ClientEarth

We're non-profit lawyers for the planet. Now more than ever, the rule of law is essential to keep democracies strong, justice alive, and our rights defended. Become part of our legal fight - join us: https://brnw.ch/21wOrZH

🌊 Youth Voices Wanted: Join the Youth Policy Dialogue with European Commissioner on Ocean Young ocean enthusiasts, here’s your opportunity to influence the EU’s ocean policies! The European Commission is inviting young Europeans (18-30) to participate in the first-ever Youth Policy Dialogue with the new European Commissioner on Ocean and Fisheries Kadis during the 2025 European Ocean Days in Brussels on 3 March 2025. Selected participants will: 🎤 Discuss the EU’s ocean governance with Commissioner Kadis. 🔗 Contribute to the upcoming European Oceans Pact (June 2025). 🌌 Attend a full-day event on ocean literacy, blue education, and youth engagement. Why is your participation important? The Ocean and Europe’s seas are in critical condition. In Europe, 90% of marine areas are under pressure from human activity. Destructive practices still devastate EU Marine Protected Areas, and 14 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year. What’s included? 🌐 Travel expenses and accommodation in Brussels. 🍔 Breakfast with peers and the Commissioner. How to apply: Submit a 200-word response on your discussion topic and two questions for the Commissioner via https://lnkd.in/eMs_cJNY Applications close on 31 December 2024 Help shape policies that matter for your generation and beyond. Don’t miss this chance to be a voice for our ocean!

⚠️Will the #Mercosur deal steamroll the EU Deforestation Regulation? In a desperate effort to clinch a trade deal with Mercosur countries, the European Commission has agreed to give third countries unprecedented levels of influence on EU countries' implementation of the EU deforestation law. In our latest legal analysis, we unpack the problems that await the EU if this deal is ratified: https://lnkd.in/eeqBaFCv

The EU has agreed to investigate what we believe is illegal oil and gas drilling in Greece after we took action. Much of this drilling has been approved despite posing clear dangers to marine species, and happening in proximity to protected sites. Along with WWF Greece and Greenpeace Greece we filed a complaint in 2023 asking the EU Commission to look into the issue. But earlier this year, the Commission threatened that the complaint would be closed, despite no action having been taken. So we contacted the Commission again, urging them to keep the complaint open and act on it. Commission officials have now confirmed that they will ‘seek clarifications’ on how the Greek authorities made their approval decisions. “Fossil fuel drilling, at the direct expense of nature, merits legal scrutiny by the EU Commission and we’re extremely pleased to see that will go ahead as we asked. “The European Commission is the guardian and enforcer of EU laws. It's essential they act to ensure that laws are not undermined by Member States as we are seeing here from Greece. “Nature fights climate change; oil and gas worsen it. There is only one logical, and legal, path to take.” Francesco Maletto ClientEarth lawyer Read more:

Just days after the Advisory Opinion hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague drew to a close, Vanuatu, the State championing the request for the opinion following the initiative of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ), was hit with a devastating earthquake just outside of its capital, Port Vila. Vanuatu is championing this action at the world's highest court, to seek guidance on what governments around the world must do to protect the planet and our human rights in the face of climate change, as well as what the legal consequences are for governments where their actions have caused significant harm to the environment including the climate system. Like many other island States, Vanuatu is exceptionally vulnerable to natural disasters, made much worse by climate change, and events like this recent earthquake only serve to highlight the urgency with which we need global governments to take the destructive force of the climate crisis seriously. Our thoughts are with Vanuatu. All eyes will now be on the ICJ to deliver its opinion in the new year.

Do you know what would really ruin your Christmas dinner plans? Finding out that the salmon you were planning to serve was linked to human rights issues and the destruction of marine biodiversity. That's the case with salmon from large, polluting farms in Chile, the second-largest world producer of farmed salmon. These are harming the land and cultural heritage of Indigenous Peoples.   This is not only a human rights issue - it also puts seafood companies at legal and financial risks. 🔎We put together a factsheet on this - learn more about the risks associated to salmon and seafood importing, and how responsible sourcing can help prevent them. [Link in the first comment ⬇️ ]

📢 Lloyd’s Bank has been called out for greenwashing by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) following a complaint made by Adfree Cities. The ASA ruled that the bank was misleading consumers with its recent ‘low carbon’ advert, which claims that the bank is ‘putting the weight’ of its finance into clean and renewable energy. In reality Lloyd’s has poured $6.45 billion into new fossil fuel projects since the Paris Agreement in 2015 and is yet to rule out financing existing oil and gas clients. This ruling comes almost six months after the FCA (the UK’s financial regulator) introduced its anti-greenwashing rule that aims to make sure sustainability claims by financial institutions are ‘fair, clear and not misleading.’    “Once again, a major UK high-street bank has been penalised for trying to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to the climate crisis. As a bare minimum, banks making claims like this must rule out financing oil and gas expanders and fossil fuel companies that refuse to veer away from business-as-usual. The ASA’s ruling comes as no surprise to us.   “Setting out clear financing red lines will also reduce the growing legal risks for banks like Lloyds – as UN human rights experts warned last year that indiscriminately bankrolling fossil fuel expanding companies may breach human rights law. “The FCA must act on its anti-greenwashing rule and investigate where there are obvious conflicts between what banks are telling customers about their products and what they actually finance.”  Megan Clay, ClientEarth lawyer More here: https://lnkd.in/ek2ksM5R

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Fine particle pollution has been blamed for nearly 240,000 deaths in the EU in 2022. The European Environment Agency has stressed that air pollution remains the biggest environmental threat to the health of Europeans. That's why we're working every day to protect people and planet from air pollution: 💚 We’re supporting 2 Polish citizens in taking legal action against their govt over the health impacts of air pollution. The claimants are seeking protection of their fundamental rights, as well as compensation 👉 https://lnkd.in/edgkPufj 💚 We have been advocating to strengthen the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive, which was finally revised and passed in October. These new rules will give local authorities the tools they need to reduce air pollution in their zones and comply with the law 👉 https://lnkd.in/gYnJjxj8

We're so proud to be Flexa verified for another year! If you want to join an organisation with a powerful mission for the planet, and workplace flexibility, keep an eye out for jobs at ClientEarth!