bilaterals.org logo
bilaterals.org logo

climate

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.
How do UK trade agreements measure up on human rights?
3-Feb-2023 Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
There is an urgent need for coherence. The UK should set out clearly in a trade strategy how its trade policy will support human rights, labour rights and the climate, including how each trade agreement will meet the four tests laid out here.
Report: Evaluating the Proposed Joint Interpretation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
25-Jan-2023 Saskia Bricmont
This report analyzes the proposed interpretive guidance on the Investment Chapter of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union.
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.
Climate, labour remain knotty issues in EU FTA
24-Jan-2023 Hindustan Times
Several knotty issues related to labour, environment and sustainability that have emerged in negotiations between India and the European Union on a free trade agreement will require political guidance for further progress
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
Greta Thunberg’s arrest shows why we must abolish the Energy Charter Treaty
23-Jan-2023 Open Democracy
The treaty allows fossil fuel companies to sue governments for taking climate change action. It must go.
The secretive legal weapon that fossil fuel interests use against climate-conscious countries
18-Jan-2023 Grist
Investor-state dispute settlements increasingly allow oil and gas investors to sue countries over their climate policies.
France officially leaves Energy Charter Treaty
3-Jan-2023 See
France confirmed the decision announced by Macron in October and notified the other signatories of the withdrawal, which will take effect on January 1, 2024.
The Energy Charter Treaty is on life support with little chance of revival
12-Dec-2022 Euractiv
After the withdrawal of eight EU member states, the European Commission has little prospect of reviving stalled talks to modernise the 1998 Energy Charter Treaty.
What are the green promises that would facilitate the EU agreement with Mercosur?
30-Nov-2022 Pledge Times
The executive arm of the European Union is set to propose a series of environmental and climate commitments in an attempt to Facilitate the approval of a historic trade agreement with four South American countries.
The 33rd meeting of the Energy Charter conference held under the chairmanship of Mongolia
25-Nov-2022 Energy Charter
The conference expects to meet ad hoc in April 2023 to finalise the discussion on the adoption of the amendments to the ECT.
European Parliament resolution ‘final nail in the coffin’ for Energy Charter Treaty
25-Nov-2022 Client Earth
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the European Commission to initiate the process toward a coordinated exit of the EU from the Energy Charter Treaty.
US may face $15 billion penalty for rejection of Keystone XL pipeline
22-Nov-2022 Public Citizen
The Keystone XL pipeline sparked a movement of activism to put people and the climate over Big Oil. After more than a decade of relentless protests and legal battles, President Joe Biden halted the dangerous pipeline on his first day in office.
Brussels calls for pause in ECT reform talks after losing key EU vote
21-Nov-2022 Euractiv
The European Commission will ask to remove the modernisation of the Energy Charter Treaty from the agenda of an ECT summit on Tuesday 22 November after EU countries failed to reach a majority in favour of reforming the charter.
Slovenia withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty
17-Nov-2022 Euractiv
Slovenia is no longer a party to the Energy Charter Treaty after the Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously endorsed the government’s proposal to withdraw.
Revealed: secret courts that allow energy firms to sue for billions accused of ‘bias’ as governments exit
15-Nov-2022 The Guardian
Secret court set up under energy charter treaty accused of conflicts of interest, self-regulation issues and institutional bias.
Statement on ISDS and climate
15-Nov-2022 https://sites.google.com/view/isds-...
Civil society organisations are calling on governments to remove the threat that ISDS poses to the climate. The following statement outlines our primary concerns and demands. We seek to put pressure on our governments as they meet at COP 27 in November 2022.
Activists rejoice as Berlin announces exit from controversial energy treaty
14-Nov-2022 Euractiv
The German government has announced its intention to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, following similar decisions in other large EU countries, which left activists jubilant.