Press Releases
- Leaking Havoc
Leaking Havoc
An EIA investigation into dozens of supermarkets in the greater Washington, D.C. area, including Virginia and Maryland, found a majority of stores to be leaking super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants
- One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Romania’s New Timber Traceability System Removes Public Transparency
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Romania’s New Timber Traceability System Removes Public Transparency
On January 31, Romania released a new electronic timber traceability system, an important step in its transition to a fully digital forest sector. Unfortunately, the new system has inexplicably removed all public transparency.
- U.S. Congress Passes Bipartisan HFC Legislation
U.S. Congress Passes Bipartisan HFC Legislation
Legislation passed by the U.S. Congress this week to provide COVID relief and fund the U.S. government includes a bipartisan climate agreement to phase-down production and consumption of super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFC). The bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the 2016 agreement to phase down HFCs under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, and provides broader authority to manage existing sources of HFC emissions.
- Japanese Retailers Willing to Sell Ivory Hanko for Illegal Export
Japanese Retailers Willing to Sell Ivory Hanko for Illegal Export
Investigations of Japanese hanko retailers revealed that many are willing to sell an ivory product knowing that it will be exported internationally despite most being aware that ivory export is illegal.
- “Don’t Discount our Future” Campaign Targets Trader Joe’s Cocoa Sourcing and Climate-Damaging Refrigeration
“Don’t Discount our Future” Campaign Targets Trader Joe’s Cocoa Sourcing and Climate-Damaging Refrigeration
Trader Joe’s ranks poorly among U.S. grocery stores when it comes to both ethical chocolate (in terms of child labor and deforestation concerns) and super-pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as refrigerants. A new push by Green America and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) tackles both issues in a bid to hold the popular food retailer accountable.
- California Approves Groundbreaking New Climate Regulation
California Approves Groundbreaking New Climate Regulation
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) today approved a groundbreaking new regulation to reduce emissions of super pollutant hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants across many sectors using cooling equipment, including supermarkets and air conditioners.
- EIA JOINS CALL FOR PERMANENT PROTECTIONS FOR BRISTOL BAY AFTER ARMY CORPS DENIAL OF PEBBLE MINE PERMIT
EIA JOINS CALL FOR PERMANENT PROTECTIONS FOR BRISTOL BAY AFTER ARMY CORPS DENIAL OF PEBBLE MINE PERMIT
Today the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied Northern Dynasty Mineral’s Clean Water Act 404 permit for the Pebble Mine, a massive gold and copper mine proposed for the headwaters of Bristol Bay Alaska.
- IMO and Arctic States Slammed for Endorsing Continued Arctic Pollution
IMO and Arctic States Slammed for Endorsing Continued Arctic Pollution
NGOs protest outrageous approval of Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil “ban” which will drive continued pollution of the Arctic throughout 2020s
- Damaging the Forest, Harming People
Damaging the Forest, Harming People
Following a three year investigation in Cameroon and Vietnam, the Centre pour l’Environnement et le Développement (CED) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released today Tainted Timber, Tarnished Temples, a report showing how several Vietnamese companies operating in Cameroon are at the heart of a booming illegal timber trade between Cameroon and Vietnam. CED and EIA’s report include evidence of illegal harvest, laundering schemes covered by paperwork, misdeclaration, and widespread violations of Cameroonian export and labor laws. Timber traffickers’ operations undermine current efforts to combat the import of illegal timber into Vietnam. Additionally, the illegal timber trade has defiled many Vietnamese temples, where Cameroonian timber has become increasingly central to construction and renovation projects.
- Peru Issues 35 Million Dollar Fine, Orders Plantation Company to Leave the Amazon
Peru Issues 35 Million Dollar Fine, Orders Plantation Company to Leave the Amazon
Peru Issues 35 Million Dollar Fine, Orders Plantation Company to Leave the Amazon
- Newly Released Recordings Pull Back the Curtain on the Canadian Company Behind Pebble Mine
Newly Released Recordings Pull Back the Curtain on the Canadian Company Behind Pebble Mine
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) today released two tapes that feature Canadian mining baron, Ron Thiessen, discussing his political strategy for securing a federal permit for the controversial Pebble Mine project in southwest Alaska.
- EIA responds to allegations made by the Timber Trade Federation
EIA responds to allegations made by the Timber Trade Federation
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) received with dismay the statement made by the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) on October 2nd, regarding EIA's press release Dutch Authorities Stop Chinese Plywood Import. We would like to provide the following response to allegations made in the TTF’s statement.
- Dutch Authorities Stop Chinese Plywood Import
Dutch Authorities Stop Chinese Plywood Import
Violation of the European Timber Regulation Sanctioned: Dutch Authorities Stop Chinese Plywood Import
- Pebble Mine Tape Reveal Plans to Build Massive 180-Year Mine at the Headwaters of Bristol Bay in Alaska
Pebble Mine Tape Reveal Plans to Build Massive 180-Year Mine at the Headwaters of Bristol Bay in Alaska
Recorded Conversations with Pebble Mine Executives Reveal Plans to Build Massive 180-Year Mine at the Headwaters of Bristol Bay in Alaska
- 100,000+ Consumers Say Walmart Should Not Put Off Curbing Climate-Harming Refrigerants for 20 Years
100,000+ Consumers Say Walmart Should Not Put Off Curbing Climate-Harming Refrigerants for 20 Years
New Announcement Waiting Until 2040 to Phase Out HFCs Leaves Walmart Way Behind Competitors – Including Aldi, Target, and Whole Foods – Who Already Have Taken Action
- Relief in the Forest
- Unlocking Kigali Amendment Climate Benefits
Unlocking Kigali Amendment Climate Benefits
A new safety standard proposed by an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) working group is vital to maximizing emission reductions from a global phase-down of super pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
- Amazon in Emergency
Amazon in Emergency
Through a public letter addressed to the President of Peru, Martin Vizcarra, more than a hundred organizations of Peruvian and international civil society ask for the implementation of urgent and immediate measures, in view of the deaths of hundreds of indigenous people from the Amazon due to COVID-19, and to start the dialogue demanded by the national indigenous organization AIDESEP more than a month ago.
- Amazonía en Emergencia
Amazonía en Emergencia
Mediante una carta pública dirigida al Presidente del Perú, Martín Vizcarra, más de cien organizaciones de la sociedad civil peruana e internacional solicitan la implementación de medidas urgentes e inmediatas ante la muerte de cientos de indígenas amazónicos debido al COVID-19 y que se inicie el diálogo exigido por la organización indígena AIDESEP y sus bases hace más de un mes.
- Indigenous Peoples Sue Peruvian Government over Re-opening Logging in Forest Reserves as COVID-19 Spreads in the Amazon
Indigenous Peoples Sue Peruvian Government over Re-opening Logging in Forest Reserves as COVID-19 Spreads in the Amazon
Lima, July 23, 2020. The Regional Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the East (ORPIO) in the Peruvian State of Loreto has filed a lawsuit stating that the regional government would violate Peru’s constitution by restarting logging in the midst of the pandemic in forests that are home to indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. The law suit is being supported by the Institute of Legal Defense (IDL), Forest Peoples Program (FPP) and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).
- Sea Change in Sight in the Fight Against Global Forest Crimes
Sea Change in Sight in the Fight Against Global Forest Crimes
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) welcomes significant measures announced today by the Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement-Compagnie Générale Maritime (CMA-CGM), the fourth largest shipping line in the world, including a total moratorium on the transport of wood from The Gambia, as well as the creation of a global blacklist of shippers involved in illegal trade of protected and endangered species.
- Tokyo urged to resurrect ivory trade assessment
Tokyo urged to resurrect ivory trade assessment
Elephant advocates worldwide are urging the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, under Governor Yuriko Koike’s leadership, to complete Tokyo’s elephant ivory trade assessment
- Climate-friendly Supermarket Scorecard
Climate-friendly Supermarket Scorecard
Today, EIA launched the Climate-friendly Supermarket Scorecard assessing the largest U.S. supermarkets on actions and commitments to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - potent greenhouse gases used in cooling.
- Exposed: The Gambia’s Blood Wood Trafficking
Exposed: The Gambia’s Blood Wood Trafficking
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)’s new report, Cashing-In On Chaos, conclusively establishes links between timber trafficking controlled by Senegalese armed rebels; the decade-long smuggling of an estimated 1.6 million trees from Senegal to The Gambia; and the illegal re-export of the disappearing rosewood trees to China, in violation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Some of EIA’s findings are featured in the BBC’s documentary The Trees That Bleed: How rosewood is smuggled from Senegal into Gambia, released in March 2020.
- China Proposes Stronger Steps to Protect our Climate and Ozone
China Proposes Stronger Steps to Protect our Climate and Ozone
Today, China proposed a new national plan to tackle hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used primarily in cooling.