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energy

The ‘climate killing’ clauses helping companies sue governments for climate action
3-May-2023 Yorkshire Bylines
If you’ve never heard of ISDS (investor-state dispute settlement) that’s not surprising. ISDS operates in the shadows. It’s a mechanism for solving disputes between parties in cases of foreign direct investment while offering legal protections for the investor. The investment is typically provided by a private company to a foreign ‘host state’.
A US fund declares Spain in “technical default” and claims almost 1,000 million government bonds
28-Apr-2023 Time.News
The US fund Blasket Renewable Investments has activated the “default” clause that declares Spain at “technical impact” after the Government has not yet paid the pending awards for the cuts in the premiums for renewables.
Spain tells World Bank it will not pay €2-billion ICSID awards for renewable energy debts
28-Apr-2023 Capital Madrid
The World Bank has sent a de­vas­ta­ting letter to the Spanish go­vern­ment to de­mand pay­ment of the awards that con­demn our country to com­pen­sate the in­ves­tors af­fected by the re­tro­ac­tive with­drawal of the pre­miums granted to re­ne­wable ener­gies.
Denmark to withdraw from Energy Charter Treaty
14-Apr-2023 Euractiv
Denmark will withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty as it creates more uncertainties about investments than certainties, the Danish government announced.
Ukraine’s Naftogaz says Russia told to pay $5 billion for seizing Crimea assets
14-Apr-2023 Reuters
Ukraine’s state-owned gas company Naftogaz that Moscow had been ordered by an arbitration court in The Hague to pay $5 billion in compensation for unlawfully expropriating its assets in Russian-annexed Crimea in 2014.
Rough trade
12-Apr-2023 The Ecologist
UK accession to Pacific trade deal empowers fossil fuel firms to sue governments.
Reuters: US ultimatum to Mexico over energy dispute imminent
29-Mar-2023 Mexico News Daily
The United States intends to issue an ultimatum to Mexico in the coming weeks as it seeks to make progress in a dispute over the latter’s nationalistic energy policies.
EU eyes Africa; ’we are grateful’ to Algeria’s gas supply: Borrell
15-Mar-2023 Reuters
The European Union’s representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, began a visit to Algeria on Sunday, the first of its kind since he took office in December 2019.
IPEF is only to save US corporations from crisis while continue to eliminate people’s rights
15-Mar-2023 Solidaritas Perempuan
Indonesian Civil Society held a protest today in front of the US Embassy in Jakarta to express its rejection of the IPEF. In the midst of the global economic crisis, the US is trying to rebuild its national industrialisation with a less open free trade agreement and push for policy harmonisation based on US standards.
Pipeline developers demand $20B US payout from Canada after Quebec projects rejected
13-Mar-2023 CBC
The liquified natural gas companies behind GNL Québec and Gazoduq are claiming $20 billion US in compensation from the government of Canada for pulling the plug on their natural gas liquefaction terminal and gas pipeline projects in Saguenay, Que.
The UK and EU must leave the Energy Charter Treaty together
10-Mar-2023 Open Democracy
We can’t be held hostage by a 1990s treaty that allows fossil fuel firms to sue governments.
A free trade agreement between South Korea and the GCC
28-Feb-2023 Energy News
South Korea is continuing negotiations on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council to enhance its energy security and improve the economics of importing sour crude from the Middle East.
Manifesto for an ecosocial energy transition from the Peoples of the South
13-Feb-2023 Foreign Policy in Focus
A new manifesto critiques the "clean energy" transitions of the Global North and offers an alternative vision from the Global South.
UK must quit climate-harming energy charter treaty, experts say
13-Feb-2023 The Guardian
Secret international court system enables fossil fuel firms to sue governments for lost future profits.
Switzerland says won’t follow EU out of beleaguered Energy Charter Treaty
13-Feb-2023 Euractiv
Bern said it will not join the European Union’s proposed mass exit from a controversial energy investment protection treaty, sparking fears that fossil fuel companies will use Switzerland as a rear base to keep suing governments over climate action.
Brussels says EU exit from Energy Charter Treaty ’unavoidable’
8-Feb-2023 Reuters
The European Commission has told member countries that a joint EU exit from a controversial international energy treaty appears inevitable.
Croatia to pay $256 million arbitration award to MOL - minister
3-Feb-2023 Reuters
Croatia will pay $255.7 million to Hungarian oil and gas company MOL under a ruling in an arbitration case at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
Why a coordinated withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty is inevitable
25-Jan-2023 Euractiv
Since October 2022, seven EU member states have announced plans to withdraw from the European Charter Treaty. Across the board, the message is clear: the insufficient and potentially climate-damaging treaty reform effort is no longer a politically viable option.
Polluter doesn’t pay: The Rockhopper v Italy award
23-Jan-2023 EJIL: Talk!
The way in which the reasoning of the Rockhopper award expels any environmental considerations has the effect of making climate change interventions considerably more costly
EU, Kazakhstan ink agreement on raw materials and renewable hydrogen at COP27
23-Jan-2023 The Astana Times
The European Union and Kazakhstan seek to strengthen their strategic partnership by signing an agreement on raw materials, batteries and renewable hydrogen.