Global Witness

Western nations talk big on sustainability but fall short in the global minerals race, prioritising profit over ethical sourcing. Our Alex Kopp calls on governments to enforce strong regulation to ensure accountability and responsible mining. #ClimateJustice https://lnkd.in/eVFJxUMm

Today could be hugely important for creating a just energy transition. The UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals are meeting to discuss how to embed justice & environmental safeguards in the #EnergyTransition. We need critical minerals for the energy transition. But how they are mined, and who benefits from the industry has a huge impact. 💎 The panel will set out to develop a set of voluntary principles to safeguard environmental and social standards throughout the minerals value chain with the goal of embedding justice in the global energy transition. Our Emily Iona Stewart thinks it’s vital we include communities who are directly impacted by mining and are often missing from the conversation: 🗣️ "The UN Panel have a critical role to play in ensuring that mining affected communities do not pay the price of the global energy transition. True progress in addressing climate and ecological breakdown begins with genuine community engagement. When local voices are consulted, heard, and respected, decision making around mining can foster trust, sustainability, and shared prosperity.” This briefing ⬇️ provides a snapshot of some of the concerns of community members affected by lithium, nickel and bauxite mining and processing in Argentina, Indonesia and Guinea. The UN Panel members must centre these voices, to ensure their recommendations leave no one and no place behind 🌍 https://lnkd.in/ejeif3bb #JustMinerals #IndigenousRights #JustTransition #Lithium #Nickel #Bauxite #ElectricVehicles

Our 2023 Annual Report is here! 📊 This report marks three decades of protecting people and planet and gives us an opportunity to reflect on, learn from and celebrate our past. For the past 30 years we have challenged polluters and championed people, tackling the climate emergency by working to shift the balance of power from climate-wrecking companies to the people standing up for their rights and their communities. We invite you to explore: 🏅Our impacts and achievements dismantling the power of big polluters 🌍 How we are building people power to protect the planet 🤝 Our Partners and supporters 💳 Our financial position ⏩ Our plans for 2024 A huge thank you to the GW team, our partners, and supporters for making our work possible and helping us address the power imbalances driving the climate emergency 👉https://lnkd.in/ewxyMduT

Russia's war on Ukraine is raging on ... and this US company is continuing to help bankroll it. 🇺🇸 Our investigation proves that instead of leaving, like many of its competitors, the world's biggest oil services company is expanding its businesses in Russia. SLB is headquartered in the US, a country that has banned Russian oil. ❌ 💰Despite this, the US government has given SLB the green light to help Putin drill for the oil he needs to pay for the war. If we care about stopping Russia's war on Ukraine, we need to stop Western oil firms like SLB from helping bankroll it. https://lnkd.in/e5Q-NkrG

🌍 Join us at the Future of Energy Conference 2024 in Accra! We’re hosting an exclusive side event exploring a topic that is critical for Africa’s future: "Unlocking Africa’s Wealth: The Path to Mineral Value Addition and Beneficiation" 📅 Date and time: 11.50am (GMT), 28th August 2024 📍 Location: Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra, Ghana As the world moves toward a just energy transition, understanding the concepts of value addition and beneficiation in the mining sector is more crucial than ever. These processes are key to creating jobs, generating revenue, and diversifying economies in mineral-rich countries across Africa. This event is aimed at policy and industry actors, civil society organizations (CSOs), and representatives from mining-affected communities who are interested in or already working on value addition and beneficiation. At this event you’ll: 🔴 Gain a deeper understanding of the role of mining value addition and beneficiation in the energy transition. 🔴 Engage in discussions that clarify these concepts and their practical applications. 🔴 Network with key stakeholders and influencers in the sector. Can’t attend in person? The event will also be streamed live on Zoom, register now 👉 https://lnkd.in/e8NQ26MH Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative conversation about the future of Africa’s mineral wealth and its role in the global energy transition. #FutureOfEnergy #Mining #Africa #Beneficiation #ValueAddition #EnergyTransition #SustainableDevelopment #Accra2024

🌍 As we approach #COP29, the world is watching Azerbaijan. Over a year ago Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, a renowned economist and fossil-fuel critic, was arrested on fabricated charges while in Azerbaijan. His arrest came after he published an article that criticized the country’s oil and gas policies and created a charity to return public resources seized by Azeri oligarchs to the people of Azerbaijan. Now he is still awaiting trial, with no date set after an Azerbaijani judge “froze” his case. This is proving life-threatening for Dr. Ibadoghlu, who suffers from serious health issues and has been prevented from seeking vital medical care while in detention. Today, Dr. Ibadoghlu’s son, Ibad Bayramov, delivered a letter signed by 25 UK lawmakers to the Azerbaijan embassy calling for his father’s immediate release. He told Global Witness: “I love my Dad and worry every moment of every day about his treatment due to this politically motivated detention. Just as any son would want to see their father, we are desperate to have him back. He suffers greatly, and we need to know that he is okay. We call on President Aliyev to release him now and unconditionally." Join us in urging Azerbaijan to act with compassion and integrity ahead of COP29. https://lnkd.in/eZtTq9q4 #FreeGubad #COP29 #HumanRights #ClimateJustice

Yesterday marked the shutdown of Meta ‘s #CrowdTangle - free software that has been used by researchers to monitor public pages and groups, and viral posts online for many years. It is the latest move by social media companies which restricts access to data for researchers, journalists, and policymakers. During a year of global elections, when the emerging threat of AI could supercharge election and climate disinformation, this poses a threat to democracies worldwide. Read more on the impact of this decision from our investigator Guy Porter here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/dQHcQJHH

The racist attacks and riots across the UK last week have pulled into sharp focus not only the consequences of years of mainstreaming racist narratives, but also the link between disinformation spreading online and real-life, physical harms. We condemn this violence in the strongest terms. Our work aims to shed light on how disinformation spreads online - and hold large social media firms accountable. Earlier this year, we began investigating inauthentic activity on X to identify accounts that show signs of automation. We have now published our second investigation into this phenomenon. ❌We found 45 bot-like accounts that frequently amplified divisive content, including racism, gendered disinformation and conspiracies1. ❌Over eight weeks, these accounts collectively produced over 600,000 posts, garnering more than 4 billion impressions2. ❌Though they were initially identified due to their engagement in partisan discourse during the UK General Election, we saw these accounts move between different topics and react to breaking news events3. ❌Their content moved between conspiracy theories around the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and gendered disinformation tropes about Kamala Harris, to amplifying nativist sentiment on the back of anti-migrant protests in Dublin4. Following the attack in Southport, we saw some bot-like accounts amplifying conspiracy theories and allegations of a cover up, posts in support of the rioting, extreme anti-migrant sentiment, and Islamophobic disinformation5.  We must strive towards a stronger digital public sphere. Social media and other digital communication methods are deeply embedded in our daily lives. As the arenas of ongoing discussion, they have become essential tools to gather, share and assess information. But now, with their algorithms promoting harmful, divisive and at times even misleading and false content, they are pushing us further apart, rather than closer together. https://lnkd.in/dF4s9b3Y

We condemn in the strongest terms the racist attacks and riots of the past week in the UK incited by social media platforms and years of toxic discourse used by those in power. We are encouraged by the displays of solidarity across the country and stand in solidarity with members of our team, our partners and neighbours and all others directly or indirectly affected by these acts. We continue to campaign for a more just planet - one that has no room for Islamophobic and racist hatred and violence of any kind.

We’re recruiting an Interim Head of Strategic Communications to lead Global Witness’ strategic communications. As Interim Head of Strategic Communications you would lead a talented team to ensure our campaigns are at the heart of our engaging and inspiring communications. Applications close August 20th 2024. https://lnkd.in/e_dpGfcK