NGOs file complaint before OECD, demand closure of Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia
Cerrejón operation in Colombia.
(Image courtesy of Cerrejón).
A coalition of human rights and environmental NGOs led by the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) are demanding before the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development the closure of the Cerrejón coal project in Colombia, which is owned by Anglo American (LON: AAL), BHP (ASX, LON, NYSE: BHP) and Glencore (LON: GLEN).
This week, the activists filed simultaneous complaints before the OECD National Contact Points in Australia, Ireland, Switzerland and the UK, alleging “serious human rights abuses and devastating environmental pollution” at Cerrejón.
ESB referred to OECD over importing coal from north Colombian mine
A charity has submitted a formal complaint about the ESB allegedly breaching its human rights commitments. By Gráinne Ní Aodha Tuesday 19 Jan 2021, 12:38 PM Jan 19th 2021, 12:38 PM 16,965 Views 33 Comments
Two young boys looking at the El Cerrejón coal transportation train in La Guajira, Colombia
Image: Shutterstock/Anamaria Mejia
Image: Shutterstock/Anamaria Mejia
A CHARITY HAS referred the ESB to the OECD over alleged breaches of human rights by importing coal from a mine in northern Colombia.
Christian Aid said that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will begin the process of investigating whether the State-owned ESB has breached its human-rights responsibilities by importing coal from the Cerrejón mine in La Guajira.
Complaint lodged against ESB over Colombian coal imports
19 January 2021
A formal complaint against the ESB has been lodged today in regards to imported coal from the Cerrejón mine in Colombia.
Filed by the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) through Ireland’s National Contact Point to the OECD, the complaint alleges that the ESB has breached its human rights responsibilities by importing coal from the mine.
The action was supported by Christian Aid Ireland as well as a coalition of Colombian and international human rights and environmental NGOs.
Parallel complaints have also been filed through National Contact Points in Australia, the UK and Switzerland against the three international mining companies that own Cerrejón.
Switzerland: ESG reporting and due diligence requirements
On 29 November 2020, Swiss voters opted for the introduction of EU-style ESG reporting and due diligence requirements and against the so-called Responsible Business Initiative.
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In brief
On 29 November 2020, Swiss voters opted for the introduction of EU-style ESG reporting and due diligence requirements and against the so-called Responsible Business Initiative. While the initiative would have added teeth to the civil liability regime for the violation of international human rights and environmental standards across the supply chain, the substantive requirements regarding ESG reporting and due diligence across the extended enterprise are not any lighter under the chosen approach. We expect that affected companies will have to apply the new requirements in financial year 2023.
Commentary: International Investment Agreements could be utilised for providing redress to victims of human rights abuse by Multi-National Corporations, says scholar business-humanrights.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from business-humanrights.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.