Global Witness

We’ve all had to tell a friend or someone we love that a person influencing them doesn’t have their best interests at heart.💔 This is where we are at with #COP – ditch your toxic friends and let’s get serious about climate action, before it's too late.🌎 Over four years we have, as part of the #KickBigPollutersOut Coalition, been telling the story of how COP is awash with the toxic interests of the #FossilFuel industry. Despite this, every year our colleagues travel to the talks, engage with those attending and wait with bated breath for the outcomes. How can we have such faith and hope in a process we accuse of being influenced by the interests of an industry overwhelmingly responsible for the #ClimateCrisis?🤔 It’s because we believe in COP that we want it to be better. In terms of multilateral efforts to tackle the climate crisis it really is the only horse in town. Every year millions of people around the world look to COP in the hope that it might deliver what’s needed to get the world on a path away from climate breakdown. And it has pedigree. The agreement made at COP21 in Paris to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, is still the gold standard. And whilst implementation has been a challenge, the ambition is a COP success story. So, we know what COP can do. But we also know it’s been notoriously weak on fossil fuels, a large part down to the influence this industry has wielded for decades. In the early days it may have been more obvious as these companies tried to dispute the unequivocal relationship between fossil fuels and the climate crisis. Now the tactics have shifted from outright climate denial to sponsorship and pitching to be “part of the solution”. So prevalent is this influence that it has somehow deemed appropriate to host the current and previous COPs in petrostates, where the line between politics and polluters is not so much blurred, as it is non-existent. This isn’t even to mention that last years COP President was also the Head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, a company that sought $100 billion worth of fossil fuel deals, whilst Al Jaber was fulfilling his COP duties. We do not believe that serious climate solutions can be created whilst the very room in which these decisions are being made is full to the brim of those who stand to lose out most from climate action. The world urgently needs to get off fossil fuels – the science on this is unequivocal. Yet fossil fuel companies want to carry on extracting and burning.🔥 The two are mutually exclusive, so it should be a no-brainer that a conference about climate change cannot be overrun with fossil fuel companies. And this is the message we are once again delivering to COP and the UNFCCC – the UN process that COP sits within: ➡️Be bold, be inspiring and be prepared to shut out the voices that want to keep humanity in peril. Be something we can all believe in and get behind without cynicism.

🌍 As global leaders convene at #COP29 and the #ParisPeaceForum, our new analysis has uncovered an alarming impact of the renewable energy transition. Mining for the metals needed for renewable technology is causing social unrest and violence on a global scale: 🔹 There were 334 incidents of violence or protest between 2021-2023, averaging 111 per year. 🔹 Nearly 90% of these incidents occurred in emerging and developing economies. 🔹 71-81% of mining production is controlled by companies from wealthier nations or major consumer countries. 🔹 Demand is projected to skyrocket. Between 2021 - 2028, mining for copper is estimated to increase by 25%, nickel over 75%, cobalt over 100%, lithium over 300%. Transition minerals are vital for renewable technologies, yet mining for them has sparked protests, displacement, and clashes in countries from Argentina to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Indonesia. And with the demand for these metals increasing as the transition to renewable energy gets faster, this is set to only worsen in future. The energy transition must prioritise responsibility and sustainability. Mining practices that disregard local communities and exacerbate global inequalities will ultimately undermine stability and justice. For a truly just transition, renewable energy must not come at the expense of those who are already most vulnerable to climate impacts. We need an energy future that protects both people and planet. https://lnkd.in/euQuU_cp #ClimateJustice #JustTransition #SustainableDevelopment

For many people all over the world, and of course in the US, a second Trump Presidency will be of great concern. It comes at a crucial moment in tackling the climate crisis, where the steps the world takes right now will have a critical impact on the future of the planet and its people. The election of a US President who has described climate change as a “hoax” suggests climate denialism will once again be heard in the White House. We have learned a lot from the first Trump Presidency, and we will work in coalition with civil society to continue our advocacy in the US under these more challenging circumstances.       There are many reasons to be worried, but this is why the work of organizations like Global Witness is more important than ever. We will not waver in ensuring the voices of those under immediate threat of climate change, those resisting, and everyone concerned by the biggest challenge of our times, are heard.   We stand in solidarity with everyone who is feeling anxious, concerned - or simply angry. Find hope in the fact that people still have power to change the world for the better. We will continue to expose the truth, tell the stories and change the system as we have for 30 years. There is a lot more work to do now, and we're going to need your help to face enormous challenges over the coming years. Thank you for standing with us.    Sam Dick and Dominic Kavakeb - Co-Directors of Campaigns  

📢 Join us at the Paris Peace Forum for an in-person & online event 🌍 Conflict at the Front Lines of Transition Minerals 📅 Date: November 12, 2024 ⏰ Time: 2:30 PM CET 📍 Location: OECD Conference Centre, Paris, Room CC2 As the demand for critical minerals like cobalt, lithium, copper, and nickel surges, so do the stakes for communities in mineral-rich regions. Join us and community voices from the frontlines for a discussion on the violence and social unrest linked to transition mineral mining. 🔗 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/eEEiKn6w We will share findings from our new report which reveals that nearly 90% of over 300 incidents in 19 countries of mining-related protests, violence, and deaths occurred in developing economies between 2021 and 2023, while wealthier nations reap the rewards of the energy transition. This conversation is critical to shaping a fair, just, and responsible global energy transition. Governments, businesses, and civil society must come together to protect human rights and prevent further injustices as we move towards decarbonisation.

We're just one week away from #COP29. As the world's largest climate conference looms, we see the effects of the climate crisis increasingly. Here's what we need from COP29: 1. No more petrostate-COPs ❌ First, the UAE used its Presidency of COP28 to boost its fossil fuel deals. Now it looks like COP29 hosts Azerbaijan might be borrowing from the same playbook. This is a worrying pattern. We must stop petrostates from hijacking COP for profit. 2. Kick polluters out of COP 🛢️ Trade deals aren’t just being made by the host country but by the hundreds of polluter lobbyists attending COP. Fossil fuel lobbyists shouldn’t be allowed at the COPs – they have a proven track record of slowing down climate action. Instead negotiators need to listen to those most severely affected by the climate crisis. 3. It’s #PaybackTime for polluters 💸 Right now, it’s everyday people who are paying the cost of climate breakdown. They’re paying for wildfires, droughts and storms with their money and with their lives. Fossil fuel companies – the ones fuelling climate chaos – should be the ones to pay. Oil, gas and coal account for nearly 90% of carbon dioxide emissions. We want governments to force Big Oil to pay up, to help rebuild, protect, and pay for some of the damage they’re causing. 4. Curb the spread of climate disinformation online 📱 If we are to tackle the climate crisis, we must address that big tech corporations are profiting from creating an online world that is divisive and filled with disinformation, including false information about climate breakdown. Big Tech needs to create online spaces that are conducive to finding a global consensus on climate action, rather than driving us apart. 5. A just energy transition for all 🍃 We need a transition to renewable energy, but this energy transition mustn't come at the expense of people - especially those already suffering the most from climate change. Mining for transition minerals must be done responsibly and sustainably and involve the communities

🤖💬 "Widespread confusion over AI around the US election is the result of a poorly regulated tech sector." 🤔 Despite many predictions, generative AI tools have not yet caused widespread election disruption. Instead, weaponising the allegation that content might be AI-generated has made it harder than ever for citizens to navigate fact from fiction. 📖 Our latest piece by Ellen Judson, tracks how Big Tech’s approach to innovate first and think about risks later is sowing public distrust. https://lnkd.in/exgS76BQ

🚨 Meta slow to respond to hate speech ahead of US election 🚨 As the US heads to the polls today, our latest investigation reveals troubling delays in Meta's moderation of hate speech on Senate candidates' pages. Despite claiming to ‘do more’ than any other platform to safeguard elections, 13 out of 14 reported hateful and abusive comments—including antisemitic slurs and violent language—went unaddressed for over three days. This not only threatens democratic discourse but also endangers marginalized communities. It is time for Meta to boost the speed and adequacy of its trust and safety measures and ensure candidates are protected from hateful comments. Read our full investigation here: https://lnkd.in/eGVsS6Ck

"We are beginning the era of human extinction. I do not think I am exaggerating." Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, said this at COP16 - as world leaders, government representatives, civil society, land and environmental defenders, Indigenous groups and activists gathered in Cali, Colombia to discuss the urgent biodiversity loss crisis. With our planet’s future at stake, how did the global conference, which aimed to get the world on track to achieve ‘peace with nature’, shape up? 1. A lot of talk, but not enough walk 🗣️ While a lot of lip service was paid to traditional knowledge – Indigenous Peoples are still underrepresented in climate-decision making. Even worse, some are actively being silenced. At CBD COP16 itself, Brazilian activist Txai Suruí and her group were allegedly forcibly detained after peacefully protesting a legal mechanism aimed at stripping back Indigenous rights. This is despite voluntarily stopping their demonstration. If this is the level of repression taking place at the world’s most famous biodiversity summit, one can only imagine what might be happening when the world isn’t watching. 2. To achieve ‘peace with nature’, violence against environmental defenders must end ☮️ Defenders at COP16 described their experiences of violence they face, from targeted assassinations of family and community members to the illegal destruction of their territories, to financial coercion and social repression. On top of this, they must fight for their basic rights in a system that grants corporations and financial institutions impunity. 3. Global financial systems perpetuate biodiversity loss – we need better rules to ensure that they don’t 💰 Today’s financial rules are still forcing low-income nations to choose between economic stability and protecting their ecosystems. COP16’s “finance day” spotlighted the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, supposedly a lifeline for conservation efforts. But pledges to the fund barely scratch the surface of what’s needed. Without adequate financing, countries saddled with debt will likely be forced to continue depleting their resources for their economic survival - leading to further deforestation, biodiversity loss and a grim uptick in violence against land and environmental defenders. So, what now? To unravel the systems that lead to this violence against the land and its people, we must first recognise our shared interconnectedness. Current approaches that focus solely on decarbonisation, such as transitioning to renewable energy, ignore the broader nature crisis and continue to place the rights of defenders at risk. For the world to meet its biodiversity targets, we must: 🔴Strongly regulate our financial systems 🔴Enforce strong laws that protect defenders 🔴Recognise that all these crises are connected As President Petro warned, the era of human extinction has already begun. Whether we heed these warnings will determine the future of life on Earth.

🌍 Upcoming Panel Event: Academic Freedom and Corruption in Azerbaijan’s Energy Industry 🌍 In collaboration with the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, we’re excited to co-host an event at the UK Parliament on Thursday, November 14th, 2024. We’d love to see you there! As COP29 unfolds in Baku, we’ll discuss the troubling disconnect between Azerbaijan’s role as host and its repression of dissenting voices. The event will focus on the case of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, a respected Azerbaijani economist, activist, and lecturer at LSE, detained in Azerbaijan since July 2023 for exposing corruption in the fossil fuel industry. The panel will be moderated by Joe Powell MP, with speakers including: Sir William Browder (Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign) Zhala Bayramova (Dr. Ibadoghlu’s daughter) Tomila Lankina (LSE and Dr. Ibadoghlu’s adviser) Mai Rosner (Senior Campaigner at Global Witness) Event Details: 📅 Date: Thursday, 14th November 2024 ⏰ Time: 12:00–13:00 PM 📍 Location: Committee Room 5, House of Commons To attend, please email akirk@globalwitness.org , and join us in standing up for justice and transparency. Space is limited! #COP29 #HumanRights #AzerbaijanCOP29 #ClimateJustice

Minerals extraction, processing and trading is responsible for human rights abuses, has led to pollution and deforestation that threatens biodiversity. Currently measures on international level to tackle these problems in the face of increasing minerals demand are largely lacking. Colombia’s declaration at the #CBDCOP16 calling for a process towards a binding international agreement along mineral value chains is therefore a vital and necessary step that we support.