Category Archives: 2012 Media releases

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Dutch Court ruling against Shell a partial victory

Friends of the Earth International

January 30, 2013

THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, January 30, 2013 — Today a Dutch court ruled that Shell Nigeria is responsible for polluting farmlands in a landmark case brought by four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth Netherlands. The court said Shell’s subsidiary is accountable for damage caused by oil spills at Ikot Ada Udo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Though this is an important victory, Friends of the Earth International is disappointed that the court did not return a similar verdict in the cases brought by the plaintiffs from Goi and Oruma communities. The plaintiffs and Friends of the Earth Netherlands plan to appeal this ruling, as well as the principle point of the liability of the Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) parent company.

“This win for the farmers of Ikot Ada Udo has set a precedent as it will be an important step that multinationals can more easily be made answerable for the damage they do in developing countries. We anticipate other communities will now demand that Shell pay for the assault on their environment,” says Friends of the Earth Nigeria’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, who has played a pivotal role in bringing to light the havoc wreaked by Shell in the Niger delta.

Likewise, Friends of Earth Netherlands campaigner Geert Ritsema comments: “This verdict is great news for the people in lkot Ada Udo who started this case together with Friends of the Earth Netherlands. But the verdict also offers hope to other victims of environmental pollution caused by multinationals. At the same time, the verdict is a bitter disappointment for the people in the villages of Oruma and Goi — where the court did not hold Shell liable for the damage. Fortunately, this can still change in an appeal,” he added.

The four Nigerian plaintiffs have been demanding that Shell cleans up the oil pollution in their communities, compensates those affected and prevent further leaks from occurring. The communities of the Niger Delta depend primarily on the environment for their livelihoods, including farming and fishing. Oil industry operations in the Niger Delta have damaged or destroyed local food and water supplies, biodiversity and fishing ponds and crops that locals had used to earn money. Today’s ruling follows a hearing in October 2012, which was a landmark in itself.

The court decided not to hold the parent company liable for damage done in Nigeria. Friends of the Earth Netherlands was denied access to evidence proving Shell’s international parent company based in the Netherlands (RDS) determines the daily affairs of Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary (SPDC). RDS owns 100% of SPDC shares. SPDC’s profits (estimated at €1.8 billion annually) are deposited in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, under existing laws, RDS cannot be held liable for the damage done on the basis of these facts alone. Friends of the Earth Netherlands must prove that governance actually comes from the headquarters in the Netherlands. Because Shell has not been ordered by the court to allow access to internal company documents which would demonstrate their governance of SPDC, it has been very difficult to prove this. “Apparently our justice system allows a company to pocket the profits from a foreign subsidiary without being held liable for the damage it causes while producing those profits,” said Geert Ritsema of Friends of the Earth Netherlands.

The court also ruled that Shell has convincingly proven that sabotage was involved in two of the three villages. The plaintiffs find it incomprehensible that the court has allowed itself to be convinced by a number of blurry photos and poor quality video images submitted by Shell.

With the plaintiffs, Friends of the Earth International remains convinced that poor maintenance is the cause of the spills. Even where sabotage is involved, Friends of the Earth International believes that Shell bears responsibility and is liable for the damage.

The widespread devastation faced by communities in the Niger Delta as a result of oil spills by companies like Shell also demonstrates the urgent need for a global transition away from corporate-controlled dirty energy like oil, coal, gas, industrial agrofuels and mega-dams, and the development and roll-out of clean energy alternatives which are appropriate to the needs of communities and under their democratic control. This transition is urgently needed if we are to stop catastrophic climate change and avoid climate tipping points while at the same time addressing the inequalities that prevent millions of people from accessing clean, affordable fuel to meet their basic energy needs.

For more information

More information on the background of the case can be found on the
website of Friends of the Earth Netherlands: www.milieudefensie.nl.

For questions about the court case, please contact the Friends of the Earth Netherlands press office, +31(0)20-5507333.

Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

December 8, 2012

Doha climate talks: Industrialised countries block climate action

DOHA, QATAR, December 8, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International has strongly condemned the governments of industrialised countries for blocking action on the climate crisis at a failed UN climate summit in Qatar.

Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar said: “The Doha deal is as empty as a desert mirage. Despite the official spin, these talks delivered nothing: no real progress on cutting greenhouse gases and only an insulting gesture at climate finance.

“The blame lies squarely with the rich industrialised world, most notably the United States. The Obama administration is succeeding in its efforts to dismantle the UN global climate regime and other wealthy nations have joined in, paralyzing the climate talks and forcing the world’s poor to pay the price.”

“We demand justice for the people of developing nations who suffer the most from the crisis, a crisis caused mainly by the rich industrialised world.”

“Hope for a solution lies with the people. We must demand action from our governments and reject them if they fail to deliver.”

The 18th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change saw no substantial progress on the promises made by the industrialised world to address its historic role in causing the climate crisis.

Under the Convention, developed countries are committed to deliver strong and binding emissions cuts in line with climate science and equity, and adequate climate finance to compensate developing countries and support their sustainable development.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator said:

“The fossil fuel lobby won the Qatar desert climate battle, where we witnessed dirty industry elites still holding the reins of our governments. Meanwhile the climate crisis worsens and the window for action shrinks day by day. Developed countries did not even try to solve the climate crisis at these talks. Instead, they continued to protect the interests of fossil fuelled corporations and helped financial elites grow their latest cash cow: the global carbon market scam.”

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator said: “We need a strong and binding international agreement to curb the global climate crisis. But as the talks in Doha show, people around the world cannot wait for our governments to see sense and deliver the solutions. Working together in our communities, people are already resisting fossil fuels and dirty energy, building clean energy cooperatives, transforming our food systems, and protecting our forests, land and water from multinational corporations. Only people-and-planet-centred solutions will solve the climate crisis and create a better future for us all. We must make our governments listen and demand climate justice now.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar: +974 3338 6383 (in Doha) / +44 7956 210332 or email asad.rehman [at] foe.co.uk

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator: +44 7912 406510 or email sara.clifton [at] foe.co.uk

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +258 840 356 599 or email dipti [at] foei.org

Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa. Photo: Mike Buckthought. 2012 Media releases | Environmental justice |

Supreme Court decision leaves taxpayers with the bill for cleaning up AbitibiBowater’s pollution

For immediate release

(Ottawa, December 7, 2012) The Supreme Court of Canada released its decision today in Newfoundland and Labrador v. AbitibiBowater Inc. et al., which addresses the legal obligations of insolvent companies with respect to contaminated sites.

Friends of the Earth, represented by legal counsel from Ecojustice and Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, intervened in the case to argue that the law requires that insolvent corporations retain their environmental obligations through a restructuring and must not burden taxpayers with the costs of cleaning up contaminated sites.

The Supreme Court decided that remediation orders, which required AbitibiBowater (now Resolute Forest Products) to clean up after years of pollution, are equivalent to private financial claims under insolvency law. The end result is that taxpayers will bear much of the financial and environmental costs associated with cleaning up Abitibi’s industrial sites.

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth observed, “The Supreme Court missed an important opportunity to affirm the correct application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle in insolvency proceedings. The Court’s decision effectively limits a polluter’s liability to what it can pay as part of a compromise it designed, not out of the billions (in this case) in profit going forward.”

This ground-breaking case represents the first time Canada’s insolvency law has confronted the polluter pays principle — in this case, for historic contamination by AbitibiBowater’s mining, shipping, and pulp and paper operations in Newfoundland and Labrador. The company filed for insolvency protection in 2009, leaving a toxic legacy of heavy metals and other hazardous chemicals.

When companies fail, the typical result is that communities and governments must deal with pollution clean-up costs. Friends of the Earth believes that corporations must be made to disclose the clean-up costs for their contamination — historic and continuing — in financial reports on an ongoing basis. “They should not be allowed to pass the buck on to taxpayers, leaving a toxic burden for communities when a plant shuts down,” says Olivastri.

“The Supreme Court has delivered a clear message: if the federal and provincial governments are not proactively issuing remediation orders, then taxpayers risk being left with the cleanup costs after companies file for insolvency protection. Remediation orders must be issued and acted upon before a company goes under,” says Ecojustice lawyer Will Amos.

“In the context of a natural resource economy, protecting the environment also means protecting future resource-based industry,” says Graham Phoenix of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. “To draw an analogy to the environmental law principle of intergenerational equity: the businesses of today must be good stewards of the environment for the businesses of tomorrow. If not, we are ensuring not only a legacy of environmental contamination but also a stagnant economic future.”

“This decision proves that federal insolvency laws require significant reform so that they don’t serve to protect companies and investors at the expense of taxpayers and environmental protection. The Companies Creditors Arrangement Act must be amended by Parliament so that taxpayers are not left holding the bag when companies go insolvent,” says Hugh Wilkins of Ecojustice. “Polluter pays is about corporate liability. The fundamental objective of the polluter pays principle is to ensure the polluter internalizes the environmental costs of business. Taxpayers should not be left with clean-up costs for toxic legacies from abandoned mines and mills.”

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The polluter pays principle is among the most important environmental law concepts in Canada. It is the basic idea behind clean-up orders, penalties and cost recovery decisions. Implementing polluter pays involves polluters taking responsibility for remedying contamination for which they are responsible and imposes on them the direct and immediate costs of pollution. As pioneers advocating for this principle to be put into practice, Friends of the Earth, represented by legal counsel at Ecojustice, intervened in one of the earliest, precedent-setting polluter pay cases in Canada — Imperial Oil Ltd v. Quebec (Minister of the Environment) — in 2003.

Background information:

Media release, November 16, 2011
Friends of the Earth, Ecojustice ask Supreme Court to respect polluter pays principle
http://foecanada.org/en/2011/11/respect-polluter-pays-principle/

Supreme Court of Canada Decision
http://scc.lexum.org/decisia-scc-csc/scc-csc/scc-csc/en/item/12749/index.do

Friends of the Earth Factum
http://foecanada.org/en/files/2012/12/factum-intervener-foe-canada-abitibibowater.pdf

Background / chronology — Polluter Pays: Newfoundland and Labrador v. AbitibiBowater Inc.
http://foecanada.org/en/2012/12/polluter-pays-newfoundland-and-labrador-abitibibowater/

For more information, contact:

Beatrice Olivastri
Friends of the Earth Canada
Email: beatrice [at] foecanada.org
Tel: (613) 241-0085 ext. 26

William Amos
Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic
Email: wamos [at] ecojustice.ca
Tel: (613) 562-5800 ext. 3378

R. Graham Phoenix
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Email: gphoenix [at] fasken.com
Tel: (416) 865-4511

Hugh S. Wilkins
Ecojustice Canada
Email: hwilkins [at] ecojustice.ca
Tel: (416) 368-7533 ext. 534

Friends of the Earth Canada is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network campaigning on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues. foecanada.org

Ecojustice is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to defending Canadians’ right to a healthy environment. We defend Canada’s environment through law. We have one planet and we believe it is our collective responsibility to take care of it. www.ecojustice.ca

Cour suprême du Canada, Ottawa. Photo : Mike Buckthought. 2012 Media releases | Environmental justice |

La décision de la Cour suprême laisse aux contribuables la facture de nettoyage de la pollution d’AbitibiBowater

Pour diffusion immédiate

(Ottawa, le 7 décembre 2012) La Cour suprême du Canada a rendu aujourd’hui sa décision dans la cause Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador c. AbitibiBowater Inc. et al., qui porte sur les obligations légales des entreprises insolvables à l’égard de sites contaminés.

Les Ami(e)s de la Terre, représenté par des avocats d’Écojustice et de Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, est intervenu dans cette affaire en faisant valoir que la loi exige que les sociétés insolvables conservent leurs obligations environnementales au-delà d’une restructuration et qu’elles ne transfèrent pas aux contribuables le fardeau des coûts de nettoyage de sites contaminés.

La Cour suprême a décidé que les ordonnances de remise en état, qui exigent d’AbitibiBowater (maintenant « Produits forestiers Résolu ») de nettoyer ses sites après des années de pollution, équivalent à des créances privées en vertu du droit de l’insolvabilité. Le résultat final est que les contribuables devront écoper de la majeure partie des coûts financiers et environnementaux associés au nettoyage des sites industriels d’AbitibiBowater.

Selon Beatrice Olivastri, présidente-directrice générale des Ami(e)s de la Terre, « La Cour suprême vient de rater une occasion importante de valider la bonne application du principe du “pollueur-payeur” dans les procédures d’insolvabilité. La décision de la Cour pour effet de limiter la responsabilité d’un pollueur à ce que celui-ci accepte de payer dans le cadre d’un compromis qu’il a conçu, plutôt qu’à partir des milliards de dollars de profit (dans ce cas) qu’il va encaisser en allant de l’avant. »

Cette cause crée un précédent : c’est la première fois où le droit canadien de l’insolvabilité au Canada est confronté au principe du pollueur-payeur — dans ce cas-ci au sujet d’une contamination historique de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador par les activités d’exploitation minière, d’expédition et de fabrication de papier de l’entreprise AbitibiBowater. La société a demandé la protection des tribunaux en vertu des lois sur l’insolvabilité en 2009, laissant dans l’environnement un héritage toxique de métaux lourds et autres produits chimiques dangereux.

Lorsque les entreprises échouent, le résultat habituel est que les communautés et les gouvernements doivent assumer les coûts de nettoyage de leur pollution. Les Ami(e)s de la Terre estiment que les entreprises doivent être forcées à divulguer sur une base continue les coûts de dépollution pour leur contamination — historique et continue — dans leurs rapports financiers annuels. « Elles ne devraient pas être autorisées à se décharger de cette responsabilité sur les contribuables, ce qui laisse un fardeau toxique aux communautés quand une usine ferme ses portes », ajoute Madame Olivastri.

« La Cour suprême vient de livrer un message clair : si les gouvernements fédéral et provinciaux ne se montrent pas proactifs dans l’émission d’ordonnances d’assainissement, puis les contribuables risquent d’écoper des coûts de nettoyage dès qu’une entreprise réclame la protection des lois sur l’insolvabilité. Ces ordonnances d’assainissement doivent être émises et exécutées avant qu’une entreprise déclare faillite », explique l’avocat d’Écojustice Will Amos.

« Dans le contexte d’une économie des ressources naturelles, la protection de l’environnement signifie aussi protéger l’avenir des industries axées sur les ressources », ajoute Graham Phoenix de Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. « Pour faire une analogie avec le principe de l’équité intergénérationnelle en droit de l’environnement, les entreprises d’aujourd’hui doivent être de bons intendants de l’environnement en pensant aux entreprises de demain. Sinon, nous faisons en sorte de garantir non seulement un héritage de contamination de l’environnement mais aussi un avenir de stagnation économique. »

« Cette décision prouve que les lois fédérales sur l’insolvabilité exigent une réforme importante de sorte qu’elles ne servent pas à protéger les entreprises et les investisseurs au détriment des contribuables et de la protection de l’environnement. La Loi sur les arrangements avec les créanciers des compagnies doit être modifiée par le Parlement afin que les contribuables n’aient pas à payer les pots cassés lorsque des entreprises deviennent insolvables », explique Hugh Wilkins, d’Écojustice. « Le principe du pollueur-payeur est sur la responsabilité des entreprises. L’objectif fondamental du principe pollueur-payeur est fondé sur la responsabilité corporative. L’objectif fondamental de ce principe est de s’assurer que le pollueur internalise les coûts environnementaux de l’entreprise. Les contribuables ne devraient pas se retrouver avec les coûts de dépollution liés aux legs toxiques des mines et des usines abandonnées. »

- 30 -

Le principe du pollueur-payeur est l’un des concepts les plus importants du droit de l’environnement au Canada. C’est l’idée de base qui sous-tend les ordonnances de nettoyage, les sanctions et les décisions de recouvrement des coûts. La mise en œuvre de ce principe implique que les pollueurs assument la responsabilité de remédier à toute contamination dont ils sont responsables et leur impose les coûts directs et immédiats de la pollution. En tant que pionniers plaidant pour que ce principe soit mis en pratique, Les Ami(e)s de la Terre, représentés par un avocat d’Écojustice, sont intervenus dans l’une des toutes premières causes de pollueur-payeur à avoir fait précédent au Canada — Cie pétrolière Impériale ltée c. Québec (Ministre de l’Environnement), en 2003.

Informations générales :

Communiqué de presse, le 16 novembre 2011
« Friends of the Earth, Ecojustice ask Supreme Court to respect polluter pays principle »
http://foecanada.org/en/2011/11/respect-polluter-pays-principle/

La décision de la Cour suprême du Canada
http://scc.lexum.org/decisia-scc-csc/scc-csc/scc-csc/fr/item/12749/index.do

Le mémoire déposé par Les Ami(e)s de la Terre
http://foecanada.org/en/files/2012/12/factum-intervener-foe-canada-abitibibowater.pdf

Contexte / chronologie — pollueur-payeur: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador c.
AbitibiBowater Inc.
http://foecanada.org/en/2012/12/polluter-pays-newfoundland-and-labrador-abitibibowater/

Pour plus de renseignements :

Beatrice Olivastri
Les Ami(e)s de la Terre Canada
Courriel : beatrice [at] foecanada.org
Tél : (613) 241-0085 poste 26

William Amos
Clinique de droit environnemental d’Écojustice
Courriel : wamos [at] ecojustice.ca
Tél : (613) 562-5800 poste 3378

R. Graham Phoenix
Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP
Courriel : gphoenix [at] fasken.com
Tél : (416) 865-4511

Hugh S. Wilkins
Écojustice Canada
Courriel : hwilkins [at] ecojustice.ca
Tél : (416) 368-7533 ext. 534

Les Ami(e)s de la Terre Canada est le membre canadien de Les Amis de la Terre International, le plus grand réseau écologiste mondial, qui mène campagne sur les questions environnementales et sociales contemporaines les plus urgentes. foecanada.org

Écojustice est une organisation à but non lucratif vouée à la défense du droit des Canadiens et des Canadiennes à un environnement sain. Nous défendons au moyen du droit l’environnement au Canada. Nous n’avons qu’une planète et nous croyons qu’il relève de notre responsabilité collective d’en prendre soin. www.ecojustice.ca

Solar panels in Eastern Ontario. Photo: Mike Buckthought. Photo taken with a solar-powered camera. 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Ontario opinion poll shows solid support for green energy, strong opposition to WTO ruling

Opinion poll released as solar industry meets at convention in Toronto

Ottawa, December 3, 2012 — A new opinion poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada shows overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario, and strong opposition to the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s meddling in buy local programs that create thousands of green jobs for Ontarians.

The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

The survey also found that there is strong opposition to the WTO’s recent challenge of Ontario’s buy local green energy policies. Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents feel that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green energy, while only 27% believe that it should.

“This opinion poll shows that there is overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario. This strong support should translate into action — governments should encourage the transition to solar and wind power to help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada.

“Almost three-quarters of Ontarians believe that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to create green jobs for people in Ontario. We urge the provincial and federal governments to challenge the WTO’s ruling. Canadians should be allowed to support our own green energy manufacturers, and not be forced to rely on solar panels imported from other countries,” says Olivastri.

- 30 -

For more information

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, (613) 241-0085 x26, (613) 724-8690 (cell), beatrice [at] foecanada.org, foecanada.org

The Oraclepoll Research survey was commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada and conducted on November 21–23, 2012. A total of 1,000 people were surveyed, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times. For more details visit Friends of the Earth’s website at foecanada.org.

Read the results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll.

Sign the online letter — voice your support for green energy in Ontario.

Friends of the Earth Canada is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network campaigning on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll

November 2012
Ontario omnibus survey report

By: Oraclepoll Research
For: Friends of the Earth / Les Ami(e)s de la Terre
November 24, 2012

Methodology and logistics

Study sample

  • This report represents the findings from an omnibus survey of 1,000 voting age residents (18 years of age or older) in Ontario.
  • The results provided in this report were from questions commissioned by Friends of Earth.
  • Interviews were conducted between the days of November 21st to November 23rd 2012.
  • The results presented in this report may not always add up to 100% due to rounding.

Confidence

  • The margin of error for this 1,000-person survey is +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times.

Survey method

  • The survey was conducted using computer-assisted techniques of telephone interviewing (CATI) and random number selection. A total of 20% of all interviews were monitored and the management of Oraclepoll Research Limited supervised 100%.

Logistics

  • Initial calls were made between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Subsequent callbacks of no-answers and busy numbers were made on a (staggered) daily rotating basis up to 5 times (from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) until contact was made. In addition, telephone interview appointments were attempted with those respondents unable to complete the survey at the time of contact.

Executive summary

Friends of Earth respondents were first asked the following question

“How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.”

Opinion poll results. The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

A high 83% of Ontarians are of the opinion that it is important or very important to have green renewable energy compared to a very low 11% that do not, while 7% had a neutral view (neither important nor unimportant).

A second question was then asked about the WTO and Ontario’s green energy plan.

“Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?”

Almost three-quarters of those surveyed or 73% feel that the World Trade Organization should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green renewable energy while only 27% are of the opinion that it should.

Results by question

How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.

Response Valid percent
Not at all important 5%
Not important 6%
Neither important nor not important 7%
Important 14%
Very important 69%
Total 100%

Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?

Response Valid percent
Yes 27%
No 73%
Total 100%
2012 Media releases | Water |

Friends of the Earth calls for investigation into Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s silencing of Canadian salmon scientist

Request seeking immediate action sent to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Ottawa, November 23, 2012 — Friends of the Earth Canada has filed a petition and requested an investigation in response to recent actions by a federal agency to silence a researcher that has played a key role in investigating infectious salmon anemia (ISA) in salmon from British Columbia.

In a recent letter, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) asked the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to strip the reference lab certification status from Dr. Frederick Kibenge’s lab at the Atlantic Veterinary College in PEI. The lab is a leading facility known for its expertise in detecting diseases in fish — it is one of only two laboratories in the world recognized for its ability to detect ISA in infected fish.

“We are concerned about efforts to silence a scientist who has played a leading role in uncovering the widespread infectious salmon anemia (ISA) in salmon. Given the CFIA’s recent experience with XL Foods Inc. and E. coli, you would think they would pay close attention to this warning of the ISA virus in salmon,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth Canada.

“We believe Dr. Frederick Kibenge’s work should have been welcomed, and strategically used in informing CFIA’s own surveillance work to protect wild salmon rather than hide the extent of the spread of the ISA virus,” says Olivastri. “This can only be a witch hunt against someone who doesn’t agree with the government line, and is suffering from the government’s bullying.”

Decertification of the lab would reduce Canadians’ ability to know about the presence of this disease in salmon, and would also have international ramifications, as people from other countries also send samples to the lab.

Friends of the Earth Canada is requesting an independent investigation into the silencing of Canadian scientists and the cover-up of a disease that threatens wild Pacific salmon in British Columbia. The request for investigation, or petition, is addressed to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

- 30 -

For more information:

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, (613) 241-0085, (613) 724-8690 (cell)

Sign a letter to support calls for an investigation

Sign a letter — help stop the silencing of Canada’s scientists.

Read the petition

Read the petition filed by Friends of the Earth Canada.

Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

November 23, 2012

UN climate talks: Urgent progress still not in sight

DOHA, QATAR, November 23, 2012 — While delegates from around the world prepare to meet for the annual United Nations climate talks in Doha next week, Friends of the Earth International expressed strong concerns over the continued lack of progress by developed countries which are supposed to take the lead to stop climate devastation and avoid catastrophic climate change.1

The UN climate talks, ongoing now for 20 years, have made little progress in delivering concrete climate action and are now heading backwards. Most recently they agreed 2015 as the date to launch a new treaty to deal with climate action which probably won’t come into force until 2020.2

And many governments look set to attend the talks in Doha to promote a further weakening of the framework for global emissions reductions, while at home they continue to support the expansion of false solutions to the climate crisis.

Global emissions need to peak around 2015 if we are to have a decent chance of bringing emissions down to safe levels in time to prevent a further worsening of the earth’s climate and avoid the unprecedented destruction, insecurity and suffering that catastrophic, irreversible climate change would cause.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator, said:

“From the carnage wrought by Hurricane Sandy to the devastating flooding in Nigeria, the impacts of climate change are now evident for all to see, and alarmingly more frequent. Carbon dioxide levels have reached a record high, setting us on track for a terrifying 6 degrees of warming. Unfortunately developed countries, led by the United States, are accelerating the demolition of the world’s international framework for fair and urgent climate action. And most governments continue to support and advance the very policies that are driving the climate crisis, from dirty fossil fuel extraction of oil, gas and coal to carbon trading, agrofuels, large-scale industrial agriculture and ‘green desert’ plantations.”

The United States, Australia, Canada and Japan continue to be the main players dragging their feet and undermining progress in the UN talks. Europe has pledged an emissions target which will allow its emissions to continue to grow, and continues to push for the expansion of carbon trading, a dangerous scam which only benefits corporations and financial elites. Meanwhile these and other countries are supporting false solutions to the climate crisis and ignoring the voices of people resisting the imposition of destructive projects and the land grabs, displacement and environmental destruction that they cause.

The power of vested interests and multinational corporations and their influence over government policies and UN processes remains at the heart of the ongoing failure of the talks and their recent further unraveling.3 Tackling their influence is essential to unlocking the deadlock, and will unleash multiple other positive impacts like releasing for public benefit the hundreds of billions of dollars in public subsidies to dirty fossil fuel corporations.

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland said: “Friends of the Earth International is urging governments attending Doha to finally wake up to the reality of the climate crisis and make urgent progress on the foundations of fair and ambitious climate action: emissions cuts in line with science and equity; adequate public finance to support climate action in the developing world; progress on technology transfer; and an end to carbon trading. All are needed to drive forward the transformation of our economies, deliver real sustainable energy and food alternatives, and tackle emissions while improving health and wellbeing for everyone. We are nearly out of time. Without urgent progress governments will face a total loss of confidence in their ability to act in the interests of people and the environment.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in Doha): +44 7956 210332

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +44 7912 406510

Notes

1 Developed (Annex I) countries are responsible for three quarters of historic emissions despite only hosting 15% of the world’s population. Because of their historical responsibility for climate change they have a moral and legal obligation under the climate convention to cut their emissions first and fastest and to provide adequate public finance for climate action by developing countries.

2 Last year at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, instead of making progress on implementing the existing negotiating roadmap agreed in Bali in 2007, parties agreed to launch a whole new round of negotiations on an agreement to cover climate action. The Durban Platform (ADP) will commence negotiations in Doha and is due to finish its work by 2015. There is a very high risk that the Durban Platform will delay action on emissions for another ten years, lock in low ambition, undermine the principles of equity and justice in the global climate framework, and further deregulate the framework, leading to a system even weaker and less effective than the Kyoto Protocol. At COP 18 in Doha countries are supposed to be finalising the targets for developed country emission reductions under the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period; making progress on climate finance and comparable emissions reductions targets for the United States (which is not party to the Kyoto Protocol); and commencing negotiations on the Durban Platform.

3 400 global civil society organizations and social movements have denounced corporate capture as a root cause of failing environmental multilateral negotiations. Clear demands were presented to the UN earlier this year to help put an end to the excessive and harmful influence of corporations over processes like the UN climate talks. So far the UN did not issue a public response. Friends of the Earth International’s report on the corporate capture of the UN is available at:

http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2012/reclaim-the-un-from-corporate-capture/view

Friends of the Earth International is demanding:

  • Urgent, binding and deep emissions cuts by developed countries in line with science and equity
  • Provision by developed countries of adequate climate finance and technology transfer to developing countries for sustainable development and adaptation to climate impact
  • An end to carbon trading and offsetting
  • A top-down framework for future climate action which respects and reasserts the principles in the UNFCCC, including the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR), and which includes binding emissions targets for developed countries and no new market mechanisms
  • Efforts by all governments to drive forward the transformation of our unsustainable economies, protecting the rights and livelihoods of communities and delivering a safe climate and greater health and wellbeing for all.
2012 Media releases | Extractive industries | Water |

Demand the release of unjustly detained Guatemalan prisoners

Friends of the Earth International

November 22, 2012

Join Friends of the Earth International in calling for the release of eight political prisoners in Barillas, Guatemala, who are due before a hearing on November 26.

Send an email to the Guatemalan authorities.

Eleven people were arrested without charge on May 2, 2012 in a flagrant violation of their rights. Several of those arrested had protested the killing of a community member by private security guards working for Spanish company Hidralia SA. Others were simply randomly picked up.

Hidralia SA is building the Santa Cruz hydroelectric dam. Over 90% of local community members are opposed to and voted against the implementation of hydroelectric and mining projects in Barillas in a 2007 consultation.

Eight people remain in prison over seven months after the arrests, as verified by Friends of the Earth International’s Solidarity Mission in November this year.

The prisoners are also concerned for the wellbeing of their wives and children who have been deprived of their main household income. Many struggle with heavy debt burdens. The bus journey from their home communities to the prison takes twelve hours, making it difficult for families to visit.

The prisoners have been labeled as terrorists, despite the fact that they were either peacefully defending their communities or not involved at all.

Three of the prisoners have since been released.

The arbitrary nature of the detention of the political prisoners of Barillas cannot be denied nor concealed, it appears in the reports of several human rights groups, as well as in the file of the case and in the legal actions brought by the lawyers of the detainees.

You can support the prisoners of Barillas by sending a letter to the Guatemalan authorities and the Spanish Embassy. This action will only succeed with the solidarity of a large number of supporters, so spread the word by sharing this action on Facebook, Twitter and by email.

Take action now!

Send an email to the Guatemalan authorities

For more information

Article published by Radio Mundo Real in English | Español

Friends of the Earth International press release

Solidarity mission in Central America. Photo: Radio Mundo Real. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) license. 2012 Media releases | Extractive industries | Water |

International mission in Guatemala and El Salvador

Transnational corporations pillage natural resources and violate human rights

Friends of the Earth International

November 19, 2012

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR, November 19, 2012 — An international mission organized by the environmental federation Friends of the Earth International in Guatemala and El Salvador has verified systematic human rights violations and criminalization of environmental activists and communities resisting mining and hydroelectric projects.

The mission was organized from November 13 to 19 by Friends of the Earth El Salvador (CESTA) and Friends of the Earth Guatemala (CEIBA) with the participation of allied organizations including the Transnational Institute and member groups of La Vía Campesina.

The cases of resistance visited by the mission in Guatemala included: the resistance against Marlin mine, owned by Canadian corporation Goldcorp in San Miguel Ixtahuacán municipality; the situation of the political prisoners of Santa Cruz Barillas who were arbitrarily arrested in May 2012 for resisting the building of a hydroelectric dam owned by Spanish corporation Hidralia SA, and finally the resistance of the residents of San José del Golfo to the installation of Exmingua mine, owned by Canadian Radius Gold Corporation.

The delegates of the mission in El Salvador were informed in detail about the struggle of the Environmental Committee of Cabañas department to avoid the installation of a gold and silver extractive project in El Dorado by Canadian corporation Pacific Rim.

The representatives of the environmental federation included the chair of Friends of the Earth International, Jagoda Munić from Croatia, as well as delegates from the Philippines, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Sweden.

“After talking with the affected communities, there is a feeling of sadness and outrage because of the situation they are going through,” said FoEI chair, Jagoda Munić.

She expressed international solidarity with the struggle of the communities affected in Guatemala and with the defense of human rights, and affirmed Friends of the Earth International’s responsibility to continue supporting the resisting communities.

“The communities that are resisting have been accused of terrorism. We have been able to verify that, far from it, they are defending their territories and their livelihood,” said Jagoda Munić.

Lastly, Jagoda Munić condemned the arbitrary detentions of the leaders of the resistance and said the international community will be waiting for the outcome of the hearing to be held next November 26 by the Guatemalan judiciary, where a decision regarding those who are still detained over the case of Santa Cruz Barillas will be issued.

Meanwhile, the chair of Friends of the Earth Spain, Victor Barro, said “The investment in Latin America by corporations that claim to be Spanish, like Hidralia SA, Telefonica, Union Fenosa and Aguas de Barcelona has caused socio-environmental conflicts and human rights violations. These actions ensure the perpetuation of the European way of life, which is currently in crisis and affects more and more people in both regions. A proof of this was the general strike recently held in Europe.”

Barro also expressed the message given by the political prisoners he visited at the prison of Region 18 in Guatemala City: “The company should leave our families alone and they should get out of our territories.”

Meanwhile, Danilo Urrea of Friends of the Earth Colombia (CENSAT) talked about the different cases of resistance visited during the mission. “We are witnessing a structural crisis of the extractivist and patriarchal model caused by the breaking of relations between society and nature. This is shown in the territorialization of capital and the financialization of nature, which leads to displacement and human rights violations.”

Danilo added “Colombia is an example of the criminalization of the protests and the struggle through laws and through the militarization of the territories all over Latin America. The disappearance of leaders and the displacement has become one of the strategies used by the corporations to dismantle the struggle and to take over territories.”

Lyda Forero of the Transnational Institute said the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal that gathered between 2006 and 2010 heard many cases of corporations that violate human rights in Central America. “Two years later, we verify that the human rights violations exposed before the Tribunal continue and are getting worse.”

The delegates of the international mission said the economic and ecological crimes committed by transnational corporations in the case of Marlin and Barillas mines in Guatemala and of Pacific Rim in El Salvador are symptomatic of global systemic problems.

They also exposed the crimes committed by transnational corporations with the complicity of governments (which adopt laws in favour of corporations even above community rights) by way of international trade or investment treaties.

The delegates of the international mission called on the European Members of Parliament to reject the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Central America in order to prevent Europe from becoming an accomplice of the crimes committed by transnational corporations in Central America.

The European Parliament is about to ratify the Partnership Agreement between the EU and Central America on December 11 to 13.

The delegates of the mission were clear that transnational corporations are confronting communities and dividing families through the transfer of funds and misleading advertising as part of their corporate social responsibility strategy.

The mission expressed the need to end the impunity of transnational corporations in Central America.

It also expressed the need for transnational corporations to leave the affected territories and compensate the impacted communities.

It also called for the release of the political prisoners who were criminalized for civil resistance, and in the case of El Salvador, they called for the clarification of the murders and persecutions committed against environmental activists, with all the legal and ethical guarantees.

The international mission will write a preliminary report of its actions to be circulated soon.

For more information

Media contacts

In English:

  • Jagoda Munić, Chair of Friends of the Earth International: jagoda [at] zelena-akcija.hr

In Spanish:

  • Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the Earth El Salvador (Centro Salvadoreño de Tecnología Apropiada): cesta [at] cesta-foe.org.sv
  • Victor Barro, Chair of Friends of the Earth Spain: presidencia [at] tierra.org