Business & Human Rights

Norway Reviews Compliance of Development Policy with UNGPs

November 07, 2018

The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) has published a wide-ranging review of whether the country's development efforts comply with the global priorities of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), finding that implementation of the UNGPs by Norwegian agencies is remains incomplete.
EU Legislators Approve Ban on Range of Plastics

October 31, 2018

The BBC reports that the European Parliament has approved an EU-wide ban on a wide range of single-use plastics, including “plastic cutlery and plates, cotton buds, straws, drink-stirrers and balloon sticks” to protect the oceans from plastic pollution in line with the “sustainable development” agenda.
IFC Proposes Principles for “Impact Investing”

October 24, 2018

On the basis of input from businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and others, the World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has issued draft principles on how it plans to promote “impact investing” to create positive social and environmental change through its global activities.
Dutch Court Finds Rights Obligation to Tackle Global Warming

October 17, 2018

A Dutch appeals court has struck a blow for the global litigation strategy to impose human rights obligations on businesses and states to tackle climate change by finding that the European Convention on Human Rights requires the Dutch government to reduce carbon emissions by at least 25 percent by the year 2020.
Exxon Funds US Campaign to Tax Carbon Emissions

October 10, 2018

Showing increased pressure from the UN and nongovernmental organizations on corporations to align their policies with the Paris climate accord, Bloomberg reports that energy giant Exxon Mobil will invest $1 million in a political campaign lobbying the US government for the taxation of corporate greenhouse gas emissions.