Both ENDS
Turkey is building Istanbul’s third and the world’s biggest airport in the Northern Forest area on the outskirts of the city. The project is strongly opposed by local communities and NGO’s, as it destroys the environment and violates basic human and local community rights.
140+ organisations call on the European Ministers, Commissioners and members of the European Parliament to adopt a strong EU regulation on deforestation-free products. As "trilogue negotiations" on this law begin, we ask you to support a law that lives up to the promises of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals and upholds the EU's commitments on climate, biodiversity and human rights.
Karin van Boxtel (35) is the new director of environment and human rights organisation Both ENDS. Karin has been running the organisation temporarily, together with Annelieke Douma, since the departure of the previous director, Danielle Hirsch. She has now been appointed permanently to make Both ENDS stronger and more future-proof. Karin will take up her new post on 1 September. Until then, she will continue as co-director on an interim basis.
At Both ENDS, we see a number of cautious steps in the right direction in this coalition agreement. There is a slight emphasis on green issues, renewed attention to women's rights, recognition of the importance of civil society, and discussion of trade agreements with a focus on mutual interests. However, without structural change in how we trade, invest, and cooperate, fine words remain empty shells.
Both ENDS, SOMO, Oxfam Novib and Recourse sent in a submission to FMO's public consultation on its Position Statement on Financial Intermediaries. In this position statement, FMO only takes limited responsibility for the consequences of its investments through so-called financial intermediaries. We call upon FMO to publish a position statement that focuses on protecting human rights and the environment and take full responsibility for this.
Today, we look back on an inspiring event Civic space at the frontlines -
Environmental Defenders and the Role of International Trade and Investment Policy. The panel exist of Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, Suzanne Kröger, Member of Parliament for GroenLinks–PvdA, Dr. Margit van Wessel, Associate Professor at Wageningen University, Anne de Jonghe, policy advisor at Both ENDS, and Jonila Castro, national spokesperson for Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment. With an audience of CSO experts, academics, accountability experts and students we discussed the effects of Dutch economic activity on Environmental Defenders, and what we all can do to support those on the front lines of the fight for the environment and human rights.
The Netherlands is a major business partner to Brazil and has not been deterred by the record of human rights' abuses by Bolsonaro's government, nor by the coup d'Etat against the president Dilma Rousseff in 2016. How do the Dutch economic ties with the Brazilian political and corporate elites affect the Brazilian population, in particular indigenous peoples, nature and the global climate?
To realise the energy transition, large quantities of minerals and metals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth metals are needed. These raw materials are mainly extracted in countries in the global South, and unfortunately this is almost always accompanied by human rights violations and environmental destruction. Today – also in light of EU Raw Materials Week that is happening this week – Argentinian organisation FARN and Both ENDS publish a joint report on the extraction of lithium in Argentina.
PRESS RELEASE: Dutch dredgers ignore human rights in Suez Canal expansion
The Dutch government and the Dutch dredging companies involved in the Suez Canal expansion failed to consider the adverse impact of their activities would have on both human rights and the environment. These are the findings of SOMO and Both ENDS in their research report ‘Dredging in the Dark’. Four companies worked day and night to dredge 200 million m3 of sand in a record-breaking time of nine months, which negatively affected local residents. Financial risks were covered by the Dutch export credit insurance company Atradius DSB, on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Finance.