerian military government against the unarmed residents of Ogoniland, resulting in murder and gross human rights abuses. (Tomorrow: Your sustainable business toolkit, 26 Sep. 2002)

Recent court decision could further isolate Burma -...On September 18, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the California-based oil giant UNOCAL could be sued for egregious abuses of Burmese villagers committed by government soldiers in charge of security for a pipeline construction project. (Robert Lebowitz, Digital Freedom Network, 26 Sep. 2002)

The Human Cost of Coal Mining: Disaster at No. 5 Mine [USA] - In a barely noted tragedy a year ago, 13 men died when methane gas and coal dust exploded deep below the hills of Alabama. [regarding mine owned by Jim Walter Resources] (David Jackson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2002)

Holding Businesses and Burma's Government Responsible for Human Rights Abuses -...the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) is using American courts to enforce international human rights standards and punish multinational corporations that abuse them...The suit charges that Unocal knowingly used forced labor for the pipeline, which was completed in 1998. (Terry Collingsworth, Open Society News, fall/winter 2002-3)

Plaintiffs Win Ninth Circuit Victory over Unocal - On September 18, 2002, the [U.S.] Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rendered a landmark decision against Unocal Corp, allowing plaintiffs to proceed to trial in federal court on their claims that they were forced to labor on Unocal’s pipeline project in Burma. (International Labor Rights Fund, 18 Sep. 2002)

Court Tells Unocal to Face Rights Charges - An appellate court said today that the Unocal Corporation must face a trial in the United States over claims of human-rights abuses involving villagers in Myanmar who worked on the company's $1.2 billion pipeline there. (Bloomberg News, in New York Times, 18 Sep. 2002)

Retrenched Oil Workers in Sichuan Get Organised For Legal Action [China] (China Labour Bulletin, 17 Sep. 2002)

Premier Oil gets out of Burma - UK group caves in to rights campaigners but claims quitting was expedient (Terry Macalister, Guardian [UK], 17 Sep. 2002)

ECUADOR: New Report Could Kill Pipeline Project Funding - A report by former World Bank environment chief Robert Goodland could derail plans for an internationally backed oil pipeline project in Ecuador, Inter Press Service reported yesterday. The 27-page report -- commissioned by Amazon Watch, Environmental Defense Fund, Greenpeace and other environmental groups and released Friday -- indicates the 500-kilometer crude oil pipeline violates the World Bank's policies on environmental assessment, natural habitats, involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples. [refers to German bank WestLB, which leads a consortium providing $900 million in loans for the project] (UN Wire, 17 Sep. 2002)

LA babies get lifetime's toxic air in 2 weeks - study - A two-week-old baby in the Los Angeles area has already been exposed to more toxic air pollution than the U.S. government deems acceptable as a cancer risk over a lifetime, according to a report yesterday by an environmental campaign group...It said diesel exhaust - from trucks and cars, school buses, and farm and construction equipment - was still the worst source of air pollution. But it also took into account chemicals emitted by dry cleaners and factories as well as pesticides, adhesives and lubricant oils. (Reuters, 17 Sep. 2002)

Ethical Investment in Fossil Fuels? Mining watchdog slams funds putting social dollar into coal, oil (Mineral Policy Institute, 16 Sep. 2002)

EU firms champion green electricity plan -...Some 170 companies and 13 of the 15 EU member states have signed up to the Renewable Energy Certification System (RECS), which issues "proof of origin" certificates to firms producing electricity in environmentally-friendly ways...RECS's members include Electrabel, Electricite de France, TotalFinaElf, RWE Energie, E.ON Trading, Edison SpA, BP Gas and Power and Shell International Renewables. (Reuters, 16 Sep. 2002) 

Sudan gives thumbs-up to visit in October by UN rights rapporteur - The Sudanese government has now agreed to a visit here in October by UN human rights rapporteur Gerhart Baum after refusing to meet him here earlier this month, the state-run SUNA news agency reported Sunday.  Sudan's Advisory Council for Human Rights, chaired by Justice Minister Ali Mohamed Osman Yassin, two weeks ago called for Baum's planned September visit to be postponed to protest his request for details on how Khartoum spends its oil revenues. (AFP, 15 Sep. 2002)

World Bank Greenlights Chad-Cameroon Pipeline Despite Warnings - The World Bank has rejected campaigners' demands and concerns expressed by its own internal advisory panel and approved the continuation of the $4bn Chad-Cameroon Pipeline project. (Jim Cason, allAfrica.com, 14 Sep. 2002)

Author of World Bank Environmental Policies Says the OCP Crude Pipeline in Ecuador Threatens Amazon Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples - Report Commissioned by Amazon Watch, Environmental Defense and German NGOs - Environmental groups in Germany and the US released a new report today that provides conclusive evidence that the German Bank Westdeutsche Landesbank (WestLB) violated its own policies in loaning $900 million to the OCP Consortium building Ecuador’s new heavy crude pipeline...The OCP Consortium includes: Alberta Energy - Encana (Canada), Occidental Petroleum (OXY- USA), AGIP (Italy), Repsol-YPF (Spain), Perez Compaanc (Argentina), and Techint (Argentina). Citibank and JP Morgan Chase have also come under fire for their financial role in the project. (Amazon Watch, Environmental Defense and German NGOs, 13 Sep. 2002)

Students from the two Congos alert each other against HIV/AIDS - Young people in both the Congos are alerting one another about the deadly risks of HIV/AIDS and how to prevent infection in an initiative supported by international and private sector partners...UNDP, the Congo Government, the US Mission, and two companies, Chevron Texaco and CMS Nomeco, are providing support. (U.N. Development Programme, 13 Sep. 2002)

Chevron Md [Managing Director] Seeks Peaceful Relations With Host Communities [Nigeria] - The Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr Jay Pryor has appealed to people of the Niger Delta region as well as other oil producing areas to shun hostilities against Chevron oil workers. He also pledged that the company would continue to pursue socio-economic development of host communities. (Chuka Odittah, This Day [Nigeria], 13 Sep. 2002)

CHAD-CAMEROON: World Bank Management Dismisses Pipeline Criticism - The World Bank's senior management has prepared a report on plans for an oil pipeline between Chad and Cameroon in which it dismisses criticism of the project for allegedly posing environmental and other problems, Reuters reports. (UN Wire, 12 Sep. 2002)

BP says it failed to conduct integrity test on well in Alaska before explosion - BP PLC has admitted for the first time it failed to conduct comprehensive tests on a well that exploded in Alaska last month, the Financial Times reported...The explosion seriously injured an operator and caused a spill. (Ananova/AFX News, 10 Sep 2002)

Oilmen's "green" pledges met with disbelief in Rio - Oilmen from across the world pledged to protect the environment and foster sustainable development at an industry conference in Brazil this week, but environmental groups met their promises with skepticism. (Andrei Khalip, Reuters, 6 Sep. 2002)

FORESTS: World Bank Launches Partnership To Protect Africa's Congo Basin -...The bank warned that the world's second largest primary rainforest...is put under pressure by logging, agriculture, population growth and the oil and mining industries...The donated funds will support activities in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo in 11 target areas. (UN Wire, 5 Sep. 2002)

UK poll reports switch from Esso fuel, Esso denies - A significant number of British motorists have stopped buying petrol from Esso stations and have switched to other retailers, following a campaign to associate the company with global warming, a survey said (Neil Chatterjee, Reuters, 5 Sep. 2002)

Diesel fuel exhaust likely to cause cancer - US EPA - U.S. environmental regulators in a new report this week formally classified for the first time diesel exhaust from trucks and buses as likely to cause cancer in humans. (Reuters, 5 Sep. 2002)

Sustainable Development: R.I.P.: The Earth Summit's Deathblow to Sustainable Development -...With the world's most powerful governments fully behind the corporate globalization agenda, it was agreed even before the Summit that there would no new mandatory agreements. Rather the focus was to be on implementation of old agreements, mainly through partnerships with the private sector. In other words, those aspects of sustainability that are convenient for private sector would be implemented...At issue is the fact that the UN is unabashedly -- anxiously -- partnering with corporations that define sustainability to suit themselves...the phrase "corporate accountability," is included elsewhere in the Action Plan, though it's located in an ambiguous paragraph that will require several more years of campaigning by Friends of the Earth and allies to see any legal instrument on corporate accountability born at the UN. [refers to Shell's conduct in Nigeria; refers to Shell, Caltex and BP's conduct in South Africa] (Kenny Bruno, CorpWatch, 4 Sep. 2002)

Earth Summit agrees on energy, angers greens - The Earth Summit gave a muted push to "green" energy this week as part of a plan to curb poverty and protect the planet, angering environmentalists who branded it a weak-minded sell-out to the U.S. oil industry. (Alister Doyle & Jodie Ginsberg, Reuters, 4 Sep. 2002)

Thousands rally against Thai-Malaysia gas pipeline -...PTT and Petronas hold equal stakes in Trans Thai-Malaysia Co (TTM), the developer of the pipeline and separation plant scheme. Thailand's Human Rights Commission and a committee of the country's upper house parliament, the Senate, last week called on the government to delay the project for more public hearings and an in-depth environmental study. (Nopporn Wong, Reuters, 4 Sep. 2002)

Trouble in the pipeline [Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey]: The corporate promises being made at the earth summit are likely to prove hollow - The world's biggest corporations, with the UN's blessing, have negotiated a series of "partnership agreements" - voluntary commitments obliging those companies to respect the environment and defend human rights...These, they claim, will show that international law is not required to force corporations to respect human rights and the environment...But just as the chief executives congratulate each other, a new report suggests that the partnership agreements are worthless. The company most clearly associated with "corporate social responsibility" [BP], which has launched one of the new partnerships and sponsored some of the key events at the summit, appears to be saying one thing and doing just the opposite [in the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project] (George Monbiot, Guardian, 3 Sep. 2002)

'Angolans should sue multinationals and banks' - Angolans must institute legal action against a host of western multinational companies and banking institutions which enabled that country's government to commit crimes of humanity against its people, a Namibian rights group said on Tuesday. (Mail & Guardian [South Africa], 3 Sep. 2002)

World oil summit long on pledges to better protect the environment - The world's top oil producers tried to clean up their image as enemies of the environment Monday with delegates to an industry summit calling for companies to look for cleaner ways to do business...For the first time, environmental defenders such as Greenpeace, Conservation International and the World Wildlife Fund were invited to the meetings and delegates pledged to seek cleaner-burning fuels and reduce the gases blamed for global warming. (Bill Cormier, Associated Press, 3 Sep. 2002)

SPP seeks to calm greenhouse concerns [Australia] - Australian shale oil producer Southern Pacific Petroleum Ltd (SPP) attempted to quell environmental concerns about its product yesterday by releasing a greenhouse gas strategy. (Michelle Nichols, Reuters, 3 Sep. 2002) 

Sir Corporate Responsibility and the World Summit -...Christian Aid applauds the personal commitment of Sir Mark Moody-Stuart to the cause of more socially responsible business, but it is our belief that only with international, legally-binding regulation will his commitment be matched by a fundamental change in business culture. [refers to conduct by Shell, HSBC, Talisman, Petronas] (Christian Aid, 2 Sep. 2002)

Compendium of speeches, press releases and articles from the "Lekgotla: Business Day" - Johannesburg -1 Sep. 2002 [BASD (Business Action for Sustainable Development) hosted a high profile business day during the Johannesburg Summit that brought world business leaders together with NGOs, labor unions, government officials and others - to discuss initiatives and partnerships towards sustainable development] [includes speeches by Prime Ministers of Canada & Denmark; Tokyo Sexwale, Business Coordinating Forum of South Africa; Reuel Khoza, Chairman of Eskom; Phil Watts, World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Sir Robert Wilson, Rio Tinto; Wladimir Puggina, International Fertilizer Industry Association; Heinz Imhof, Chairman of Syngenta; Mohamed Rafik Meghji, International Federation of Consulting Engineers] (Business Action for Sustainable Development, 1 Sep. 2002)

Oil companies colonise Turkey: Corporate Accountability – Not! - BP and other oil companies [Unocal, Statoil, Turkiye Petroleum, ENI, TotalFinaElf, Itochu Oil, Delta Hess, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan] have demanded an extraordinary and outrageous deal, giving them complete freedom from regulation for a pipeline they propose to build across Turkey...It exempts the companies from obligations under any current or future Turkish law that may threaten the project's profits, including environmental, social and human rights legislation.  (Friends of the Earth, 30 Aug. 2002)

Business and UN team up to recognise sustainable partnerships at Earth Summit - The United Nations and ICC: the world business organization today named ten business partnership programmes from around the world which are making an outstanding contribution to sustainable development [refers to Alcan Inc; Shell; Axel Springer Verlag; Kesko; E7 Network; ForesTrade; BioRe and Coop; Migros; Business Trust South Africa] (International Chamber of Commerce, 30 Aug. 2002)

Green groups sue US agencies over global warming - Environmental groups filed a lawsuit this week against two U.S. government agencies for financing the overseas projects of American energy firms while ignoring the effects those deals have on global warming and the environment. (Reuters, 29 Aug. 2002)  

Powell's Awkward Position [USA/Aceh-Indonesia] -...A State Department ruling this month sent a shudder through the human rights community. Legal counsel William H. Taft IV asked U.S. District Judge Louis Oberdorfer to dismiss a lawsuit accusing Exxon Mobil of terrorizing Indonesian villagers who somehow thwart the world's biggest oil company. The suit, brought by the International Labor Rights Fund, cited murder, torture and rape. (Mary McGrory, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2002)

Big business and labour sign deal at the World Summit for Sustainable Development [South Africa] - The union-inspired South African declaration for achieving sustainable environmental conservation targets within realistic economic and production strategies is now set to go international. South African signatories include Sasol (synfuels and chemicals), Iscor (steel production), Columbus Stainless, Eskom (power generation), Telkom (telecommunications) mineral resources companies Assmang Chrome, De Beers, Goldfields, Impala Platinum (Implats) and Ingwe Coal and industrial groups, Barloworld, Dorbyl Engineering and Rotek Engineering, and unions MWU-Solidarity and the National Union of Mine Workers. Among the companies locally who have firmly said they will not sign for the present are Highveld Steel, the country second largest producer, and multinational operators Dow Chemicals and Sappi (pulp and paper). (Lawrence Bedford, EyeforChem, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 28 Aug. 2002)

How green is my business? -...the idea that public-private partnerships [being promoted at World Summit on Sustainable Development] are themselves the answer to these problems [poverty, environmental damage, human rights abuse & social exclusion] is as foolish as the idea that the private sector caused them in the first place. If anything, corporations hyping up this hubristic circus without making a full commitment to sustainability simply undermine the serious work that leaders such as BP are doing to change their mainstream business behaviour for good. That's the real agenda that should be promoted at Johannesburg...It involves corporations integrating social and environmental values within their core activities, rather than setting up projects that hover outside in a box marked "corporate responsibility". (Steve Hilton, Guardian [UK], 28 Aug. 2002)

Letter to Secretary Powell [U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell] Regarding Aceh Lawsuit [Indonesia] - We are writing to express our extreme concern with the July 29th opinion issued by the Office of the Legal Advisor of the US Department of State to the Honorable Louis F. Oberdorfer, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, in response to his request for the Department’s views in connection with the case Doe et.al. v. ExxonMobil...We view such a response from the State Department as an act that clearly subordinates human rights concerns to commercial interests. (letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell from 13 public interest groups, 26 Aug. 2002)

BP accused of taking staff safety risks - BP, a company that takes pride in its record of corporate responsibility, has been accused by some of its workers of taking risks with their safety following last week's Alaskan well explosion. (Sheila McNulty, Financial Times, 25 Aug. 2002)

Authorities in Alaska probe BP site blast [USA] - Alaskan authorities were yesterday investigating an explosion at BP's operation in the state, which seriously injured an operator and caused a spill that might jeopardise the terms of the company's federal probation with US authorities. (Sheila McNulty, Financial Times, 24 Aug. 2002)

Business flourishes at Johannesburg summit - If the "People's Village" at the Earth Summit is any measure, big business has successfully muscled in on a convention to help the world's poor...Visitors to the vast exhibition tent...are assailed by glossy corporate brochures and snappy video clips vaunting the environmental and social awareness of some the world's biggest energy and utilities corporations...Oil giant BP Plc, which green groups branded on Friday as the best firm at using environmental veneer to disguise continued poor practice, had a smart stand promoting its green power projects. "Generally I think society is genuinely keen to support those efforts," said Craig Bennett of Friends of the Earth International. "What we don't condone is when they use those genuine projects...to suggest the whole company has changed." (Reuters, 24 Aug. 2002)

Big oil groups top league for 'greenwash' - The big oil companies were some of the first multinationals to find themselves in the environmental "hall of shame" on Friday in the run up to next week's World Summit on Sustainable Development...Friends of the Earth singled out Shell, British Petroleum (BP) and ExxonMobil for accusations that they had played up green credentials but fell short of their much-publicised environmentally friendly ideals...The "Green Oscars" were awarded by FoE to companies that had produced the most "greenwash" since the Rio Earth summit in 1992. It ranked among the best theatrical performances those by oil companies and the biotech companies Monsanto, Novartis and Aventis. Sasol, the South African fuels company, and Eskom, the local state-owned power group, also received "honourable" mentions. (James Lamont, Financial Times, 23 Aug. 2002)

Environmental Fiduciary: The Case for Incorporating Environmental Factors into Investment Management Policies - In this report, we show that fiduciaries who manage funds for institutional investors such as pension funds, foundations and charitable trusts should incorporate environmental factors into their portfolio management policies. [includes reference to DuPont, ST Microelectronics, IBM, Baxter Intl, Smithfield Foods, US Liquids, Weyerhauser, Georgia Pacific, ChevronTexaco, Marathon Oil, Deutsche Telekom, Nestle, Southern California Gas, ITT, Textron, Corning, Whole Foods, Hains Celestial] (Susannah Blake Goodman, Jonas Kron & Tim Little, The Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, 21 Aug. 2002)

Industrialists Challenge Global Business to “Walk the Talk” -...In Walking the Talk:The Business Case for Sustainable Development...authors Charles O.Holliday Jr, Chairman and CEO of DuPont; Stephan Schmidheiny, Chairman of Anova Holding AG; and Philip Watts, Chairman of Shell; argue that business can, and indeed must, be an agent of positive change for the environment and the world’s poor. (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 21 Aug. 2002)

Amazon Indians lose appeal of Texaco case ruling - Rainforest Indians of Ecuador and Peru have lost an appeal aimed at reinstating nine-year-old litigation against Texaco, alleging that toxic dumping devastated their environment and exposed residents to cancer-causing pollutants. The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a trial court's ruling dismissing two class-action lawsuits on grounds that the United States was not the proper place for the litigation, and that Ecuador would be a more convenient location. (Gail Appleson, Reuters, 21 Aug. 2002)

Bapco safety record [Bahrain] - Bapco yesterday achieved a safety record of four million man hours worked without a lost-time accident...Six key factors have contributed to the refinery's enhanced safety record (Richard Moore, Gulf Daily News [Bahrain], 21 Aug. 2002)

CHAD-CAMEROON: World Bank Panel Criticizes Bank-Backed Pipeline Project - An independent inspection panel of the World Bank has concluded that a $4 billion bank-supported project to construct an oil pipeline from Chad to Cameroon [which would be built by a private consortium led by Exxon-Mobil, Petronas and Chevron] could damage the environment and would give the local population only 5 percent of the revenues generated from the project (UN Wire, 19 Aug. 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: Firms, Investors Fret Over Costs, Liability -...the Times [New York Times] reported that companies are likely to face huge costs from climate change and could be sued by governments, investors and others if they fail to protect themselves against warming-related risks...Companies such as DuPont, BP and Ford have begun addressing climate change risk in annual reports and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and Dow says it is set to release a social responsibility report in which it charts its greenhouse gas emissions reductions for the first time. The Times reports that Swiss Re is considering denying coverage to firms that do not address the problem (UN Wire, 19 Aug. 2002)

Eskom: Corporate Powerhouse or Green Company? -...Eskom, Africa's largest electric company -- also a major coal and nuclear enterprise, will be South Africa's Corporate Environmentalism Exhibit #1 during the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development...In this article, EarthLife Africa looks at the reality, and finds that the company has behaved in ways that contrast with Global Compact Principles seven (support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges) and nine (encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.) (Brian Ashe, EarthLife Africa eThekwini, 16 Aug. 2002)

Spotlight on corporates reveals need for global rules - Some corporations continue to abuse the rights of people, destroy the livelihoods of communities, and pollute water and forest resources for future generations, according to a new report by Friends of the Earth International published today. The report graphically illustrates the need for governments to agree to introduce tighter rules for multinationals at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg. (Friends of the Earth, 16 Aug. 2002)

includes section entitled "Towards binding corporate accountability"

also includes the following case studies:

3. South Africa: Sasol, Total, Dow Chemicals (pollution of poor communities)

4. Russia/Lithuania: Lukoil (Baltic sea drilling)

6. Chad/Cameroon: ExxonMobil, Chevron, Petronas (Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline)

7. Ecuador: AGIP, Alberta Energy, Occidental Petroleum, Perez Companc, Repsol-YPF, Techint (oil pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)

9. Nigeria: Shell (environmental justice issues in Niger Delta)

12. Colombia: Occidental Petroleum (oil extraction on land of U'wa people)

14. Brazil: Petrobas, El Paso Energy (gas pipeline, affecting indigenous peoples)

17. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey: BP (Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline)

Shell Games at the Earth Summit -...Tracking the behavior of Royal Dutch Shell from the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio to the WSSD in Johannesburg is particularly instructive in drawing out how global corporations have pursued a pro-environment and human rights public-relations strategy on the one hand, while continuing to be deeply engaged in destructive activity on the other. (Kenny Bruno & Joshua Karliner CorpWatch, 15 Aug. 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: Rich Nations Must Take Responsibility, Says Toepfer - U.N. Environment Program Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said yesterday that the human role in climate change could no longer be doubted and that industrialized nations bear most of the blame....Greenpeace is urging major petroleum corporations to provide financial aid to those affected by flooding in Europe and Asia. Smid [Greenpeace climate expert Karsten Smid] also accused the oil companies of exerting too much influence over the U.S. government (UN Wire, 14 Aug. 2002)

Round table seeks ways to harness trade and investment for sustainable development -...A recent high-level round table in Abuja, Nigeria, hosted by the Government and sponsored by UNDP, assisted by several partners, examined the issue [the challenge of reconciling the powerful forces of international trade and investment with efforts to reduce poverty and protect the environment], focusing on partnerships between government, civil society and the private sector for sustainable development in the oil, gas and minerals sector and the water and sanitation sector...Egbert Imomoh , senior corporate advisor with Shell International, discussed his company's experiences in partnerships in Gabon, Nigeria, Thailand, Mexico and the Philippines...Kwabena S. Manu of Mime Consult Ltd. in Ghana presented a pilot project to involve local private firms in developing small town water supply systems. (U.N. Development Programme, 14 Aug. 2002)

13 Companies Earn Perfect Score on First HRC Corporate Equality Index [USA]: Demonstrate Leadership with Regard to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees - A total of 13 major U.S. corporations earned 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's first Corporate Equality Index, released today. The index rates large corporations on policies that affect their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors...The 13 companies that scored 100 percent are: Aetna Inc.; AMR Corp./American Airlines; Apple Computer Inc.; Avaya Inc.; Eastman Kodak Co.; Intel Corp.; J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.; Lucent Technologies Inc.; NCR Corp.; Nike Inc.; Replacements Ltd.; Worldspan L.P.; and Xerox Corp...At the other end of the scale, three companies scored zero: CBRL Group Inc./Cracker Barrel; Emerson Electric Co.; and Lockheed Martin Corp. (Human Rights Campaign, 13 Aug. 2002)

Shell, Chevron Invasion: Protesters Raise Alarm Over 15 Missing Women [Nigeria] - Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje women who seized the Warri operational headquarters of Shell and Chevron-Texaco last Thursday claimed, weekend that 15 of them were missing. About 800 were injured in their encounter with security agents during the seizure, they told newsmen in Warri...They issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Shell and Chevron-Texaco managements to find the missing women or face further action. (Sola Adebayo, Vanguard [Nigeria], 12 Aug. 2002)

U.S. Government Tries to Kill Human-Rights Case against ExxonMobil - Government says case over Indonesian abuses could endanger U.S. business and anti-terrorism interests (Ethics Newsline, Institute for Global Ethics, 12 Aug. 2002)

{···français} Un pipe-line sème maladies et pollutions en Amazonie - En Équateur, l’oléoduc «El sote» est une catastrophe de 500 kilomètres de long. Gigantesque serpent de métal, le Système d’oléoduc transéquatorien (SOTE) a été construit dans les années septante sous l’impulsion de la Texaco. Depuis 1993, la compagnie américaine est poursuivie en justice par les communautés amérindiennes de l’Équateur, mais aussi du Pérou, pour pollution grave de la forêt amazonienne. Le verdict sera rendu cet automne. (Le Courrier [Genève], 9 août 2002)

Unocal wants government to quash labour lawsuit - Unocal, the US oil company, told a California court yesterday that American foreign policy interests could be harmed by a lawsuit that alleges the company used forced labour in Burma. The move comes just days after the US government warned a Washington DC court that a pending lawsuit against Exxon Mobil over alleged abuses in Indonesia would hinder the war on terrorism and jeopardise foreign investment in a key ally. (Edward Alden, Financial Times, 9 Aug. 2002)

CLIMATE CHANGE: U.N. Panel's Next Assessment To Focus On Regions [refers to oil & coal industry] (UN Wire, 9 Aug. 2002)

SOLAR POWER: Energy Source Could Challenge Fossil Fuels Soon [refers to BP Solar & Shell Solar] (UN Wire, 9 Aug. 2002)

Rio + 10 Series: Business Action Addressing Biodiversity is a Rare Species - The Center for Environmental Leadership in Business’ Energy and Biodiversity Initiative represents one of very few business actions that support biodiversity conservation...CELB supports biodiversity initiatives in four sectors: agriculture and fisheries, forestry, energy and mining, and travel and leisure. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 9 Aug. 2002)

Statoil wins prize for burying CO2 under North Sea - Norwegian state-controlled oil firm Statoil said on Thursday that it won a prize for pioneering work to curb emissions of gases blamed for global warming by burying them beneath the seabed. (Reuters, 9 Aug. 2002)

Groups Shocked as Officials Urge Judge to Back ExxonMobil - News that the [U.S.] State Department urged a federal court judge to dismiss the case after he asked about claims by ExxonMobil's lawyers that the lawsuit could compromise U.S. interests, particularly the 'war on terrorism', has shocked the human rights community. (Jim Lobe, Inter Press Service, 8 Aug. 2002)

ExxonMobil welcomes US backing on Aceh human rights lawsuit - Exxon Mobil Corp rejected suggestions that the US government had acted inappropriately in urging the dismissal of a lawsuit against the oil company over its operations in Indonesia. (AFX News, 8 Aug. 2002)

Text of the Lawsuit Against ExxonMobil: I [part 1 of 2] [lawsuit in U.S. court concerning the company's alleged conduct in Aceh]: The complete text of the disputed lawsuit against ExxonMobil for its alleged complicity in human rights abuses in Aceh province (Laksamana.Net [Indonesia], 8 Aug. 2002)

U.S. Backs Oil Giant on Lawsuit in Indonesia - The State Department is urging a United States court to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a human rights group against Exxon Mobil over its operations in a war-torn province of Indonesia. In response to a request by the corporation for an opinion, the department declared that pursuit of the case would harm Washington's campaign against terrorism. (Jane Perlez, New York Times, 8 Aug. 2002)

BP provides care for HIV employees, dependents [South Africa] - British Petroleum (BP) Southern Africa realised back in 1996 that HIV/Aids was affecting its strategy of growing its businesses in southern Africa. So it developed a policy to supply antiretrovirals and medical care to all employees, their spouses and dependents, if they required it. (Edward West, Business Report [South Africa], 8 Aug. 2002)

NAFTA panel says cannot rule on Methanex MTBE case [Canada/USA] - The case has been closely watched by green and civil rights groups who worried that Methanex's case - filed under NAFTA's Chapter 11 investor protection rules - was an example of how private companies can use the agreement to undermine government efforts to protect the environment. (Allan Dowd, Reuters, 8 Aug. 2002) 

Women's Protests Against ChevronTexaco Spread Through the Niger Delta [Nigeria]: Initial Demands Met, Issues Remain (Sam Olukoya, special to CorpWatch, 7 Aug. 2002)

U.S./Indonesia: Bush Backtracks on Corporate Responsibility - The U.S. State Department has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the Exxon Mobil Corporation for its alleged complicity in human rights violations in Indonesia, raising questions about the Bush administration's commitment to corporate responsibility, Human Rights Watch said today..."It is the height of hypocrisy for the State Department to publicly promote human rights principles for the oil and gas industry and then tell a judge that scrutiny of an oil company's human rights record runs counter to foreign policy," said Roth [Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch] (Human Rights Watch, 7 Aug. 2002)

Angry fisherman block Mexico Pemex's Oaxaca refinery -...The fishermen are demanding compensation for damages they claim were caused by a diesel fuel leak that occurred when a pipeline was illegally tapped last April in the municipality of Juchitan, Oaxaca, Pemex said. (Reuters, 7 Aug. 2002)

Shell denies supported SAfrica's apartheid regime - Shell Petroleum Co denied allegations it was supportive of the apartheid regime, responding to news that the oil company is now included in a multi-billion class action lawsuit brought by US lawyers on behalf of the victims of South Africa's former regime. (AFX News, 6 Aug. 2002)

A Call for Case Studies on "Indigenous Peoples, Extractive Industries And The World Bank": Contribution to an Independent Review - Deadline for submission is August 30, 2002 (Tebtebba Foundation & Forest Peoples' Programme) [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]

{···español} México saturado de desechos tóxicos - México está saturado de residuos tóxicos que amenazan la salud de millones de personas y, aunque el problema se agrava, no existen planes para enfrentarlo...Pero existen otras sustancias aún más peligrosas desechadas por la industria eléctrica y petrolera, así como por los hospitales y centros de salud (Diego Cevallos, Inter Press Service, 2 agosto 2002)

State Department Adopts “See No Evil, Hear No Evil” Stance in Case that Pits Indonesian Villagers Against Exxon Mobil - The U.S. Department of State has warned a U.S. District Court that opening proceedings in the lawsuit Doe vs. Exxon Mobil Corporation could harm the Indonesian economy and U.S. interests...The Lawyers Committee deplores the position of the State Department...While concerns about Indonesia’s economy and U.S. investment there are understandable, LCHR rejects the implication that this investment can come at the cost of human rights protection. Companies should not be immune from prosecution for human rights violations in their operations at home or abroad (Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, 2 Aug. 2002)

Shell faces South Africa apartheid lawsuits - Royal Dutch/Shell, the oil company, is to be cited in a multi-billion-dollar class action lawsuit brought by a team of lawyers on behalf of the victims of South Africa's apartheid regime, a lawyer said on Friday...Shell, which is accused of supplying the white minority regime with oil in violation of an anti-apartheid embargo, will be added to the list, which already includes IBM, the computer company, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, CommerzBank, UBS, Credit Suisse and Citicorp. (Nicol Degli Innocenti, Financial Times, 2 Aug. 2002)

Ijaw Vs Chevron: Women to the Rescue [Nigeria] [refers to terms of 8-page Memorandum of Understanding signed on 24 July, under which Chevron agrees to a number of local economic development & education initiatives] (Mike Oduniyi, This Day [Nigeria], 2 Aug. 2002)

Who Monitors? - Who enforces the social and environmental standards for corporate behavior in poor countries, where government either does not function well or lacks the resources to ensure that businesses perform at the level customary for the U.S. or Western Europe?...But who conducts these audits – and which standards the audits follow – are the subject of fierce debate, because control of the audit can deeply influence company operations. [refers to L.L. Bean, BP, Gap] (G. Pascal Zachary, Business for Social Responsibility website, 1 Aug. 2002)

NIGERIA: New environmental guidelines for oil industry - Nigeria has introduced new environmental guidelines aimed at curbing degradation and pollution in the country’s oil region and bringing operations up to international standards, Rilwanu Lukman, presidential adviser on petroleum, said this week. (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 1 Aug. 2002) 

Indigenous peoples' permanent sovereignty over natural resources - Working paper by Erica-Irene A. Daes, former Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations (Erica-Irene A. Daes, document for U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 30 July 2002)

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

A bad year for FTSE4Good -...the very fact that the indices have taken such an inclusive approach has prompted claims that they are not ethical enough. Some of those who think of themselves as ethical investors wouldn't want their money going anywhere near some of the oil, gas and drugs companies and high street banks that feature in them. (Rupert Jones, Guardian [UK], 27 July 2002)

NIGERIA: Women end siege of ChevronTexaco facilities -...The officials said under the terms of the agreement signed on Thursday with a chief of the Gbaramutu community, whose women had occupied four ChevronTexaco facilties for eight days, the company would build a hospital and provide fair access to employment for qualified people from the area. (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks, 26 July 2002) 

Western firms eye Sudan oil, but still wary - Sudan's undeveloped oil potential may be back on the radar screen for Western firms after the Sudanese government and main rebel group reached an agreement that could end a 19-year-civil war, industry experts say. But until a full peace deal is signed and implemented, they say Sudan is likely to stay dominated by Asian and East European firms which appear less sensitive to criticism by Western-based human rights groups amid the fighting in oil-rich areas. [refers to Lundin Petroleum, OMV, Talisman Energy] (Edmund Blair, Reuters, 26 July 2002)

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

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

Nigerian women's oil protest ends - Hundreds of local women in Nigeria's Delta region have ended the 12-day occupation of oil pipeline stations belonging to the American company, ChevronTexaco. The women had accused the company of exploiting the people of the region and not distributing enough of the wealth it obtains from oil. (BBC News, 25 July 2002)

The key step for peace is ending corruption - Indonesia's Aceh rebellion -...An autonomy law, adopted last year, has created a giant slush fund for provincial officials from oil and gas revenues, with no effective controls over how the money is spent...One particularly lucrative source of income in Aceh is illegal logging. (Sidney Jones, head of Jakarta office of the International Crisis Group, in International Herald Tribune, 23 July 2002)

Sudan deal seen as boon for Talisman: Could change plans for contentious asset - A breakthrough deal setting the stage for peace in Sudan could radically change Talisman Energy Inc.'s plans to sell its controversial operations in the African country...the Calgary-based oil company, which has been shopping around its interest in a Sudanese oil consortium after years of pressure from human rights groups and the threat of capital market sanctions in the United States, could now turn around and decide to hang on to its prolific oil fields in Sudan (Lily Nguyen, Globe and Mail [Canada], 22 July 2002)

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

Sasol capitulates in dispute with ill worker [South Africa] - Sasol, the synthetic fuel producer faced with contempt of court proceedings tomorrow for refusing to reinstate a worker who was dismissed when he became ill from exposure to toxic chemicals, has capitulated and agreed to rehire the man. (Ronnie Morris, Business Report [South Africa], 22 July 2002)

Western oil firms stand to gain from peace moves [Sudan] - A blueprint for peace in Sudan offers a potential boost for Western oil firms wrestling with security problems and allegations they are helping Khartoum's war effort, oil and other analysts said Sunday. (AFP, 21 July 2002)

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

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

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

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

Miners pay high price for China's coal - China's insatiable demand for coal has a dark side that has been on gruesome display in recent weeks, with a series of terrifying underground explosions, hundreds of deaths and tales of medieval horror as mine managers have tried to hide bodies from the authorities. (Richard McGregor, Financial Times, 17 July 2002)

US sues Shell, Saudi venture over tank explosion - The U.S. Justice Department said this week it had filed suit against a joint venture of Shell Oil Co. and Saudi Refining Inc., accusing the company of "gross negligence" that led to a deadly tank explosion last year...which killed one person and injured eight others. (Reuters, 17 July 2002)

Chevron near deal to end women's sit-in [Nigeria] - Chevron, Nigeria's third-largest oil producer, said it was drawing up a memorandum of understanding in response to the women's demands for jobs for their sons and greater community development. (Michael Peel, Financial Times, 17 July 2002)

Exxon Under Fire in Indonesia -...Exxon Mobil is also the object of a lawsuit filed on behalf of villagers who accuse the company of turning a blind eye to brutality by Indonesian soldiers, who have a long history of human rights abuses and have been paid to ensure the plant's security. The company denies the charges. But the suit and Exxon Mobil's travails in Indonesia encapsulate the problems faced by big companies that do business under the protection of ill-trained foreign armies, in places where the United States has strategic interests. (Jane Perlez, Moscow Times, 16 July 2002)

Corporate Human Rights -...For several years, a small group of lawyers and labor advocates has been trying to hold transnational companies responsible for their actions by suing them in the United States for abetting and/or benefiting from human rights abuses overseas. Finally, these corporation-chasers are beginning to see signs of possible success. [refers to lawsuits against Unocal, Shell, Texaco, Rio Tinto, Coca-Cola, Del Monte, DynCorp, Drummond Company, ExxonMobil] (David Corn, The Nation, 15 July 2002)

'Deal reached' in Nigeria oil protest - Women protesters who have besieged an oil terminal in southern Nigeria for more than a week say they have reached a deal with the refinery owners to end their blockade...According to Mr Filgate [of Chevron Texaco], the company has agreed to build a town hall in the village of Ugborodo - home to many of the protesters - and build schools and electrical and water systems. "We now have a different philosophy, and that is do more with communities," AP quoted Mr Filgate as saying following talks with the women. (BBC News, 15 July 2002)

Indonesia's Guerrilla War Puts Exxon Under Siege -...Exxon Mobil is also the object of a lawsuit filed on behalf of villagers who accuse the company of turning a blind eye to brutality by Indonesian soldiers, who have a long history of human rights abuses and have been paid to provide the plant's security. (Jane Perlez, New York Times, 14 July 2002)

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

Sudan oil drilling on hold despite peace plan -Lundin - Swedish oil exploration company Lundin Petroleum said on Friday any peace agreement in Sudan would not alter its decision to suspend drilling operations there until the end of this year at the earliest....Austrian oil and gas group OMV, a member of the same consortium as Lundin, said on Thursday it was awaiting the results of an independent study of the human rights situation in Sudan before making any decisions when to resume its drilling operations. Lundin said the findings of OMV's report would not affect its drilling schedule. (Reuters, 12 July 2002)

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

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

OMV studying human rights situation in Sudan - Austrian oil and gas group OMV said on Thursday it was awaiting the results of a independent study of the human rights situation in potentially oil-rich areas of Sudan, racked by 19 years of civil war...OMV suspended its activities in Sudan in January 2002 after violence escalated and has said it needed assurances that reports the government was using violence to depopulate villages in block 5A in Western Upper Nile and other areas were not true. "We are awaiting the results of our impact study, and on the basis of that we will decide how to proceed," Chief Executive Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer told Reuters in an interview. "For us, it is important that human rights are respected and this is very much in the foreground," he added. (Louis Charbonneau, Reuters, 11 July 2002)

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

Investment and Human Rights: The Era of Responsibility - As an American oil company [Unocal] heads to court [in USA] for alleged human-rights abuses in Burma, a new era of foreign investment begins in which firms must carefully consider the behaviour of their partners [also refers to lawsuits against Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil] (Murray Hiebert, Far Eastern Economic Review, 11 July 2002)

NIGERIA: Women protesters hold 700 oil workers hostage - At least 150 women protesters have besieged Chevron-Texaco’s main oil export facility in Nigeria’s southern oil region to back demands for jobs for their children...Disruptions of oil operations are common in the Niger Delta oil region, where impoverished local people accuse oil companies and their government partners of neglect despite the huge oil wealth pumped from their land. But this is the first such action taken exclusively by women. (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 10 July 2002)

Colombian U'wa Indians brace for new battle -...The $98 million in aid [planned U.S. aid package to train a Colombian army battalion] is aimed at preparing Colombian forces to protect an oil pipeline that runs near U'wa territory from attacks by Marxist rebels, but tribal leaders fear it will spread Colombia's 38-year-old war across their land. (Ibon Villelabeitia, Reuters, 10 July 2002)

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

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

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

Best companies for minorities [USA] - Diversity Leaders -...these companies have not abandoned their commitment to hiring, promoting, and retaining talented employees of all races [lists the 50 top companies; top 10: Fannie Mae, Sempra Energy, Advantica, SBC Communications, McDonald's, PNM Resources, Southern California Edison, United States Postal Service, Freddie Mac, BellSouth] (Fortune, 8 July 2002)

Dozens killed in Ukraine mine fire -...The cause of the accident is not known, but Ukraine's ageing coal pits have a bad safety record, and have been described by the World Bank as the world's most dangerous mines. (BBC News, 7 July 2002)

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

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

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

Transnational Corporations And Human Rights - Written statement submitted by International League for Human Rights [refers to Tibet & China: Australian-owned Sino Mining International, BP, ENI/Agip, PetroChina, Shell, Exxon/Mobil; Burma: Unocal] (International League for Human Rights, document for U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 3 July 2002)

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

SUDAN: Focus - Increasing conflict sparks fears of humanitarian crisis -...In a hard-hitting report, the ICG [International Crisis Group] said oil revenues had enabled the Sudanese government to purchase more weapons and adopt "more brutal tactics" in driving civilians out of oil-rich areas. (U.N. Integrated Regional Information Networks, 3 July 2002)

Rebels Caution India On Sudan Oil Investment - "No company should get involved in exploration or exploitation of oil in Sudan during this time of war, whether it is Indian, Canadian or Chinese. The benefits of this oil do not go to all the Sudanese people"...says SPLA spokesperson Samson Kwaje. (Inter Press Service, 2 July 2002)

Civilians targeted in Sudan war - Tens of thousands of people are fleeing fighting in Sudan's oil-rich region of Western Upper Nile, following the fall of the key rebel-held town of Mankien to government forces in June. The charity Christian Aid says there is clear evidence that civilians are being targeted in the government offensive. (Ishbel Matheson, BBC News, 2 July 2002)

ARAB STATES: U.N. Study Shows Lack Of Freedom Hinders Development - The development of Arab nations is significantly hindered by lack of freedom, repression of women and an inadequate education system, according to a U.N. Development Program-sponsored report slated for release today in Cairo...Arab scholars and experts compiled the report over an 18-month period, with the result representing the first such study conducted by Arab rather than outside experts (UN Wire, 2 July 2002)

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

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

A Guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in the International Labour Organization - Indigenous peoples throughout the world continue to suffer serious abuses of their human rights. In particular, they are experiencing heavy pressure on their lands from logging, mining, roads, conservation activities, dams, agribusiness and colonization...This Briefing paper provides guidance on how to file a complaint with the ILO Committee of Experts. [refers to ILO Convention 169 cases relating to: logging concessions which overlapped indigenous territories in the Bolivian Amazon; Arco & Berlington Resources Ecuador Ltd. project in Ecuador affecting the Shuar People; Occidental project in Colombia affecting the U’wa indigenous community] (Fergus MacKay, Forest Peoples Programme, July 2002)