World’s largest carbon producers face landmark human rights case
The world’s largest oil, coal, cement and mining companies have been given 45 days to respond to a complaint that their greenhouse gas emissions have violated the human rights of millions of people living in the Philippines. In a potential landmark legal case, the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR) has accused 47 “carbon majors” including Shell, BP, Chevron, BHPBilliton and Anglo American, of breaching people’s fundamental rights to “life, food, water, sanitation, adequate housing, and to self-determination” . The complaint has been brought by typhoon survivors and non-governmental organisations and is supported by more than 31,000 Filipinos. Although all 47 companies will be ordered to attend public hearings, the CHR can only force those 10 with offices in the Philippines to appear. (edie)
Byron accused of setting ‘immigration trap’ for migrant workers
Byron, London’s top burger chain, has been accused of “setting a trap” for some of its migrant workers after dozens were arrested in a series of Home Office raids. The chain is alleged to have arranged for staff to attend a “fake” training day at its London restaurants where they were rounded up by waiting immigration officials. Some of the workers had reportedly worked at Byron for four years. The Home Office said 35 people from Albania, Brazil, Nepal and Egypt had been arrested for immigration offences. It added that the operation was carried out with the “full co-operation” of Byron. The firm has been blasted over its “disgraceful” treatment of staff, as some have called for a boycott. (BBC; Evening Standard)
Sustainable Development
Ranking shows rich nations not leading way to end poverty
One year after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UNSustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung, a German non-profit, have launched a new “unofficial” SDG Index to provide a report card on countries’ SDG progress. According to the index, most of the world’s richest countries fail to earn top marks on their progress to end poverty and inequality, with only Germany and the UK in the top ten. Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Switzerland top the list, but even they score “red” on several goals. The United States ranks 25th. Holding it back are such issues as its income gap, consumption behaviour and environmental protection, the groups said. (Reuters; UN SDSN; Boston Globe)
Climate Change
Google and UN launch new online platform for climate action
The United Nations has unveiled new software, developed in partnership with Google, to help tackle climate change, deforestation and food production issues. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched Open Foris, an online platform that will use a high-resolution satellite to send images to monitor changes in land use and forest cover. “We make maps that used to take three years in a week… Rather than preparing data to analyse we can spend time probing the data for answers,” said Erik Lindquist, forestry officer at UNFAO. Open Foris will also enable the inspection of water resources and could help with the evaluation of locations for refugee camps, according to the availability of firewood for cooking. (Climate Action)
Supply Chain
Study concludes conservation NGOs might be better off working outside the RSPO
Voluntary global standards like the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) are one of the chief tools being employed to reduce deforestation associated with the production of agricultural commodities. However, a new study argues that while NGOs have played a vital role in strengthening biodiversity conservation standards within the RSPO, the system constrains their ability to achieve other conservation goals, such as securing local land rights. Certifications such as RSPO “can be qualified as a new capitalist instrument, promoted by dominant economic players and major NGOs, and operating at the expense of local people,” the study says. It argues that conservation NGOs should collaborate “outside the structures of the RSPO”, to avoid reinforcing the “market logic” of the system. (Eco-Business)
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