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friday 16th august 2002
amsterdam - london
spotlight on corporates reveals need for
global rules
FoE International publishes new report
AMSTERDAM / LONDON, Aug.16 -- Some
corporations continue to abuse the rights of
people, destroy the livelihoods of
communities, and pollute water and forest
resources for future generations, according
to a new report by Friends of the Earth
International published today. The report
graphically illustrates the need for
governments to agree to introduce tighter
rules for multinationals at the Earth Summit
in Johannesburg.
Launched as world leaders prepare for the
Earth Summit in Johannesburg later this month
[1], Clashes with Corporate Giants [2]
reveals how even some of the top
international companies who claim to be
developing sustainable policies, are still
causing major damage to the planet.
Companies featured in the report
include:
· Mining giant Rio Tinto is prospecting
for gold in the Poboya protected forest, in
Indonesia, despite opposition from local
indigenous peoples [3]. The mining industry
poses one of the greatest threats to
Indonesia's threatened forests with mining
concessions overlapping with many protected
areas. Rio Tinto is aiming to avoid
international regulation of the mining
industry at the forthcoming Earth Summit. It
is trying to persuade governments to
establish voluntary partnerships with the
industry rather than legally enforceable
rules. Rio Tinto Chairman Sir Robert Wilson
is a member of the UK delegation.
· South African-based chemical company
Sasol claims to "put as much into the
community as we do into our petrol." Indeed
they do, including high levels of benzene,
vinyl chloride and methylene chloride. Sasol
has been influential in pushing for voluntary
environmental agreements, rather than legally
enforceable standards that the local
community could use to hold them liable
[4].
Friends of the Earth International is
calling for world leaders meeting at the
Earth Summit in Johannesburg to introduce
global rules for business, to protect people
and the environment. The call has so far met
with little enthusiasm from Western
governments. But it has received the backing
of many developing countries as well as
thousands of people, community leaders and
celebrities from around the world who have
sent messages of support [5].
Tony Juniper, Vice Chair of Friends of the
Earth International said today:
"The evidence in this report highlights
the real damage companies are doing to people
and to our environment. Despite big
companies' green public relations efforts, it
illustrates how, for many companies,
sustainable development means business as
usual. Without global rules to check this
behaviour, the environment is not going to
figure on the corporate bottom line - and it
would be naïve to expect otherwise.
"This issue is about far more than
protecting profits for shareholders - it is
about the rights of people around the world
to protect their health and their
livelihoods, now and for future generations
to come."
In Johannesburg, Friends of the Earth
International today also unveiled
preparations for its Art Action, Hear Our
Voice, an installation of sculpture and
sound. Produced by deprived communities in
Johannesburg, thousands of small
biodegradable figures, representing the
diverse voices of people struggling to defend
their lives, their communities and their
environment, will confront a Corporate Giant,
symbolising the unbridled power of the big
corporations. Hear Our Voice will be
displayed on September 1st [6].
Contact:
Corporates Campaigners:
Contact Matt Phillips (Friends of the Earth
EWNI: England, Wales, N.Ireland) at +44-20-
7566 1660 or +44- 7817 314706 or Ed Matthew
(FOE EWNI ) for Rio Tinto at +44-20-7566 1720
or at pager 07654 664 965.
Friends of the Earth International
(FoEI):
Contact Daniel Mittler (FoEI Earth Summit
campaign coordinator) for Earth Summit
enquiries at +49-173-9234747 and contact Ann
Doherty for enquiries on the new report at
+31-20-6221369
Notes:
[1] The UN World Summit on Sustainable
Development takes place in Johannesburg,
South Africa from 26th August to 4th
September 2002.
[2] Clashes with Corporate Giants is
published by Friends of the Earth
International at
www.foei.org
. The
report can be read from Thursday Aug 15th,
2002 after 12:00 GMT at:
http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/resource/media.html
Advance PDF copies of the report are
available from Friends of the Earth's press
office on +44-20-75661649 or from contacts
above.
[3] More information from
www.jatam.org
and
www.mpi.org
[4] Hear a full interview with Bobby Peek,
FOE South Africa, on the impacts of Sasol at
www.radioearthsummit.org
. See also
www.groundwork.org.za
[5] Individuals around the world are sending
sounds and messages to
www.radioearthsummit.org
and
these will be broadcast by Friends of the
Earth at the Earth Summit.
[6] For more information contact Donald Pols
(FoEI) in Johannesburg. Mobile: +27 72-2966
740 and visit
www.rio-plus-10.org
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