Welcoming step of FMO to phase out fossil fuels from their direct investments
FMO's new position statement on fossil fuel investments commits to ending new direct finance in the downstream and midstream coal and oil sectors, whilst still allowing for investments in gas-fired electricity generation under exceptional circumstances only. Both ENDS welcomes this development as a step in the right direction.
The Position Statement on Fossil Fuels in Direct Investments, published Tuesday June 1st 2021 forms part of FMO's wider Climate Action strategy and was was subject to a public consultation in 2020 in which Both ENDS participated.
In the context of the current climate crisis that we face, FMO's immediate ban on finance for new oil and gas production is a vital step. The allowance for investments in gas-fired power generation over the next five years, as well as for transmission infrastructure for new gas generation capacity, is not what we had hoped for. However, the inclusion of transition criteria that limit investments to LDC or LIC countries where no viable renewable alternatives exist, and require alignment with the objectives of the Paris Agreement, should make it hard for such investments to materialize.
Financial Intermediaries
One major omission from the position statement is FMO's Financial Intermediary (FI) portfolio, or its indirect financing. This relates to banks and other financial institutions that use FMO's finance to invest in their own portfolios. By not considering FIs, which form the largest part of their portfolio, FMO leaves itself exposed to providing continued support for the fossil fuel sector. We call on FMO to urgently address this gap so that it can truly pursue its stated aim of aligning its portfolio with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Equitable Climate Action
We hope that the commitments made in this position statement serve as a catalyst for broader shifts in FMO's Climate Action strategy. FMO should ensure that its investments in relevant sectors, including energy, agriculture and forestry, focus on building inclusive and resilient solutions that work for local communities. Diverting finance away from fossil fuels provides the perfect opportunity to do this, with viable alternatives such as distributed renewable energy already proven to be effective in this regard.
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Dossier /Advocating for responsible policies of development banks
Development banks should comply with strict environmental and human rights rules to ensure that their projects benefit and do not harm the poorest groups. Both ENDS monitors the banks to make sure they do.
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News / 27 October 2026Both ENDS at COP31: Locally led climate finance and ending investment rules that block climate action
At COP31, Both ENDS advocates for climate finance that reaches women-led and community-based organisations at the forefront of climate action, while challenging the economic rules that obstruct the transition away from fossil fuels. Together with partners in the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA) and the PAPeS programme, we push for locally led adaptation, gender-just climate action and greater accountability for governments and companies.
We asked our colleagues Daan Robben and Fernando Hernandez why they are going to COP31, what messages they want to bring to negotiators, and what a positive outcome would look like.
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Dossier /International trade and investment with respect for people and planet
The network of international trade and investment treaties is large and complex. The Netherlands alone has signed more than 70 bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and is party to the trade and investment agreements concluded by the EU, like the EU-Mercosur and EU-Indonesia trade deals.
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News / 15 October 2026ISDS infringement complaint filed with the European Commission
The Netherlands and Portugal join four other EU countries facing such a complaint.
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Press release / 15 October 2026Dutch and Portuguese organisations file EU complaint over investment treaties that let companies and sanctioned Russian oligarchs sue EU countries for compensation
The Netherlands and Portugal join four other EU countries facing such a complaint, as the Global Days of Action against Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) begin.
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News / 29 September 2026Summary - Both ENDS complaint under the EU-New Zealand trade agreement
On 29 September 2026, Both ENDS lodged the first complaint on climate grounds with the European Commission's Single Entry Point. It asks the Commission to examine whether Aotearoa New Zealand has broken two promises both sides made in the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement: not to weaken or set aside environmental laws in order to encourage trade or investment, and to effectively implement the Paris Agreement.
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Publication / 29 September 2026
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News / 29 September 2026Q&A: New Zealand's climate rollback and the EU trade agreement
On 29 September 2026 / 30 September in Aotearoa New Zealand, Both ENDS lodged a complaint with the European Commission under the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. These are the questions we are asked most often, and our answers. The complaint summary, the case explainer and the key public sources are linked at the end of this page.
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Publication / 3 July 2026
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Dossier /Gas in Mozambique
In 2011 one of the world’s largest gas reserves was found in the coastal province of Cabo Delgado, in the north of Mozambique. A total of 35 billion dollars has been invested to extract the gas. Dozens of multinationals and financiers are involved in these rapid developments. It is very difficult for the people living in Cabo Delgado to exert influence on the plans and activities, while they experience the negative consequences. With the arrival of these companies, they are losing their land.
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Dossier /Finance for agroecology
The lion's share of public budgets for climate, agriculture and development still goes to conventional agroindustrial projects that contribute to the current climate, food and biodiversity crises. Both ENDS and our partners are calling for a transition to agroecological practices that are people- and environment-friendly.
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Publication / 18 June 2026
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Publication / 12 May 2026
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Press release / 12 May 2026UN report warns of a growing sand crisis - The Dutch dredging sector plays a key role in global sand extraction
GENEVA/UTRECHT, 12 May 2026 – A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Sand and Sustainability: An Essential Resource for Nature and Development, warns that global demand for sand is exceeding ecological limits. Large-scale extraction of sand from marine and coastal ecosystems is leading to biodiversity loss, damage to coastal communities and increasing risks in an era of climate change. Dutch dredging companies play a prominent role in this as global market leaders in large-scale sand extraction and land reclamation. “Our analyses show that the dredging sector operates globally within a system in which ecological damage and the consequences for coastal communities are systematically underestimated, whilst transparency and effective oversight are often lacking,” says the Dutch environmental and human rights organisation Both ENDS, which contributed to the report.
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News / 14 April 2026New report: Phasing out ISDS in the Netherlands: a roadmap
Today, Both ENDS and SOMO are publishing the report Phasing out ISDS in the Netherlands: a roadmap. In the report, we highlight the Netherlands’ role in the ISDS system and offer practical guidance on phasing out ISDS.
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Publication / 14 April 2026
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Publication / 10 April 2026
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News / 10 April 2026Both ENDS: strengthened FMO complaints mechanism is a step forward, but major gaps remain
Both ENDS welcomes the strengthened Independent Complaints Mechanism (ICM) of development finance institutions FMO, DEG and Proparco as an important step forward in accountability. Working directly with communities affected by development projects, we see daily how essential it is that people can access justice when they are harmed in the name of development. For many communities, this mechanism is one of the few avenues through which harm can be formally recognised and addressed in relation to these development banks.
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News / 26 March 2026New project: Climate Accountability in EU Trade
Through its new project “Climate Accountability in EU Trade: Testing the SEP and DAGs for Climate-Linked FTA Enforcement” Both ENDS, with support from the European Climate Foundation, is exploring how the European complaints mechanism (SEP) and Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) can be more effectively used to advance climate accountability. The project runs for 13 months, until end of 2026.
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News / 17 February 2026Civic space at the frontlines: "Build strong coalitions and counter repressive regimes"
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.
