ClientEarth

We are urging the future President of the European Commission to step up action against climate change, pollution and nature loss, by putting people and the planet at the heart of all EU decisions. Ursula von der Leyen has been picked again for the job but the Commission also needs a new position - a Vice-President for People and the Environment, to ensure climate and health are embedded in a just and fair transition.

More and more people around the world are recognising the power of the law as a force for climate action, according to LSE and Grantham Institute’s new report on Climate Litigation trends, which highlights how the trend is gaining momentum in protecting all life on Earth. Several of our bold and innovative legal cases are featured in the report, underscoring how ClientEarth’s work is part of the rich tapestry holding governments and businesses to account, setting precedents in climate litigation, and changing mindsets and behaviours.

The EU has reapproved the use of glyphosate – an extremely harmful pesticide – despite our request with PAN Europe & others to reconsider. We’ve proven that the safety check for this approval was flawed and that EU authorities ignored the vast majority of scientific evidence. Glyphosate is known to have carcinogenic, neurotoxic and endocrine-disrupting effects, and is hugely harmful to nature and wildlife. Our lawyer, Hélène Duguy, said: “The Commission is doubling down on its decision to re-approve glyphosate despite the fact that it is legally required to act with caution to prevent harm to humans and nature. We won’t hesitate to take this matter to the EU’s highest court to get the Commission to comply with its own rules.”

📢 With the UK general election a week away, now is the time to demand strong commitments on climate and nature protection from all candidates. Join us in calling on them to put the environment at the top of their priorities. Take action here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dNYSFbZ6

💧Our new report, published today along with EuroNatur Foundation & Riverwatch, assesses how well 6 Western Balkan countries are safeguarding their rivers💧 The report details to what extent these countries are protecting rivers by incorporating key EU laws around hydropower projects into national legislation. The analysis reveals that despite significant variations in adopting EU environmental law among these countries, in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, there has still been some progress. However, the report also highlights specific systemic failures to comply with the EU framework concerning environmental law, which are preventing the regions rivers being effectively protected. “This report not only sheds light on the current state of river protection in the Western Balkans, but also provides a clear path forward for enhancing legal frameworks to ensure the long-term health of these vital ecosystems. The findings and recommendations of this report will be instrumental in guiding policymakers, environmental advocates, and other stakeholders in their efforts to protect and preserve Europe’s last pristine rivers.” Maja Pravuljac, ClientEarth legal expert and author of the report. Read the full report below. (image credit: © Vladimir Tadic / Save the Blue Heart of Europe)

🌏 Follow us on our new Facebook and Instagram @ClientEarthAsia! 🌍 We are thrilled to bring to you our brand new corporate brand video, premiering on our new ClientEarth in Asia Facebook and Instagram platforms! 🌿 Follow us to stay updated on our initiatives and efforts in Asia, tackling the most pressing environmental challenges in collaboration with partners, governments, industries, and YOU. Our priorities in Asia include: 🔋 Clean energy transition opportunities 🌳 Enhancing natural ecosystems to combat climate change and protect nature The next decade is crucial for all life on Earth. The stakes are high, but the opportunity is ours. We are ClientEarth in Asia, and we are only just getting started💚🌱 Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/gPaU8gDh Follow us on Instagram: https://lnkd.in/dME-hQuH Follow us on Facebook: https://lnkd.in/dRcrUSAm #ClientEarthAsia #EnergyTransition #ClimateAction

📢 Launching our latest paper: Guardrails to Address Greenwashing of Climate Transition Finance We are proud to announce the release of our new paper “Guardrails to Address Greenwashing of Climate Transition Finance," which delves into the critical need for robust regulations to ensure the integrity of climate transition finance. Key highlights: 🔹 Six essential policy guardrails: We outline crucial steps to combat transition-washing and scale up transition finance, ensuring alignment with the Paris Agreement. 🔹 The need for robust regulation: These guardrails seek to demonstrate the opportunity to create, and outline the critical ingredients of, policy frameworks that can blend the apparent need for a robust transition finance rulebook with a pragmatism that the complexity and changeable nature of climate transition finance requires. 🔹 The potential of well-designed regulation: Well-designed financial regulation could have a positive enabling effect on labelled transition finance. Mandatory rules can create a level playing field for climate leaders by establishing a regulatory perimeter around protected transition finance labels, effectively excluding firms not making an earnest attempt to meet their net zero commitments. 🔹 Competitive edge in transition finance: Effective regulatory frameworks can position financial centers as leaders in the transition finance space, attracting sustainable investment and fostering innovation. 🚀 Join us in advocating for stronger, more effective climate finance policies. Download the full paper to explore our recommendations in detail here: https://lnkd.in/g8-AhiTZ https://lnkd.in/gTBFfzqA #ClientEarth #TransitionFinance #Greenwashing

📢Plastic producing companies are pushing the responsibility of plastic pollution onto us, a new report warns. The report, from think tank Planet Tracker, warns that plastic producing industries are pushing to promote recycling as the primary solution to the global problem of plastic pollution, which puts the burden on consumers to recycle, rather than on the companies themselves to reduce the amount of plastic produced in the first place. Although recycling plays its part, it is not an adequate solution to the plastic pollution crisis we are facing. The report shows how successful these companies have been in their campaign to make plastic pollution our problem to solve rather than theirs, as well as how they have been misleading the public for years when it comes to recycling. We need companies to reduce the plastic they produce, not churn out more and more and hope that recycling will deal with it all. Read more:

📢With the UK general election just a few weeks away, now is the time to demand strong commitments on climate and nature protection from all candidates. Join us in calling on them to put the environment at the top of their priorities. Take action here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dNYSFbZ6

The UK’s financial regulator (FCA) has revealed it has one climate-related investigation open, following our FOI request and complaint filed to the Information Commissioner. The watchdog had previously refused to reveal what greenwashing or climate cases it was investigating, if any, despite its transparency obligations as a public authority. "One active investigation is welcome news, but years of inaction may have allowed many firms to issue misleading climate claims, leaving investors and consumers without the accurate information they need. More action is needed, particularly as information from the FCA suggests this investigation may not relate to greenwashing." Megan Clay, ClientEarth lawyer