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ECT


Investment governance in Africa to support climate resilience and decarbonization
African nations should not be expected to take the lead in addressing a climate emergency they did not create. The priority for Africa is to receive support and investment to build resilience and adapt to climate impacts.
Landmark ruling reveals misuse of Energy Charter Treaty
The Belgian Appeal Court delivered a landmark ruling in what Kazakhstan’s legal representatives described as "one of the biggest frauds in the history of international arbitration."
Governments risk ’trillions’ in fossil fuel climate litigation
Governments which enact climate legislation risk being sued for trillions of dollars by fossil fuel companies seeking compensation for lost revenue and stranded assets.
Campaign win: Australia cuts ties with Energy Charter Treaty (ECT)
In a significant step forward in the campaign against Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS), Australia has announced its withdrawal from its signatory status to the Energy Charter Treaty.
Secretive court system poses threat to Paris climate deal, says whistleblower
Treaty allows energy corporations to sue governments for billions over policies that could hurt their profits.
Big Coal tapping obscure treaty could chill green revolution
Coal plant owners are using this little-known mechanism to try and recoup billions from governments who are forcing them to shut down polluting plants
Fossil fuel companies claiming 18bn against government climate action in secret courts
Courts allow big polluters to sue governments into “a state of climate paralysis”, campaigners say.
Companies cannot use ECT to sue governments for climate progress, top court says
Environmental organisations have hailed a court decision that could mean the end of a little-known legal mechanism that poses a massive threat to climate action.
Kazakhstan would ‘welcome’ new arbitration in Stati dispute
Kazakhstan has welcomed what it calls an opportunity for an independent arbitral tribunal to carry out “a free and fair review of the Statis’ fraud”.
Death by a thousand treaties
Governments must urgently terminate all international investment treaties in force, in particular the Energy Charter Treaty, and stop negotiating new ones.
NGOs urge Slovenia’s minister to propose EU exit Energy Charter Treaty
Slovenian environmental NGOs have called on infrastructure minister Jernej Vrtovec to use the country’s EU presidency to propose a political discussion on the bloc exiting the Energy Charter Treaty.
The Irish Spanish Solar sues Spain in the ICSID for the cut in premiums to renewables
Spanish Solar demands compensation from the Spanish Government for having cut the premiums for the use of energy once the investments have been made.
Ex-Yukos unit wins new $5 billion court judgement against Russia
The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Russia illegally expropriated loans provided by Yukos Capital Sarl to its former parent company.
Outrage as Italy faces multimillion pound damages to UK oil firm
Secretive tribunals allow fossil fuel companies to sue governments for passing laws to protect environment.
Leaked diplomatic cables show ‘limited progress’ in Energy Charter Treaty reform talks
Little progress has been made to modernise a controversial agreement on energy investments that activists warn could derail decarbonisation efforts in Europe and across the globe, according to leaked documents.
More than 400 civil society organisations say: Leave the ECT by COP26
More than 400 are calling on political leaders across all European countries to prioritise climate policies, to stick to their climate commitments, and therefore to initiate withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty by COP26.
Nigerian govt asked not to ascent to Energy Charter Treaty
Nigerian labour unions and civil society organizations have urged the government not to assent to the ECT, explaining that the Treaty contains provisions for an Investor-State Dispute System (ISDS), which accords investors obscene privileges.
We need to rethink investment treaties to ensure a rapid and just energy transition
It’s time to reconsider investor-state dispute settlement; inaction risks rising costs of shifting from fossil fuels to green alternatives.
Stop the Energy Charter Treaty
This obscure treaty from the 1990s grants sweeping rights and protections to big energy investors – mainly fossil fuel companies.
Energy Charter Treaty strikes again as Uniper sues Netherlands over coal phase-out
German energy company Uniper has confirmed its intention to sue the Dutch government over the country’s planned coal phase-out.