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Firm heavily fined over roadworker's death [UK] - A6 accident was French-owned company's third fatality - Road contractor Lafarge was fined £175,000 on Wednesday after a worker was killed when hit by two cars on the A6 at Wilstead. (Bedford Today, 10 May 2003)

{···français} Barrage des Trois Gorges (Chine): les violations des droits humains risquent de s'accentuer avec la mise en eau du réservoir (Sébastien Godinot, Les Amis de la Terre, 9 avril 2003)

In the green dock: corporate targets [sub-section of article entitled "Asda 'exploiting loophole' for store space"] - FoE [Friends of the Earth] is also targeting some of Britain's largest listed firms, which it claims are putting profits before people and the environment; it has bought shares in 18 publicly quoted firms and has been questioning boards about the impact their businesses are having on the environment. The campaign, to run through the summer, started this week when FoE accused Rio Tinto of human rights abuses and environmental destruction in Indonesia at its AGM. FoE is also pushing for UK law changes requiring firms to take account of their wider responsibilities and offer affected communities redress or compensation when they fail to do so. The 18 firms targeted...: British American Tobacco (Activities in Burma and use of pesticides in Brazil); Associated British Ports; Rio Tinto (Destructive mining activities in Indonesia); Shell (Environmental damage in the Philippines; South Africa, Nigeria and US); Barclays (Rainforest destruction in Indonesia); BP (Impact of the Baku to Ceyan Russian pipeline); Anglo American (Mining in South America and Africa); BAE Systems; Amec (Subsidiary Spie has a construction contract for BP's Baku-Ceyan pipeline); Premier Oil; Balfour Beatty; P&O; HSBC (Oil industry involvement in Sudan); Tesco; British Airways; Sainsbury; Safeway; BAA. (Julia Finch & Neil Hume, Guardian [UK], 19 Apr. 2003)

U.S. proposes rules to cut diesel pollution - The Bush Administration proposed new rules Tuesday that aim to drastically reduce diesel pollution generated by farm and industrial equipment over the next decade. (Todd Zwillich, Reuters, 15 Apr. 2003)

Silicosis deaths in Pondicherry [India] - Silicosis strikes glass factory workers, most of them women, in Pondicherry. Seven people are dead and more may be dying. But the government and the factory management tout technicalities in the face of the workers' suffering. (Asha Krishnakumar, Frontline [India], 29 Mar.-11 Apr. 2003)

Websites:

The IBLF [Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum] in Zambia [refers to collaboration with private sector, including BP Zambia, Phonix Contractors, Zambia National Business Society, Investrust Merchant Bank Zambia, Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Zamcell] (Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum)

Toward a Sustainable Cement Industry project (World Business Council for Sustainable Development)

U.S. Green Building Council

Other materials:

2003:

Firm heavily fined over roadworker's death [UK] - A6 accident was French-owned company's third fatality - Road contractor Lafarge was fined £175,000 on Wednesday after a worker was killed when hit by two cars on the A6 at Wilstead. (Bedford Today, 10 May 2003)

In the green dock: corporate targets [sub-section of article entitled "Asda 'exploiting loophole' for store space"] - FoE [Friends of the Earth] is also targeting some of Britain's largest listed firms, which it claims are putting profits before people and the environment; it has bought shares in 18 publicly quoted firms and has been questioning boards about the impact their businesses are having on the environment. The campaign, to run through the summer, started this week when FoE accused Rio Tinto of human rights abuses and environmental destruction in Indonesia at its AGM. FoE is also pushing for UK law changes requiring firms to take account of their wider responsibilities and offer affected communities redress or compensation when they fail to do so. The 18 firms targeted...: British American Tobacco (Activities in Burma and use of pesticides in Brazil); Associated British Ports; Rio Tinto (Destructive mining activities in Indonesia); Shell (Environmental damage in the Philippines; South Africa, Nigeria and US); Barclays (Rainforest destruction in Indonesia); BP (Impact of the Baku to Ceyan Russian pipeline); Anglo American (Mining in South America and Africa); BAE Systems; Amec (Subsidiary Spie has a construction contract for BP's Baku-Ceyan pipeline); Premier Oil; Balfour Beatty; P&O; HSBC (Oil industry involvement in Sudan); Tesco; British Airways; Sainsbury; Safeway; BAA. (Julia Finch & Neil Hume, Guardian [UK], 19 Apr. 2003)

U.S. proposes rules to cut diesel pollution - The Bush Administration proposed new rules Tuesday that aim to drastically reduce diesel pollution generated by farm and industrial equipment over the next decade. (Todd Zwillich, Reuters, 15 Apr. 2003)

{···français} Barrage des Trois Gorges (Chine): les violations des droits humains risquent de s'accentuer avec la mise en eau du réservoir (Sébastien Godinot, Les Amis de la Terre, 9 avril 2003)

US firm faces $1bn claim for complicity [South Africa] - Fluor, the biggest US publicly traded engineering and construction company, faces a $1 billion claim by black former workers who allege they were discriminated against under apartheid. Anglo American, the world's second-biggest mining company, and diamond producer De Beers also face a lawsuit by former employees who say they were enslaved, beaten and tortured under apartheid. Lawyer Ed Fagan said a lawsuit would be filed today in California federal courts. The suit will argue that Fluor paid blacks less than whites and that the company helped repress workers during a 1987 strike in which two were killed. (Jonathan Rosenthal and Antony Sguazzin, Business Report [South Africa], 7 Apr. 2003)

TANZANIA: Country Touts Legal Reforms In Line With Child Labor Treaties - The government of Tanzania is working to align its labor laws with international treaties banning child labor, Minister for Labor, Youth Development and Sports Juma Kapuya told parliamentarians Wednesday...According to the International Labor Organization, 1,109 Tanzanian children were taken out of jobs in mining, agriculture, construction, prostitution and domestic work in 2002. (UN Wire, 4 Apr. 2003)

NGOs Decry Human Rights Crisis at Three Gorges Project as Reservoir Starts Filling - The reservoir of the controversial Three Gorges Dam in China’s Yangtze Valley will start filling on April 10, aggravating already serious human rights problems in the resettlement areas. A new report documents that the resettlement problems of this publicly funded dam have not been resolved, and that project construction is linked to systematic human rights violations. (International Rivers Network and Friends of the Earth International, 3 Apr. 2003)

Silicosis deaths in Pondicherry [India] - Silicosis strikes glass factory workers, most of them women, in Pondicherry. Seven people are dead and more may be dying. But the government and the factory management tout technicalities in the face of the workers' suffering. (Asha Krishnakumar, Frontline [India], 29 Mar.-11 Apr. 2003)

More Indonesians to sue Japan over aid-funded dam - More than 4,000 Indonesians will join a lawsuit against the Japanese government, demanding compensation for a dam funded by aid from Tokyo [Kotopanjang Dam in Sumatra] and which they say has destroyed their livelihood, supporters said yesterday...Also named in the original suit were the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), a semi-governmental bank that provides loans to foreign countries and overseas projects, and Tokyo Electric Power Services Co, an affiliate of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), Japan's largest utility. (Reuters, 27 Mar. 2003)

WATER: Declaration At End Of World Forum Criticized For Lack Of Specifics...Nongovernmental organizations said the document was too soft, avoiding reference to controversial issues, such as the construction of large-scale dams. (UN Wire, 24 Mar. 2003)

WATER: Multibillion Dollar Plan Launched At Forum Amid Protests - International financiers at the World Water Forum today in Kyoto launched a $180 billion plan to prevent a worldwide water crisis...Environmentalists and anti-poverty activists have criticized the plan, saying that the forum, which is largely sponsored by construction and drug companies, was being used by the private sector and focuses too much on large-scale funding at the expense of small-scale efficiency gains. (UN Wire, 21 Mar. 2003)

Tanzania orders destruction of toxic transformers - The Tanzanian parliament has ordered the removal of electrical equipment containing highly toxic polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) from Dar es Salaam International Airport. The order reflects growing concern about the alleged 'dumping' of harmful or outdated products by industrialised countries in Tanzania. The equipment, consisting of 12 transformers, was installed in the airport in 1984 by the French company, Bouygues, that built the airport...some members of parliament have alleged that Bouygues knew that the transformers were prohibited at the time that they installed them, and are considering filing for compensation. (Deodatus Balile, SciDev.Net, 19 Mar. 2003)

Race discrimination victim still waiting for tribunal cash award [UK] - A Rastafarian who won a race discrimination tribunal against his employers [Adam Fire Surrounds Ltd] is still waiting for his compensation. (Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 18 Mar. 2003)

The launch of the UK Corporate Responsibility Index - Toby Kent reports from the launch of the BitC [Business in the Community] Corporate Responsibility Index, highlighting its main components and the major issues it raises. (Toby Kent, in Ethical Corporation Magazine, 14 Mar. 2003)

World Bank to call for more dams - More dams must be built in developing countries to meet future demands for water and electricity, the World Bank will tell an international water conference starting on Sunday in Kyoto, Japan. Although new dam projects must be socially and environmentally acceptable, the need for more hydropower must be accepted, Ian Johnston, the World Bank vice-president for sustainable development, told the Financial Times. (John Mason and Vanessa Houlder, Financial Times, 14 Mar. 2003)

Workforce: Watch yourself at work [USA] - A total of 8,786 work fatalities were reported in 2001 [in USA], including those related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks...The construction industry, with fatalities at their highest level since the fatality census was first conducted in 1992, continued to report the largest number of fatal work injuries of any industry...Statistics aside, McWane Inc., an Alabama-based sewer and water pipe manufacturer, is often cited among policy makers and media as one of the worst examples of workplace safety. Since 1995, nine McWane employees have died in workplace accidents...Since 1995, over 4,500 McWane employees have suffered workplace injuries. (T.K. Maloy, UPI, 14 Mar. 2003)

D.C. Developer Buys Green Power for 13 of Its Buildings [USA] - The Tower Companies, a Bethesda, Md.-based commercial and residential building developer, has announced the purchase of more than 24 million kilowatt hours of green power. (GreenBiz.com, 12 Mar. 2003)

Japanese court tosses forced labor suit - A court on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit by a group of Chinese who sought compensation from the Japanese government and 10 companies for allegedly using them as slave laborers during World War II...All but one of the 10 companies being sued - Hazama Corp., Furukawa Co., Tekken Corp., Nishimatsu Construction, Ube Industries, Dowa Mining, Nittetsu Mining, Mitsubishi Materials Corp., Tobishima and Japan Energy Corp. - are publicly listed. (Kenji Hall, Associated Press, 11 Mar. 2003)

Doosan chief faces probe over labor feud [South Korea] -...Sources at the Ministry of Labor said yesterday that Park Yong-sung, chairman of Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, has been asked to appear before a Labor Ministry tribunal by March 13 to face questioning over his alleged involvement in the Doosan company's unfair anti-labor activities. (Yoo Cheong-mo, Korea Herald, 8 Mar. 2003)

new book: Buying into the Environment Experiences, Opportunities and Potential for Eco-procurement -...Many initiatives have been undertaken in OECD countries, most successfully in Japan and Denmark where green public purchasing has been proven to be workable and highly effective, while, in other countries, city municipalities have successfully pioneered the development of sophisticated public environmental purchasing policies...The book, organised under the auspices of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) analyses national approaches already tested, and provides in-depth surveys on the pioneer cities such as Hamburg, Malmö and Zürich...The most relevant product groups for eco-procurement such as construction, transport, energy, information technology, furniture and food. are also analysed. (Edited by Christoph Erdmenger, International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives, Mar. 2003)

report: Development Disasters: Japanese-Funded Dam Projects in Asia - This report features case studies of six exisiting or proposed dam projects funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). JBIC-funded dam projects in Asia have been fraught with problems, which have led to serious and unmitigated social, environmental and economic impacts, affecting hundreds of thousands of people. [refers to dam projects in Indonesia (Koto Panjang Dam: refers to lawsuit by local people in Indonesia against Tokyo Electric Power Services Co., JBIC & Japanese govt.), Philippines (San Roque Multipurpose Project: refers to San Roque Power Corp., consisting of Marubeni, Kansai Electric & Sithe Energies), Thailand, China, Malaysia] (Rivers Watch East and Southeast Asia, International Rivers Network and Friends of the Earth, Mar. 2003)

briefing kit: Dammed rivers, damned lies: What the water establishment doesn’t want you to know - Over 45,000 large dams have been built to meet the world’s water, energy and flood management needs. However, dams have failed to live up to expectations and have devastated communities and ecosystems. This briefing kit exposes the myths behind large dams and promotes equitable and sustainable solutions for meeting the world’s needs. [also available in Japanese] (Friends of the Earth Japan and International Rivers Network, 28 Feb. 2003)

Manpower boss posts bail in probe of Bulgarian worker abuse [Israel] -...Bulgarian construction workers have filed 25 complaints of abuse with police against Tzarfati and his staff. Immigration police are investigating the claims of physical and verbal abuse by the six managers - three Israelis and three Bulgarians, who deny the accusations. (Ruth Sinai, Haaretz [Israel], 15 Feb. 2003)

Griffin Pipe Products to pay $100,000, and implement revamped promotion procedures [USA] - Settlement Benefits African-Americans Denied Promotion to Salaried Positions - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today announced the resolution of its employment discrimination lawsuit against Griffin Pipe Products Company, a subsidiary of Amstead Industries, Inc (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 13 Feb. 2003)

Construction employer to face manslaughter charges over death of worker on a London construction site [UK] (London Hazards Centre, 7 Feb. 2003)

£40,000 fine for death of worker [UK] - A demolition firm [London-based Brown and Mason] was yesterday fined £40,000 for the death of one of its workers at Blyth Power Station. (Graeme Whitfield, The Journal [UK], 6 Feb. 2003)

Building workers to demonstrate over safety in Dublin next week - Thousands of building workers are to stage a demonstration in Dublin next week to highlight concerns over safety standards. (Irish Times, 28 Jan. 2003)

2002:

Oregon Winery Nation's First To Earn LEED Certification - Sokol Blosser Winery has become the first winery in the U.S. to be awarded LEED 2.0 Silver Level Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (GreenBiz.com, 23 Dec. 2002)

Company convicted after worker is left paralysed [New Zealand] - Company convicted after worker is left paralysed -...Brian Ross Contractors Ltd was fined on a number of charges under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. (Occupational Safety And Health, 6 Dec. 2002)

Three Gorges Probe: 'World's greatest air-conditioner' gives rise to a lot of hot air [China] - The extent to which the huge Three Gorges reservoir will affect the climate in the region is the hot topic at the centre of a perplexing series of contradictory statements issued recently by the corporation building the dam [Three Gorges Project Corp.] (Kelly Haggart, Probe International, 28 Nov. 2002)

Asbestos-related diseases 'rising' [Australia] -...Asbestos-related diseases affect people who have worked in asbestos factories, in the construction industries, on the waterfront, at sea or just doing home renovations. (Kelly Nicholls, AAP, 25 Nov. 2002)

Road Worksites Must Be Safer: AWU [Australia] - The Australian Workers' Union is calling for tougher measures on Victorian road worksites after two AWU members were injured, one critically, in a traffic incident on Friday. (Labor Council of New South Wales, LaborNET, 18 Nov. 2002)

Fatal flaws in ill-fated water tower [Australia] -...The Daily Telegraph has learned that investigators inquiring into the accident that killed two workers and put three others in hospital have documentation that shows South African sub-contractor BGA imported sub-standard scaffolding for the job. (Ben English, Daily Telegraph [Australia], 13 Nov. 2002)

NGO Launches US Apartheid Reparations Law Suit [lawsuit in U.S. court against companies for past conduct in South Africa] - A non-governmental organisation has filed a lawsuit against 21 multinational corporations and leading international banks for helping prop up the apartheid state...The companies and banks named in the lawsuit are: Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Exxon Mobil, Caltex Petroleum, Fluor Corporation, Ford, General Motors and IBM in the United States; German-based Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, DaimlerChrysler, and Rheinmetall; Credit Suisse and UBS in Switzerland; Barclays Bank; British Petroleum, Rio Tinto and Fujitsu ICL in the United Kingdom; Total-Fina-Elf from France and Royal Dutch Shell from the Netherlands.  The list was expected to grow by at least 100 names. (South African Press Association, 12 Nov. 2002)

Job Exposure Linked to Many Cases of Lung Disease - Nearly 1 in 5 cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)...can be attributed to on-the-job exposures, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health...The investigators found that COPD was twice as common in blue-collar industries such as rubber, plastic, and leather manufacturing; utilities; office building services; textile mill products manufacturing; the armed forces; and food products manufacturing than in white-collar industries...As for specific jobs, the risk was elevated in freight, stock and material handlers, records processing and distribution clerks (which includes mail handlers); sales; transportation-related occupations; machine operators; construction trades and waitresses. (Keith Mulvihill, Reuters, 31 Oct. 2002)

Call For Safety On Job Bill [Barbados] (Latoya Burnham, Barbados Daily Nation, 8 Oct. 2002)

US green group says diesel soot is big cancer risk - Tiny soot particles emitted by diesel-fueled cars, trucks and construction equipment are a major contributor to the cancer risk from air pollution, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said. (Reuters, 7 Oct. 2002) 

Perth construction sites closed - Perth construction sites were closed yesterday as 1000 building workers protested against what they say is the West Australian government's failure to ensure safety in the industry. (Liza Kappelle, AAP, 25 Sep. 2002)

Construction industry safety record 'disgraceful' [UK] - Construction workers are six times more likely to be killed than other employees, according to an official report. (Ananova, 19 Sep. 2002)

LA babies get lifetime's toxic air in 2 weeks - study - A two-week-old baby in the Los Angeles area has already been exposed to more toxic air pollution than the U.S. government deems acceptable as a cancer risk over a lifetime, according to a report yesterday by an environmental campaign group...It said diesel exhaust - from trucks and cars, school buses, and farm and construction equipment - was still the worst source of air pollution. But it also took into account chemicals emitted by dry cleaners and factories as well as pesticides, adhesives and lubricant oils. (Reuters, 17 Sep. 2002)

Construction industry seeks ways to reverse worsening accident rate [Finland] - Alarm bells are ringing in the construction industry, where the safety record has been deteriorating annually since 1996. (Juhani Artto, Trade Union News from Finland, 13 Sep. 2002)

CHAD-CAMEROON: World Bank Management Dismisses Pipeline Criticism - The World Bank's senior management has prepared a report on plans for an oil pipeline between Chad and Cameroon in which it dismisses criticism of the project for allegedly posing environmental and other problems, Reuters reports. (UN Wire, 12 Sep. 2002)

Giant dam could cause geological disasters - China - A 600-km (365-mile) reservoir that will start filling behind China's giant Three Gorges dam next year could cause geological disasters in the surrounding area, state media said yesterday...The 185-metre (607-foot) dam, the largest water control project in the world, has been plagued by reports of shoddy construction, rampant corruption and criticism from environmental experts and human rights groups. (Reuters, 12 Sep. 2002)

Teens need safer workplace [USA] -...The Labor Department released a report recently urging the government to prohibit teenagers from working in fields such as construction, window washing and garbage collection. The report also called for stronger enforcement of the labor regulations already in place. (editorial, St. Petersburg Times [Florida, USA], 2 Sep. 2002)

Malaysia names builders for controversial mega-dam - Malaysia appointed builders last week for its long-delayed $2.4 billion Bakun dam, awarding the deal to a consortium led by a unit of local conglomerate Sime Darby, together with a Chinese infrastructure firm. The hydro-electric power project in Malaysia's eastern Sarawak state on Borneo island has enraged environmentalists as it involves flooding a tract of tropical rainforest the size of Singapore and will displace thousands of indigenous people. (Reuters, 26 Aug. 2002)

Families file $100 trillion suit against Sudan, Saudis, claiming they financed Sept. 11 attack - The suit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., on behalf of some 600 families. It seeks "an amount in excess of $100 trillion" and charges the defendants with racketeering, wrongful death, negligence and conspiracy...The complaint names more than seven dozen defendants, including the government of Sudan, seven banks, eight Islamic foundations and three Saudi princes. Those listed include... Khalid bin Salim bin Mahfouz of the National Commercial Bank and the Faisal Islamic Bank. (Laurie Kellman, Associated Press, 16 Aug. 2002)

Seat pricing proof of bias, says Lewis [USA] - Memphis school board member Sara Lewis has heard for years that bids from minority vendors to the school district are often higher than others because they aren't able to buy supplies at the same prices as majority vendors. At Monday's school board meeting, she called for an investigation into what she thinks may be proof that black firms who want school construction business are victims of discrimination and as a result, don't get their share of business. (Aimee Edmondson, gomemphis.com, 7 Aug. 2002)

Woman says boorish workplace jokes offended her [Canada] - A woman testified Tuesday she was sexually harassed at work when she had to endure her boss’s boorish jokes and witness other rude behaviour during three years with the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association. (Peter McLaughlin, Daily News [Halifax, Canada], 7 Aug. 2002)

Sex harassment, discrimination hearings set [Canada] - In the first complaint, Karen Davison of Halifax alleges she was sexually harassed while working for the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association. Davison also claims association officials retaliated against her for filing the complaint. (Daily News [Halifax, Canada], 6 Aug. 2002)

Government Asked to Act on Teenagers' Job Safety [USA] - With nearly four million teenagers at work across the nation this summer, many health safety experts say it is time for the government to revise its 60-year-old list of jobs barred to young people because they are too dangerous...some pediatricians and children's advocates want the Bush administration to declare other work off limits, including construction and window washing. (Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2002)

Indigenous Peoples' International Summit on Sustainable Development, Kimberly, South Africa, 20 - 23 August 2002 [added to this site on 5 Aug. 2002]

Labor Pains [USA] - Not too many people care about Javier's problems. - He's an illegal immigrant earning about $100 a day at a Waterbury construction site. He's got no benefits or insurance, lives in a crowded hotel room with other illegal immigrants and sends nearly all his earnings to his family in Mexico. He's part of a vast sub-economy of people who travel great distances and break the law to work menial jobs most Americans don't want: cleaning crews, landscapers, movers, day laborers. If Javier gets hurt, becomes ill or has some other job-related problem, he's on his own. (Patrick Whittle, New Haven Register, 28 July 2002)

Top shops blacklist 'danger' chemicals [UK] - Five high street retailers have agreed to eliminate potentially harmful chemicals from the products they sell. Boots, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, B&Q and the Early Learning Centre will look at the chemicals used in both their own products and those made by suppliers. The announcement follows pressure from Friends of the Earth (Ananova, 27 July 2002)

Cole Royal Commission should expose dodgy employers: QCU [Australia] -...Today the QCU Executive calls on the Commission into Australia's building industry to publicly expose the many examples of dodgy employers in the construction industry that continually rip off workers and government agencies..."an industry that is plagued with crooked employers who routinely defraud workers and put their safety at risk on a daily basis" (Queensland Council of Unions, 24 July 2002)

Playing havoc with life and health [Australia] -...working hours in the construction industry can fluctuate wildly...Yesterday's judgement in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission does...give workers the right to refuse to work overtime if this is unreasonable because of family responsibilities or a risk to health and safety. (Sherrill Nixon, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 July 2002)

China migrants held for Three Gorges protest - group - Police in eastern China detained 40 people who had demanded to be sent back to their homes in the southwest which they were forced to leave to make way for the giant Three Gorges dam, a rights group said on the weekend. (Reuters, 23 July 2002)

2000 Brick and Tile Workers Take Over Factory for Pension Benefits in Inner Mongolia [China] -  Around 2,000 former workers at Changzheng Building Materials Corp. have been occupying the collective-turned-private factory since July 15, 2002 demanding payment of pensions...The state enterprise reforms have left tens of thousands of workers jobless, and all too often without pensions. (China Labour Bulletin, 19 July 2002)

Greek PM Warns Olympic Construction Companies - Greek Premier Costas Simitis has warned construction companies that they face expulsion from the 2004 Olympic Village building site if they do not improve safety measures. Four workers have died at the site this year (Voice of America News, 16 July 2002)

Antiquated labor laws fail to protect young workers [USA] -...The government's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates 230,000 teens are injured at work each year [includes reference to following industries: metals, restaurant, construction] (USA Today, 12 July 2002)

Contractors could face responsibility for pollution incidents [UK] - Legal responsibility for pollution incidents and serious failures in water quality standards could soon be borne by contractors as well as water companies, reports Malcolm Hallsworth, Editor of Water and Waste Treatment magazine. (Edie News, 5 July 2002)

A Guide to Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in the International Labour Organization - Indigenous peoples throughout the world continue to suffer serious abuses of their human rights. In particular, they are experiencing heavy pressure on their lands from logging, mining, roads, conservation activities, dams, agribusiness and colonization...This Briefing paper provides guidance on how to file a complaint with the ILO Committee of Experts. [refers to ILO Convention 169 cases relating to: logging concessions which overlapped indigenous territories in the Bolivian Amazon; Arco & Berlington Resources Ecuador Ltd. project in Ecuador affecting the Shuar People; Occidental project in Colombia affecting the U’wa indigenous community] (Fergus MacKay, Forest Peoples Programme, July 2002)

Shareowner Support for Resolutions Increases Significantly This Proxy Season [USA] - Support for proposals concerning corporate governance as well as social and environmental issues in the 2002 proxy season is reaching record levels. [includes reference to resolutions at American Standard, Eastman Kodak, Niagara Mohawk Power, Unocal] (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 27 June 2002)

12 Million Child Laborers [Indonesia] - The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates the number of child laborers in Indonesia could be as high as 12 million as a result of the country’s prolonged economic crisis...Many boys work full-time on plantations, coastal fishing platforms or in the construction sector, while many young girls work as domestic servants, prostitutes or factory laborers. (Laksamana.Net [Indonesia], 27 June 2002)

"Get to Consumers" to Help Save the Environment, Says New Report [by Worldwatch Institute] -...With the help of product labeling--for example, of genetically engineered foods or wood products harvested in a sustainable way--and the use of quality and efficiency standards, consumers now have the choice of more environmentally friendly products. The study describes six "eco-labeling" programs--covering such diverse areas as seafood, domestic appliances, tourism, and coffee--that award a seal of approval to producers who observe standards designed to ensure environmental protection. (Alison Raphael, OneWorld US, 24 June 2002)

Uganda's Museveni blasts power dam critics - President Yoweri Museveni said in remarks published yesterday a controversial $550 million Ugandan power project [Bujagali dam] would go ahead whether environmentalist critics liked it or not...The consortium building the dam for AES, which will be the owner and operator of the project, is made up of Sweden's Skanska AB, Veidekke of Norway, Swedish-Swiss engineering firm ABB, U.S. General Electric and France's Alstom SA. (Reuters, 21 June 2002)

High street shops under attack for their ethics [UK] - High street shops have scored poorly in a survey rating businesses on their support for ethical trading practices. The survey...awarded marks to businesses according to their stance on issues such as child labour, poverty wages and poor working conditions. The Co-op, Body Shop and DIY chain B&Q all scored highly. But the survey said most high street shops either had no code of conduct to cover unfair trading issues, refused to publish one or declined to allow their codes to be independently checked. (Henrykl Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner [UK], 20 June 2002)

Plea for safer construction sites [Australia] - Maori workers across the Tasman have made a passionate plea for safety improvements in the Australian construction industry. About 100 Maori and Polynesian workers marched through Sydney, stopping traffic. (One News [New Zealand], 20 June 2002)

World Bank responds to Uganda dam project concerns - The World Bank believes a controversial hydroelectric dam project in Uganda is economically viable and it supports that government's efforts to protect the environment, the bank said in a statement...The bank was replying to issues raised by its own Inspection Panel (Reuters, 19 June 2002)

China to build plant to turn coal into oil products - U.S.-based Headwaters Inc. announced yesterday plans with Shenhua Group Corp. Ltd to build in China the world's first commercial plant to turn coal into diesel fuel and gasoline, a move that could help China reduce oil imports and cut pollution. (Reuters, 19 June 2002)

UGANDA: World Bank Delays Decision On Massive Dam Project [dam would be built by AES Corp.]  - The World Bank yesterday postponed a decision on funding for Uganda's controversial Bujagali Dam project following a report by an independent inspection panel that questions the plan's economic and environmental viability. (UN Wire, 18 June 2002)

Water, water everywhere, but...[Brazil] - The shortage of fresh water in the developing world is reaching critical levels. And a new dam in Brazil only serves to highlight the environmental problem...In many respects, the Castanhão dam exemplifies how a dam should be built. It involved detailed planning, and extensive consultation with the people whose homes in the nearby city of Jaguaribara were to be flooded. The planning also involved an assessment of the dam's environmental impact...As important as dams have been in the past, planners and politicians are now having to think of other ways to meet the problem of water shortages. (Steve Connor, Independent [UK], 17 June 2002)

UN procurement, especially Afghan reconstruction, attracts Turkish businesses - UNDP Turkey organized the event [seminar in Ankara] in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Economic Relations Board. The ICKALE Group, a major Turkish company, provided logistic support...Mehmet Kececiler, Minister of State [of Turkey], and business representatives who accompanied him during a recent visit to Kabul, said that Afghanistan re-construction is not just a business opportunity but also an ethical responsibility, which businesses should assume by showing solidarity with the Afghan people. (U.N. Development Programme, 14 June 2002)

End Child Labour, World's Unions Say - One child in five is at work - most in dangerous jobs -..."Child labour is found in a number of ICEM industries," he [Fred Higg, ICEM General Secretary] emphasised, "notably in the very hazardous sectors of mining, diamond and gem polishing and building materials" (ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, 12 June 2002)

World Bank inspectors attack Uganda dam - A controversial hydro-electric dam in Uganda backed by the World Bank [proposed Bujagali dam, to be built by U.S. company AES] could damage the environment and lead to unfeasibly high electricity prices, according to the bank's own inspectors. (Alan Beattie, Financial Times, 11 June 2002)

Guangdong governor says pollution plan in place [China] - The Chinese province of Guangdong says it has a full plan to tackle its serious environmental pollution [refers to curbs on cement & brick factories, automobiles, pig farms] (Eric Hall, Reuters, 6 June 2002)

Ten Planet Trashers: Why corporate accountability matters -...Friends of the Earth today publishes details of “Ten Planet Trashers”, companies whose behaviour since Rio shows the need for binding rules on corporate behaviour. [the 10 companies: Exxon Mobil (Esso), AMEC, Premier Oil, ICI, Scotts, Barclays, Associated Octel, Aventis/Bayer, BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels), Associated British Ports] (Friends of the Earth, 1 June 2002)

KENYA: 1.9 Million Children Working, U.N.-Funded Report Says (UN Wire, 24 May 2002)

Asbestos victims win landmark case [UK] - Three people affected by asbestos cancer have won a groundbreaking case for compensation in the House of Lords...They were appealing against previous rulings by the Court of Appeal and the High Court denying them compensation on the basis that they were exposed to the deadly dust by more than one employer...Most victims of illnesses associated with the deadly dust come from areas linked to heavy industries such as shipbuilding and engineering. (BBC News, 16 May 2002)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: UNEP Blasts Industry "Business As Usual" (UN Wire, 16 May 2002)

{···français} Les maisons commencent à s'ouvrir aux préoccupations écologiques [France] - Sous l'impulsion de quelques pionniers, la norme de "haute qualité environnementale" s'impose peu à peu dans le marché de la construction...Le secteur privé s'intéresse également à ces bonnes manières environnementales. Canal+, la Société générale, le groupe Leclerc ou Airbus ont des projets immobiliers de ce type. Le groupe Accor a lancé une réflexion pour son nouveau parc hôtelier. (Benoît Hopquin, Le Monde, 10 mai 2002)

Chinese worker alleges beating, work without pay [Israel]: Slavery-like conditions reported in 30 Chinese manpower companies operating here...The incident highlights the shady activities of some 30 Chinese companies operating in Israel to supply Chinese construction workers to the building industry. (Ruth Sinai, Ha`aretz [Israel], 6 May 2002)

LABOR: More Deaths Are Due To Work Than War, ILO Says - Work-related deaths claim 2 million lives a year -- the equivalent of a Sept. 11 terrorist attack every day -- making work a bigger killer than war or drug and alcohol abuse, according to an International Labor Organization study released this week...The ILO named agriculture, construction and mining as the most dangerous occupations (UN Wire, 2 May 2002)

Centre stage at World Summit for land, property, construction and development - Aspiration and Reality: Building Sustainability, Johannesburg, 28-30 August 2002: A seminal conference for practitioners in land, property, construction and development will be staged in Johannesburg as part of the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD). (RICS Foundation, 24 Apr. 2002)

Industrial Accidents Plague Northern States [Malaysia] - Accidents in the construction and chemical-based industries are the highest among all sectors in the northern States. (aboutSafety.com, New Straitstimes [Malaysia], 24 Apr. 2002)

Union alleges exploitation, plans protest at Salem site [USA]: Union leaders at the New England Regional Council of Carpenters...say contractors are underpaying the workers, providing no health insurance, and in some cases, not paying into the state workers' compensation fund. (Cindy Rodríguez, Boston Globe, 16 Apr. 2002)

Commission told of uplifting abuse [Australia]:...Dependable Roofing director Mark Anderson told the royal commission...his workers had refused to join the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union...He said they were installing down pipes about seven metres above ground on a scissor lift when unionists "surrounded us and verbally abused us, swore at us and intimidated us". (Paul Robinson, The Age [Australia], 9 Apr. 2002)

Bank's £35m gift for WWF angers greens: HSBC has invested in many damaging projects - so why is it now giving money to a leading conservation agency? Opponents within the organisation [World Wide Fund for Nature] fear they are being used to "greenwash" the bank, which is accused of funding the destruction of virgin Indonesian rainforests and two controversial dam projects in China and southern Africa. (Severin Carrell, Independent [UK], 7 Apr. 2002)

{···español} Guatemala suspende proyecto hidroeléctrico [La empresa Hidroeléctrica Las Vacas] por contaminación de río (El Tiempo [Colombia], 4 abril 2002)

World summit firm gets more donors, needs more cash: Organisers of a world development summit to be held in Johannesburg later this year said yesterday it had secured more money from local firms but still lacked a third of funds needed to meet its budget...State-owned firms Eskom, the South African Post Office and South African Airways said yesterday they had each contributed five million rand, along with mining giant Anglo American and construction company Murray & Roberts. The country's biggest bank Standard Bank and number two cellphone operator MTN have already contributed. (Reuters, 3 Apr. 2002)

Occupational illnesses on rise in China: Health damages and illnesses associated with poor working conditions are plaguing an increasing number of Chinese workers, as necessary protective measures are often ignored, according to China's health authorities...Workers in the industries of coal production, metallurgy, building materials, nonferrous metals, machinery and chemicals run especially high risks of suffering occupational illnesses. (Xinhua, in China Daily [China], 2 Apr. 2002) 

Ecuador tackles child labour: Ecuador is aiming to rescue children working in the country's mines and brick factories and scavenging on garbage dumps and get them back into school in a program to slash child labour (from Orlando Sentinel, in Child Labour News Service, 1 Apr. 2002) 

Company faces death charges [New Zealand]: A Hamilton company [Gremara Holdings] will face charges over the death of a roading contractor crushed by a seven-tonne road roller last year. (New Zealand Herald, 1 Apr. 2002)

Pocketing Caspian Black Gold: Who are the Real Beneficiaries of Oil Infrastructure Development in Georgia and Azerbaijan? [section 1.5 entitled "Human Rights and Oil"; report refers to following companies in context of Georgia: Georgian International Oil Corp. (state-owned), Saknavtobi (state-owned, Georgia), Ramco Energy (UK), National Petroleum (Switzerland), Frontera Resources, Anadarko Georgia, Georgian-British Oil Company, National Petroleum LTD, Ninotsminda Oil Co., Canargo Energy; report refers to following companies in context of Azerbaijan: BP, Amoco, Pennzoil, Unocal, Exxon, Statoil, TPAO, Itochu, McDermott, Bechtel] (Manana Kochladze, CEE Bankwatch Network - Energy Project, Apr. 2002)

Ecuador Police Detain, Deport Anti-Pipeline Activists: Ecuador's police have detained 17 environmental activists who tried to block construction of a controversial oil pipeline through an ecologically unique Andean rainforest and plans to immediately deport the 14 foreigners in the group (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 29 Mar. 2002) 

Deaths of Hispanic workers soar 53% [USA]: The Labor Department is intensifying efforts to stem an alarming rise in workplace deaths among Hispanics...At least 815 Hispanics died on the job in 2000, mostly in construction trades and often because of language gaps between supervisors and immigrant workers (Jim Hopkins, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2002)

MYANMAR [Burma]: Grim outlook for Asia's final frontier of biodiversity - The very existence of the regime rests upon the exploitation of natural resources. The generals have allowed massive logging -- particularly of teak -- and the construction of gas pipelines and other development projects that have caused serious environmental damage. Uncontrolled fishing by Thai companies, to whom the junta gave concessions, has led to the impoverishment of people in fishing villages. The exploitation of natural gas and minerals and the implementation of large dam projects continues with little concern for the effect on the environment or on the populations in the areas being exploited. (Cesar Chelala [author of "Impact of the Environment on Children's Health," a publication of the Pan American Health Organization], in Japan Times, 20 Mar. 2002)

Campaigners Hail Company Pull-out from Turkish Dam: A range of environmental and rights groups have welcomed the decision by a major British construction firm Wednesday to withdraw from a controversial hydroelectric dam project on Turkey's Coruh river. Campaigners from Friends of the Earth and the Kurdish Human Rights Project, among others, said the future of the Yusufeli dam, in northeast Turkey, is uncertain following AMEC's pull out from a consortium of companies involved in the multi-million dollar scheme. (Daniel Nelson, OneWorld UK, 14 Mar. 2002)

Construction giant drops controversial Turkish dam plan: One of Britain's leading construction companies pulled out of the planned Yusufeli dam in Turkey yesterday after environmentalists said it would be the target for protests. The move by Amec avoids a big embarrassment for the Government, which has been asked to underwrite the firm's involvement in the £590m scheme...Critics say the new dam would displace 30,000 people by flooding the area around Yusufeli in north-east Turkey. (Saeed Shah, Independent [UK], 14 Mar. 2002)

Ten Brazilian Dam Protesters Hospitalized: Ten anti-dam protestors were hospitalized on Tuesday after clashes with the police...The demonstrators are part of Brazil's Movement of Dam-Affected People (MAB) which is engaged in a national campaign of protests against Brazil's hydropower energy policy...The group is demanding that the government halt subsidies to energy intensive industries, such as aluminum production, and instead provide electricity to rural communities. Aluminum companies, including multinationals Alcoa and Billiton, plan to build a series of huge dams in the Brazilian Amazon. (Environment News Service, 13 Mar. 2002)

Spotlight on unions and women [India]: Christine Nathan of the Indian IFBWW [Indian Federation of Building and Woodworkers] [refers to rights of women workers] (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 11 Mar. 2002)

Indians take dam protest to Chilean president: Angry at a Spanish-owned company's [Endesa Chile, majority owned by Spain's Endesa] plans to build a dam that would destroy Indian homes, Chilean indigenous activists took their protest to the presidential palace on Friday (Reuters, 8 Mar. 2002)

Indian court sends author Roy to jail: India's highest court has found Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy guilty of contempt of court over a campaign to halt the building of a controversial dam [on the Narmada River]...Critics say that the dam, India's biggest hydroelectric project, will mean large-scale flooding, cause huge environmental damage and result in the displacement of millions of people. (Amanda Cooper, Reuters, 7 Mar. 2002)

Greenpeace says 40 percent of Japanese plywood imports illegal: Environmental group Greenpeace Tuesday accused Japan of being a "partner in crime" in the destruction of ancient forests by importing illegally felled plywood. (Agence France Presse, 5 Mar. 2002)

Tackling risky chemicals on the high street [UK]: Ikea, the Body Shop, Co-op, Marks & Spencer and B&Q are top of the table when it comes to tackling risky chemicals in their products [worst scores: Hamleys, Focus, BHS, Somerfield; companies that did not reply: ASDA, Kwick Save, Morrisons, Toys 'R' Us, Toymaster] (Friends of the Earth, 26 Feb. 2002)

Comment - They're all dammed: Britain [Export Credits Guarantee Department] is again trying to fund a Turkish project to flood thousands of Kurdish homes - The consortium hoping to build the Yusufeli dam is led by the French company Spie Batignolle, 41% of which is owned by the British firm Amec (George Monbiot, Guardian [UK], 26 Feb. 2002)

Construction Industry Moves to Reduce Use of Arsenic-Treated Wood Source [USA]: U.S. EPA administrator Christie Whitman announced this month a voluntary decision by the construction industry to reduce use of arsenic-treated lumber products in homes -- in favor of new, alternative wood preservatives. (GreenBiz.com, 26 Feb. 2002)

Mdladlana out to get bad employers [South Africa]: Membathisi Mdladlana, the labour minister, yesterday had a blunt message for employers: stop mistreating workers...Mdladlana said his department would launch a "national inspection blitz" in April, focusing on the security, construction and farm sectors, which were among the worst offenders when it came to poor working conditions and employing child labour. This follows his crackdown on clothing firms late last year (Lynda Loxton, Business Report [South Africa], 20 Feb. 2002)

Dangerous work is no place for our kids [Australia]: Trades Hall Calls For A Ban On Children Under 15’s In Worst Industries - The Victorian Trades Hall Council has called for a total ban on the employment of young people, under 15 years, in the States four most dangerous industries, agriculture, transport and storage, construction and manufacturing. (Victorian Trades Hall Council, 19 Feb. 2002)

Home Depot, Lowe's to stop selling arsenic-treated wood: Home-improvement retailers said this week they would stop selling wood treated with an arsenic-based pesticide that is widely used for home decks and fences (Karen Jacobs, Reuters, 15 Feb. 2002)

Companies 'face rising risks over human rights': Multinational companies face a growing risk of being associated with human rights violations, according to research published in London yesterday by Amnesty International and the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum. The research examines the operations of 129 leading companies in 34 countries where human rights abuses including torture, forced child labour and denial of freedom of expression occur. (Alison Maitland, Financial Times, 13 Feb. 2002)

UK paper firms destroy best rainforest [Indonesia] - The report reveals that at least nine paper merchants in the UK [David John Papers, Davies Harvey Murrel, GF Smith, SV Sier, Ovenden Papers, Rosefox, The South Wales Paper Company, Fulton Paper, Frederick Johnson] are buying PaperOne products made by APRIL, one of the world's most destructive paper companies and owner of the world's largest pulp mill [refers also to involvement of AMEC construction company and ING Barings bank] (Friends of the Earth, 11 Feb. 2002)

Restaurateurs Relish Sustainability [USA]: We [Chefs Collaborative] help restaurants connect with regional producers to purchase local seafood, meat, dairy, and eggs. We are also concerned with green-building materials, living wages for restaurant employees, and reduced energy consumption. (GreenBiz.com, Feb. 2002)

NICARAGUA: UNIDO Launches Reforestation Program - The U.N. Industrial Development Organization has launched a program in Nicaragua to transform illegal loggers and carpenters into small industrialists working to reforest areas they once exploited (UN Wire, 23 Jan. 2002)

Britain Faces Fresh Protests Over Turkish Dam Project: The British government will be the target of stinging criticism Tuesday for considering backing a new dam project in Turkey which threatens to uproot thousands from their homes and destroy sites of historical and environmental interest..."The government's Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECDG) is facing a decision about whether to support Yusufeli without any policies to ensure that public money isn't spent on yet another potentially destructive project," said Hannah Griffiths of Friends of the Earth...British engineering firm Amec first requested ECGD backing for the Yusufeli dam in 1998. The firm is part of an international consortium--led by the French company Spie Batignolle (Sebastian Naidoo, OneWorld UK, 22 Jan. 2002)

Companies [home building company and drainage cleaning company] fined for polluting Leeds beck [UK] (Environment Agency [UK Government], 18 Jan. 2002)

Wiltshire building company fined for river pollution [UK]: A Wiltshire building company has today been ordered to pay £3,925 in fines and costs by magistrates for discharging oil into a Westbury river. (Environment Agency [UK Government], 15 Jan. 2002)

Court orders release of 19 illegal foreign workers [Israel]:...The court ordered the company [Danya Cebus construction company] to pay bail for the workers' release, give them a full salary for each day they were in detention and for every further day they remain in Israel until they are flown home. The court also determined that the company should take responsibility for organizing the workers' flights. (Mazal Mualem and Ruth Sinai, Ha'aretz [Israel], 10 Jan. 2002)

Thai PM says gas pipeline needs more assessment: Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Saturday called for further environmental assessment of a controversial Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline project (Reuters, 7 Jan. 2002) 

'Ten Shades Of Green' Illuminates Sustainable Architecture:...Low energy/high performance refers to limiting fossil fuel consumption as much as possible. Replenishable sources should be used for both building materials and energy for the building. By using recycling features, architects can limit a building's waste and pollution. (Environmental News Network, 3 Jan. 2002)

Market forces foster sustainable forestry - Government rules become less relevant [USA]:...Corporations such as Home Depot and Lowes that the [environmental] groups once picketed are helping them protect millions of acres of pristine Canadian wilderness. And Boise Cascade, the current target of the Rainforest Action Network´s old-growth forest market campaign, and other companies are advocating third-party audits of their forest practices to demonstrate their stewardship. (Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman, 2 Jan. 2002)

2001:

Environmental clearance for Canadian-backed hydro scheme in Belize illegal, say conservation groups (Probe International, 31 Dec. 2001)

Summer Of Carnage on Building Sites [Australia]: Six major accidents -including two fatalities, have occurred on Sydney construction sites so far this summer. (Anita Ceravolo, Workers Online [Australia], 21 Dec. 2001)

Trench deaths 'unacceptable' [South Africa]: The employer of two construction workers who died when a trench in Akasia, north of Pretoria, collapsed on Sunday, could face culpable homicide charges, Labour Department director-general Rams Ramashia said on Monday. (News24 [South Africa], 10 Dec. 2001)

Orange County [California] Settles Suit by Jailed Strikers - Dispute: Supervisors pay $280,000 to end legal saga involving the 1992 detention of 153 drywallers. (Jack Leonard & David Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2001)

Construction workers losing rights: Construction work has become increasingly temporary and insecure worldwide as jobs are outsourced to subcontractors, undermining workers' rights to social security and collective bargaining, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO)...Union power was being further eroded under the Bush Administration in the United States, which the report said had effectively barred labour agreements on federally funded construction projects. (Reuters, 6 Dec. 2001)

Chilean 'blaze man' dies: A hospital in Chile has said a man who set himself ablaze in front of the presidential palace in an apparent protest over the misuse of asbestos has died...News organizations said they'd received faxes signed by Mr Mino in which the sender said the protest was calling attention to the cases of hundreds of people who had become ill through contact with asbestos. The letter blamed a Chilean construction company for the illnesses of workers and their families, as well as those of residents who live near one of the company's installations. (BBC News, 1 Dec. 2001)

Environmentalists Attempt to Dam Hydroelectric Project: Canadian energy supplier Fortis, Inc. faces strong opposition from environmentalists over its proposed hydroelectric dam on the Macal River in Belize. (William Baue, SocialFunds.com, 17 Nov. 2001) 

Thirsty China to divert the mighty Yangtze: China has unveiled plans for the largest water water-diversion in its history and possibly one of the world's most expensive at $60.4 billion. The project will channel water from the country's longest river, the Yangtze, to three rivers in the north, the Yellow, Huai and Hai, whose basins are running dry...Environmental experts say the new project could cause widespread corruption, human hardship and environmental damage, and could dry up the Yangtze in 30 years...The potential benefits of the project outweigh the downside environmentalists fear, Zhang told Reuters...China is also playing down the burden facing several hundred thousand people due to be moved for the 1,246 km (780-mile) middle route. (CNN, 15 Nov. 2001)

British Engineering Company Withdraws from Ilisu Dam Project [Turkey]: Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group, has decided to pull out of the controversial Ilisu Dam project in Turkey. The decision follows a thorough and extensive evaluation of the commercial, environmental and social issues inherent in the project, the company said in a statement Tuesday. (Environment News Service, 14 Nov. 2001)

ILO says Burma still using forced labour:...The ILO mission says the use of forced labour is no longer used routinely on building sites and road construction. At least, it has not seen any evidence of it. But the use of forced labour is still endemic near military installations according to the ILO investigation. (BBC News, 8 Nov. 2001)

Gujarat reports only 39 child workers in state [India]: In its latest data submitted to the National Human Rights Commission the state has reported a mere 39 child workers in its four cities - Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot...Patel [Sukhdev Patel of the Campaign Against Child Labour] said, "The state has thousands of child workers at construction sites and garment units all over Gujarat, silver and gold jewellery units in Ahmedabad, bidi and agarbatti units in the eastern belt, carpet and powerloom units in south Gujarat and ceramics units in Saurashtra". (The Times of India, 2 Nov. 2001)

Dam Affected People Occupy Tractebel Headquarters in Rio [Brazil]:...MAB [Brazilian Movement of Dam-Affected People] charges that Tractebel [a Belgian transnational company building controversial dams in Brazil] has failed to address outstanding resettlement and compensation issues with 200 families whose problems are as yet unresolved at Ita despite the fact that the dam is now fully operational. (Environment News Service, 30 Oct. 2001)

Companies Get Help Building Green: The U.S. Green Building Council makes it easier for companies to be more energy efficient and friendlier to the environment by helping them construct "green" buildings...In its efforts to mitigate the building industry's impact on the environment, the USGBC serves as a center for information, debate, education and action on green building. (Robert Smith, SocialFunds.com, 29 Oct. 2001)

China awards lung disease compensation: A court in eastern China has awarded compensation to nearly 200 farmers who developed lung disease while digging a tunnel...The farmers in the eastern province of Zhejiang claimed that engineering companies who hired them took no steps to protect against high levels of silicon dust in the tunnel...Ten of the farmers have already died of silicosis...The ruling comes as Chinese legislators are expected to approve a new law aimed at reducing the number of industrial accidents and diseases. (BBC News, 25 Oct. 2001)

A badge of approval: A new type of relationship is emerging between companies and NGOs, one where NGOs act as certification bodies, verifying, and in many cases permitting use of their logos for this purpose, that products and services are being produced in socially responsible and environmentally friendly ways. (Sarah Murray, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)

Afghan kids made to slave as garbage collectors [in Pakistan]: There are more than 15,000 Afghani young boys, mostly orphans or abandoned by their parents, who have found way into the Karachi market for the collection of various paper-wastage items from garbage dumps [sold to paperboard manufacturers in Karachi and Kotri] on a daily wage basis by a group which is exploiting them. (Business Recorder [Pakistan], 21 Oct. 2001)

Making the business case for going green -...Mr. McDonough's clientele includes such corporate powers as The Gap, Nike, Ford Motor Co., and myriad smaller firms, for which he has built eco-friendly offices (Michael Fainelli, Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2001)

Bo Nok Power Plant [Thailand]: Developers say attack on staff won't scare them off - Firm plans legal action, says boss - Gulf Electric Plc, developer of the Bo Nok coal-fired power plant in Prachuap Khiri Khan, says an attack on its staff will not persuade it to pull out. Villagers who attacked its employees and a marine biologist last weekend had infringed on their human rights and legal action would be taken. (Anchalee Kongrut, Bangkok Post, 16 Oct. 2001)

Women and Children Begin Blockades of Pipeline - Construction Crews in Threatened Ecuadorian Cloud Forest Reserve: Early this morning, dozens of women - many accompanied by their children - arrived in the Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve and began peacefully blockading construction machinery belonging to the company Techint, a member of the OCP Consortium in charge of building Ecuador's new heavy crude pipeline. The protest aims to stop the clearing of the pipeline route which began last week through this protected area...The pipeline consortium includes Alberta Energy, Repsol-YPF, AGIP, Perez-Companc, Kerr-McGee and the Los Angeles based Occidental Petroleum...Groups are opposed to the construction of the pipeline given that the route directly impacts 11 protected areas and will lead to the doubling of oil production from National Parks and other protected areas in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Groups also cite ongoing environmental and public health problems with pipeline spills in Ecuador. (Amazon Watch & Acción Ecológica, 11 Oct. 2001)

Company directors must show zero tolerance of pollution [UK]: Pollution is still being treated as an acceptable risk by too many businesses in England and Wales, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency said today. A culture change is needed across management, Barbara Young said, with zero tolerance for pollution replacing apathy and acceptance of poor environmental performance. (Environment Agency [UK Government], 28 Sep. 2001)

Waterlooville Company [construction company Brymor Contractors Limited] gets fines and costs of over £13,000 for illegal dumping of acid [UK] (Environment Agency [UK Government], 26 Sep. 2001)

Building the future: Sustainable building materials come of age - A revolution in the way we build is underway as architects, city planners, government officials, homeowners, and others embrace green forest products. (Stacey Fowler, Environmental News Network, 25 Sep. 2001)

Hereros Claim Against Berlin: Lawyers representing the Chief Hosea Kutako Foundation [which claims a combined US $2 billion in reparations from Deutsche Bank and Woermann Line (now known as SAFmarine)] have temporarily withdrawn a legal claim for reparations against a German company but added another against the German government, 'The Namibian' said on Thursday. Lawyer Philip Musolino was quoted as saying the case against Terex Corporation had been temporarily dropped after the company claimed in court papers submitted recently that it was under different management at the time of the atrocities...The foundation, headed by Herero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako, has accused the German companies and the government of forming a "brutal alliance" to exterminate over 65,000 Hereros between 1904 and 1907. (UN Integrated Regional Information Network, 21 Sep. 2001)

Defender of sustainable development murdered in Pará [Brazil]: Ademir Alfeu Federicci was gunned down at his house in the city of Altamira, State of Pará, on the night of August 25. It is believed that the crime was politically motivated, because Dema, as he was called, was the main leader in the struggle against large landowners, lumber explorers and the construction of dams in the region. (Socio-Environmental Institute, 11 Sep. 2001)

Hereros Sue German Firms for Reparations: The Herero community in Namibia has instituted a legal claim against three German companies for $2bn in reparations. The Hereros' Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako, who heads the Chief Hosea Kutako Foundation, said yesterday that the lawsuit against Deutsche Bank, Terex Corporation and Woermann Line (now known as SAFmarine) in Washington DC, US, would be followed by one against the German government. They accuse the three German companies of forming a "brutal alliance" with imperial Germany to exterminate more than 65000 Hereros between 1904 and 1907. (Business Day [Johannesburg], 6 Sep. 2001)

Indigenous peoples' rights a focus at anti-racism conference: Some of the root causes of conflict they identified stem from a lack of recognition of indigenous peoples' right to land, identity and culture, as well as indigenous social systems and development perspectives. "Development aggression", such as the construction of dams or mining that threaten indigenous communities, is another cause...Speakers welcomed the new UNDP policy on indigenous peoples, underpinned by a human rights framework, and voiced hope that it will pave the way for a new relationship. (U.N. Development Programme, 5 Sep. 2001)

Swiss business and human rights: Confrontations and partnerships with NGOs [refers to Nestlé, Novartis, UBS, Credit Suisse, ABB, Coop, Migros, Switcher, Veillon] (Antoine Mach, study commissioned by Antenna International, Sep. 2001) note: scroll down on the linked page - this report appears under the "Documents" sub-heading for downloading in English or French

Laos: Planned Nam Theun 2 dam leads to increased logging:...The [World] Bank's guidelines on forestry, for example, state that "Bank involvement in the forestry sector aims to reduce deforestation, enhance the environmental contribution of forested areas, promote afforestation, reduce poverty, and encourage economic development." In the case of the Nam Theun 2 project, a Lao military-run logging company has logged much of the proposed 470 square kilometre reservoir area and at the same time has logged in forest areas outside the reservoir. The project has already led to increased poverty, as villager's lose their forests to loggers, and are excluded from remaining areas of forest to preserve biodiversity. (WRM Bulletin, World Rainforest Movement, Sep. 2001)

Toil and Trouble: Slavery is on the rise in China as the number of poor migrants increases. Beijing appears unwilling and unable to prevent it (Bruce Gilley, Far Eastern Economic Review, 16 Aug. 2001)

MAB, IDB Agree On Review Of Cana Brava Dam Compensation [Brazil]: Following an often contentious eight-hour meeting on Monday, August 13th at the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) country office in Brasília, officials of the bank's Private Sector Department (PRI) and the Movement of Dam-Affected People reached an agreement whereby the PRI will carry out a review of compensation and resettlement terms being offered to populations affected by the Cana Brava dam project, which has received US$160.2 million in loans from the bank. (International Rivers Network, 14 Aug. 2001)

NAACP Applauds Bush's Affirmative Action Defense: Last night, the Bush administration defended the constitutionality of a federal program at the Department of Transportation designed to award highway contracts to minority-owned businesses. In a brief filed with the Supreme Court, the Bush administration argued that there is "extensive evidence of public and private discrimination" in the award of these contracts. (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People [NAACP], 11 Aug. 2001)

The Violence of Development: [M]ost large forced dislocations of people do not occur in conditions of armed conflict or genocide but in routine, everyday evictions to make way for development projects. A recent report by the World Commission on Dams estimates that 40 million to 80 million people have been physically displaced by dams worldwide, a disproportionate number of them being indigenous peoples. (Balakrishnan Rajagopal [Professor of Law and Development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and director of MIT's Program on Human Rights and Justice], Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2001)

WEST AFRICA: Experts Say Coastal Erosion Threatens Thousands - Ecologists say that rising sea levels as a result of climate change, port construction, hydropower dams and sand mining are all factors responsible for coastal erosion in West Africa, a problem that threatens the homes and livelihoods of thousands of people. (UN Wire, 2 Aug. 2001)

Thousands ill as Phnom Penh air pollution doubles: Tens of thousands of residents of the Cambodian capital are suffering respiratory problems as construction activity has increased dust levels, a senior government official said yesterday. (Reuters, 27 July 2001)

13 Negri projects violate EIA [environmental impact assessment]: The state department of environment (DOE) has found that more than half of projects in Negri Sembilan which require environmental impact assessments have violated the EIA conditions.  The state DOE report for last year showed that of the 21 projects involved, 13 had failed to abide by the main conditions in the EIA. [Malaysia] (Hah Foong Lian, The Star [Malaysia], 16 July 2001)

Business power must be checked (Matt Phillips, senior campaigner at Friends of the Earth, in The Observer [UK], 8 July 2001)

Protest Violence Against Embera Katio in Colombia! Following is an action alert issued by Amnesty Int'l on the recent murder of an indigenous activist fighting against the Urra Dam in Colombia. The Embera Katio community has faced kidnappings and attacks for its resistance to the project. (International Rivers Network, 6 July 2001)

UK report says 60,000 affected by Turkish dam plan: Nearly 60,000 people would have their homes or land flooded by the proposed Ilisu dam project in southeast Turkey, a new report for the British government said yesterday.  Britain's government commissioned the environmental impact report to help decide whether to underwrite participation in the project by British builders Balfour Beatty Plc, part of a consortium negotiating to build the dam across the Tigris river. (Reuters, 4 July 2001) 

Government [UK Government] publishes Ilisu Dam report: The Government today published the long-awaited Environmental Impact Assessment of the proposed Ilisu Dam in Turkey. A preliminary review of the EIA summary suggests that it fails to provide assurance that the UK Government conditions of December 1999 will be met. (Friends of the Earth, 3 July 2001)

The NGO-Industrial Complex: A new global activism is shaming the world's top companies into enacting codes of conduct and opening their Third World factories for inspection. But before you run a victory lap in your new sweatshop-free sneakers, ask yourself: Do these voluntary arrangements truly help workers and the environment, or do they merely weaken local governments while adding more green to the corporate bottom line? (Gary Gereffi [Professor of sociology and Director of the Markets and Management Studies Program at Duke University], Ronie Garcia-Johnson [Assistant Professor of environmental policy at Duke University], Erika Sasser [Visiting Assistant Professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University], in Foreign Policy, July-Aug. 2001)

EU drafts ambitious climate emissions trade plan: A wide range of major European Union industries will be forced to take part in buying and selling the right to emit carbon dioxide (CO2), under a draft EU law seen by Reuters on Friday. (Robin Pomeroy, Reuters, 25 June 2001) 

Letter to President of Inter-American Development Bank from International Rivers Network [about people affected by Cana Brava dam project in Brazil]: We are writing concerning the ongoing tense situation facing the populations affected by Cana Brava dam, on the Tocantins River, in Brazil, a project for which the CEM company (subsidiary of the Belgian company Tractebel) received US$160 million in loans from the IDB. At this moment, approximately 1,000 dam-affected people have mobilized in Minaçu (Goiás state) to denounce what they term intransigence on the part of CEM, which refuses to negotiate resettlement and compensation terms in good faith and in an open and transparent manner with those who will lose their homes, businesses, and jobs as a result of the dam. (International Rivers Network, 21 June 2001)

Road to oblivion: The Amazon jungle has long been ravaged by developers. But now it faces what conservationists are calling a 'final assault' from a £29bn superhighways project. [Brazil] (John Vidal, Guardian [UK], 13 June 2001)

Hazardous chemicals found in childcare and house products (Greenpeace, 7 June 2001)

Combating child trafficking in West and Central Africa: ...In general, girls are placed as domestics or street traders while boys work on plantations, in construction or in mines...The existence of trafficking in children for labour exploitation is now recognized in the countries participating in the project: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Togo (World of Work - The Magazine of the ILO, June 2001)

Industry concedes to Greenpeace demands and takes first steps towards stopping releases of newly banned toxic chemicals [Sweden] (Greenpeace, 25 May 2001)

New convention to ban toxic chemicals marks turning point for industry (Greenpeace, 23 May 2001)

Advocates to Meet in Dallas: They push to hold business accountable (Carolyn Barta, The Dallas Morning News, 22 May 2001) 

Greenpeace occupies toxic cement kiln and calls for end to waste burning [Sweden] (Greenpeace, 16 May 2001)

NGO Report Demonstrates the Export Development Corporation Risks the Environment: Canada’s Export Development Corporation is an accessory to some projects with severe negative environmental and social consequences, says a new report, "Reckless Lending – How Canada’s Export Development Corporation Puts People and the Environment at Risk", volume 2. This report builds on evidence of poor social, environmental and human rights assessment procedures used by the EDC found in volume 1, released in 2000. (Halifax Initiative, 14 May 2001)

Child labourers' ranks swell in Barisal [Bangladesh] (The Independent [Bangladesh], 11 May 2001)

Three child workers buried alive [India] (Child Labour News Service, 1 May 2001)

What's hidden behind the Bui Dam Project in Ghana? (World Rainforest Movement Bulletin, May 2001, in Eco)

Environmental Justice Issues Force Cement Plant to Close [USA] (Cat Lazaroff, Environment News Service, 24 Apr. 2001)

Eight Global Environmental Champions Awarded 2001 Goldman Prize: World's Largest Award for Grassroots Environmentalists (Goldman Environmental Prize, 23 Apr. 2001)

AWARD: Journalists Fired By Fox TV Among Goldman Winners [Goldman Environmental Prize] (UN Wire, 23 Apr. 2001)

Egypt: Child Labor Activists Urge Government Action (UN Wire, 16 Apr. 2001)

RIGHTS-AUSTRALIA: Business Pressure Collides with Aboriginal Law (Bob Burton, Inter Press Service, 6 Apr. 2001)

Business backs eco label (World Wildlife Fund, 27 Mar. 2001)

Balfour Beatty Faces Shareholder Challenge (Friends of the Earth UK, 21 Mar. 2001) 

Whitman Recognizes 34 Organizations for Energy Savings (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 20 Mar. 2001)

Environmentalists Expose Logging Practices at Green Building Conference with High-Flying Message: Activists Accuse Industry of Greenwashing, Not Green Building (Rainforest Action Network, 19 Mar. 2001)

Just ten companies can help save the world's forests, a new WWF report shows (World Wildlife Fund, 14 Mar. 2001)

Balfour Beatty Told: Drop Ilisu Dam [Turkey] (Friends of the Earth UK, 14 Mar. 2001)

Activist moves court over breach of human rights [India] (Times of India, 24 Jan. 2001)

Swedish Company Goes for Global Environmental Responsibility: Skanksa becomes the first construction-related company in the world to extend environment certification throughout its entire global operations (SocialFunds.com, 18 Jan. 2001)

Environmentalists seek urgent solutions to air pollution in Nigeria (Chuka Nnabuife, Guardian [Lagos], 1 Jan. 2001)

2000:

Noose harassment: a growth trend worth reversing [USA] [refers to lawsuits against Home Depot and Georgia Power Company for racial harassment of employees, including display of hangman's noose] (Robert Trigaux, St. Petersburg Times [USA], 19 Nov. 2000)

Planners and builders must now consider all alternatives to large dams: As the only UK organisation that participated in its development, ITDG welcomes the recommendation in today’s report from the World Commission on Dams (WCD) that large dam projects should only be approved where they demonstrably meet the goal of human development - and that alternatives including decentralised energy schemes should be considered from the start. (Intermediate Technology Development Group,16 Nov. 2000)

Whose Globe? The plight of local people gets a voice in corporate boardrooms (Paul Raeburn and Sheridan Prasso, Business Week, 6 Nov. 2000)

Saudi Arabia Business Briefing (Amnesty International UK Business Group, June 2000)

Panel of Independent Judges Selects Six Companies for their Outstanding Responsible Business Practices (Council on Economic Priorities, June 2000)

Enhancing Supply Chain Performance with Environmental Cost Information: Examples from Commonwealth Edison, Andersen Corporation, and Ashland Chemical (Environmental Accounting Project, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Apr. 2000, on GreenBiz.com)

Saudi Arabia: Open for Business (Amnesty International, 8 Feb. 2000)