Press Release

Court Rules Against Indigenous Rights in Belo Monte Hearing

Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Decision violates Brazil’s Constitution and international human rights convention; appeal to Supreme Court expected Brasilia, Brazil –A district federal court in Brazil ruled today that indigenous communities threatened by the controversial Belo Monte Dam complex—under initial construction since July on the Xingu River in the Amazon—do not have the right to free, prior and informed consultations regarding the project despite guarantees in the Brazilian Constitution and international human rights agreements to which Brazil is a signatory.

Laos Uses New Report to Greenwash the Xayaburi Dam

Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Biased and incompetent Pöyry report makes mockery of Laos’ international obligations regarding the Xayaburi Dam Bangkok, Thailand: Ahead of a December regional ministerial meeting to decide whether or not to approve the proposed Xayaburi Dam, the Lao government is using a report by Swiss company Pöyry Energy AG in a desperate bid to gain approval from neighboring countries for the first lower Mekong Mainstream Dam. Despite acknowledging major uncertainties about what harm the project will bring to Lao people and neighboring countries, the Pöyry report recommends that the dam should be b

Belo Monte Dam Does Not Meet Equator Principles, Say Rights Groups

Monday, November 7, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Brasilia, Brazil – The controversial Belo Monte Dam, slated for construction in Brazil's Amazon region, does not meet the standards of an international framework used by the world's largest private banks to evaluate sustainability, say human rights groups in Brazil. In a letter sent to Itaú, Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, Santander, and Caixa Econômica Federal, 150 Brazilian social and environmental organizations warned that Belo Monte developer Norte Energia, S.A. (NESA) has not complied with the Equator Principles, a set of voluntary standards created in 2003 that aid

Hundreds Occupy Belo Monte Dam Site in Brazilian Amazon

    For Immediate Release October 28, 2011 UPDATE: Statement from partners on #OCCUPYBELOMONTEDAM Altamira, Brazil - (Direct statement by participating groups, as translated) Yesterday the Belo Monte Dam construction site was occupied by 400 indigenous people, fishermen and riverine community members who oppose the project due to its severe environmental impacts and human rights violations. The occupation was a collective decision from 700 representatives from local communities who attended a seminar against the Belo Monte Dam held this week in Altamira, and proved an important ste

Judge Calls License in Controversial Amazon Dam Project Illegal

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Brazilian federal judge votes for indigenous rights; argues Belo Monte Dam violates Constitution and international conventions Brasilia, Brazil―In a landmark decision on Monday, a federal judge in Brazil voted that the environmental licensing of the controversial Belo Monte Dam is illegal given the lack of consultations with affected indigenous communities. The vote is the first step in a long-awaited decision by a federal circuit court regarding a lawsuit filed in 2006 by the Federal Public Prosecutors’ Office that could ultimately bring the case before Brazil’s Supreme Court. In agr

The HidroAysén Controversy Will Head to the Supreme Court of Chile

Thursday, October 6, 2011
After Appellate Court in Puerto Montt rejects the appeals for legal protection "We will appeal to the Supreme Court because we believe our legal arguments demonstrate that the decision taken by the Environmental Evaluation Committee violates constitutional guarantees and is completely illegal" assured Marcelo Castillo, lawyer for the Patagonia Defense Council. From the Aysén Region, Peter Hartmann, Coordinator of the Citizen's Coalition for an Aysén Reserve of Life, affirmed "they will to appeal to the Supreme Court, while they prepare to present legal claims before the C

UNFCCC Approves Controversial Coal and Hydro Projects in India

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
For immediate release Brussels, 5 October 2011. The CDM Executive Board approved two controversial Indian mega projects: a new coal fired power plant and a hydro power plant which had recently made headlines because of its non‐additionality and the harm reportedly caused to the local population. CDM Watch, Sierra Club and International Rivers condemn the decisions and call on the Board to publish the findings of the review assessments that approve the compliance with CDM requirements for these projects. Despite heavy criticism about the environmental integrity of coal projects in the CDM

Myitsone Dam Suspension a Breakthrough for Burma’s Civil Society

Myitsone Dam site
Friday, September 30, 2011
For immediate release Myitsone Dam site In a stunning move, Burma’s President today announced that the Myitsone Dam on the Irrawaddy River would be halted “to respect the will of the people.” International Rivers welcomes this decision as a fantastic breakthrough for civil society groups in Burma and their partners in China and around the world. Grace Mang, program coordinator at International Rivers, said: “The suspension of the Myitsone Dam is a great success for civil society groups in Burma and throughout the world. The decision shows that dam builders can no longer rely on dic

WikiLeaks Puts Integrity of UN Carbon Offsetting Scheme Under Question

Monday, September 19, 2011
For immediate release Large Hydro Project in India Under ScrutinyWikiLeaks Puts Integrity of UN Carbon Offsetting Scheme Under QuestionBrussels, 19 September 2011. CDM Watch and International Rivers call on the CDM Executive Board to reject the mega Rampur Hydroelectric Project in India from receiving CDM carbon credits because it does not comply with essential CDM requirements. They also call on the Swedish Energy Agency, as a party involved in the project, to prove compliance with World Commission of Dams criteria. A cable released by WikiLeaks earlier this month states that Indian proj

Illegal Construction on the Xayaburi Dam Forges Ahead

Thursday, August 4, 2011
For immediate release Lao PDR Unilaterally Moves Forward In Spite of Commitments to Temporarily Suspend the ProjectBangkok, Thailand: A field visit to the site of the proposed Xayaburi Dam has revealed that construction on the dam's access road and work-camp is rapidly forging ahead, in spite of commitments by the Government of Laos to temporarily suspend the project. The trip to the Xayaburi Dam site on July 23rd revealed that a substantial construction camp has been established near Ban Talan village with at least a few hundred workers. An access road leading down to the dam site was

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Belo Monte Controversy Featured in Damocracy

Belo Monte Controversy Featured in Damocracy