energy

How the little-known Energy Charter Treaty is holding environmental policy hostage

7-Sep-2020 Equal Times

Is it possible to take urgently needed action on climate change while simultaneously protecting the fossil fuel industry, the very cause of climate imbalance?

Big Oil is in trouble. Its plan: flood Africa with plastic.

31-Aug-2020 New York Times

Faced with plunging profits and a climate crisis that threatens fossil fuels, the industry is demanding a trade deal that weakens Kenya’s rules on plastics and on imports of American trash.

Treaty claims against the Republic of Slovenia by Ascent Resources Plc and Ascent Slovenia Ltd

14-Aug-2020 Investegate

Ascent Resources Plc and its subsidiary Ascent Slovenia Ltd have formally notified Slovenia of the existence of disputes under the UK - Slovenia bilateral investment treaty and the Energy Charter Treaty.

Green NGOs demand EU dumps controversial energy treaty

14-Jul-2020 EU Observer

Green groups have renewed their demand for the EU and member states to jointly withdraw from the controversial Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).

The obscure treaty that could kill a global green recovery

9-Jul-2020 The New Republic

The Energy Charter Treaty, with 53 signatories, allows energy companies to sue states that make their business unprofitable.

EU must end investment protection in the fossil sector

6-Jul-2020 Euractiv

The Energy Charter Treaty, which dates back to the 1990s, severely restricts Europe’s ability to change regulations in the energy sector, with many EU member states facing court actions worth billions of euros, write a group of MEPs.

Countries serious about climate change should leave the Energy Charter Treaty, says former ECT official

3-Jul-2020 bilaterals.org

Interview with Yamina Saheb, former head of unit in the Energy Charter Treaty Secretariat .

New NAFTA trade deal deepens oil and gas dependency during climate crisis

1-Jul-2020 Desmog

The deal provides loopholes for oil, gas, and mining companies to operate across borders, and paves the way for US companies to export even more fracked natural gas across the border into Mexico.

NextEra wins millionaire renewables lawsuit against Spain

18-Jun-2020 The Corner

The ICSID has lifted the suspension on the execution of the €290 million award NextEra obtained a year ago.

Africa should resist acceding to the Energy Charter Treaty

11-Jun-2020 Daily Monitor

Joining the Energy Charter Treaty could cost developing countries money that is urgently needed to fight Covid-19 and a loaming economic crisis. The Energy Charter Treaty has become increasingly controversial.

The environmental bias of trade policy

5-Jun-2020 Berkeley Haas

Most countries have implicitly created a carbon subsidy in trade policy. Using trade policy negotiations to decrease this environmental bias of trade policy could help address climate change.

Companies sue states for climate-protection measures

4-Jun-2020 D+C

On the basis of the Energy Charter Treaty, companies are suing countries for damages when the latter decide to phase out or limit the use of fossil fuels.

Corporate lawsuits could devastate poor countries grappling with Covid-19

2-Jun-2020 In These Times

Wealthy corporations may use trade courts to keep public health measures from cutting into their profits.

Wind farm owner sues Romania at WB’s arbitrage court

27-May-2020 Romania-Insider

Cyprus-based offshore EP Wind Project (Rom) Six Ltd claims that Romania has breached the Energy Charter Treaty.

Coal generator uses investment treaty to fight Netherlands coal phaseout

22-May-2020 Climate Change News

Uniper is using a controversial investor dispute system to claim up to €1 billion compensation for being forced to close a coal power station early.

Phase One US-China trade deal fails in energy and beyond

22-May-2020 Forbes

The Phase One trade deal had China committing to $30 billion in energy purchases. But US energy exports to China actually shrank by 33% in Q1.

Russia appeals decision of Hague Court of Appeal on Yukos

18-May-2020 TASS

On February 18, The Hague Court of Appeal reinstated an order of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which obliged Russia to pay more than $50 bln to the companies associated with former Yukos shareholders in 2014.

Energy dispute deepens between Mexico and foreign allies

18-May-2020 Reuters

The measures would face legal challenges under Mexico’s commitments not just under the outgoing NAFTA but also its successor, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, an industry source said.