Center for International Environmental Law

Climate and energy program: ciel's climate & energy program works to develop a body of Law to effectively address the threat of climate change and accelerate a just energy transition. Ciel works to hold state and corporate actors accountable for their contributions to climate change; address harms already occurring as a result of climate change; encourage governments and key financial institutions to take urgent action to mitigate climate change and transition to renewable energy sources; build capacity of and provide direct support to affected communities to defend their rights; and work to ensure that measures to address climate change do not harm but rather benefit people and the environment. Recent impacts include: profiling the rising risks facing fossil fuel investments and investors, and the risks fossil fuels impose on the environment and human rights in the united states and worldwide; working to strengthen the rules requiring companies to disclose climate-related investment risks; providing source material and context for journalists exposing polluting industries' knowledge and obfuscation about their products' impacts; supporting constitutional and human rights actions around the world to accelerate climate action and accountability; building a global movement to call on the un human rights council to recognize the right to a healthy environment; educating communities and decision makers on the dangers of false climate solutions, such as carbon capture schemes and blue hydrogen; and raising awareness to support frontline partners affected by the petrochemical expansion.

People, land & resources program: the people, land & resources (pl&r) program works to protect the environment and human rights against the adverse impacts of development. Working at all levels from International to grassroots, ciel ensures that the laws and policies governing development activities protect the environment and human rights and holds governments and corporations accountable when they violate them. The pl&r program focuses primarily on development activities that create the greatest risks for land and resource rights, including extractive industries, large-scale infrastructure and energy projects, and the timber industry. Recent achievements include: strengthening implementation and enforcement of the convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (cites) to protect forests and halt the trade of illegally harvested timber; spurring accountability reforms, zero-tolerance policies for gender-based violence, and improvements in Environmental and human rights due diligence at development finance institutions; supporting indigenous communities to directly engage with the united nations and the world bank to defend their rights; working to ensure development finance institutions develop effective policies to provide remedy for affected communities, prevent and respond to reprisals, and exit responsibly when project finance ends.

Environmental health program: the Environmental health program is deeply engaged in efforts to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals and plastic pollution around the world. Ciel works with partners to promote bold action on chemicals and substances of concern and to investigate, expose, and address hidden and emerging risks. Ciel also works with ngo partners and coalitions in the global south to prevent the leakage of pollution to vulnerable communities with limited resources, and to support communities affected by toxic exposure from industrial processes. Recent accomplishments include: securing a united nations mandate to negotiate a global treaty to address the Environmental, health and climate impacts of the plastics lifecycle; gaining support for a mechanism to fund chemicals and waste management in developing and transition countries; supporting more effective chemicals regulation in the european union, including by seeking strong commitments on endocrine disrupting chemicals (edcs) and persistent organic pollutants (pops); and supporting the adoption and enforcement of precaution-based regulatory measures for nanomaterials.

Ipen secretariat and miscellaneous projects