Substantial damages awarded to Perenco for FET breach and expropriation; Ecuador also awarded compensation under environmental counterclaim
Perenco Ecuador Limited v. Republic of Ecuador, ICSID Case No. ARB/08/6
Environment
Ivory Coast’s New Investment Code: Focus on issues related to sustainable development and dispute settlement
Ivory Coast adopted a new investment code on August 1, 2018.[1] This new law[2] features a variety of innovations ranging from the revitalization of the institutional framework to the reconfiguration of tax rules to new obligations on investors.
Enhancing Environmental Protection in International Investment Law Through the Integration of International Civil Liability Principles
Investor–state arbitration has repeatedly proven ineffective in addressing environmental damages that host states suffer as a result of investment activities. This piece examines what lessons can be learned from international civil liability conventions, which are specifically designed to ensure victims’ compensation in cases of environmental harm. The author then explores which principles from these conventions could be adapted for use in investment treaties.
Protecting Social Rights Using the Amicus Curiae Procedure in Investment Arbitration: A smokescreen against third parties?
Arguments submitted by an amicus curiae (a “friend of the court”) have become increasingly common in investment arbitration. Many of these arguments deal with internationally recognized social rights, such as the right to water or food. This piece considers the restrictive conditions on amici curiae admission, the frequent reference to social rights issues in amici briefs, and the challenges in presenting these social rights arguments. The author advances possible actions that amici and states can take to make their social rights arguments more effective in an investment law context.
Tribunal finds Costa Rica’s measures to protect the environment did not breach FET or its expropriation obligations under CAFTA-DR
DAVID R. AVEN AND OTHERS V. REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA, ICSID CASE NO. UNCT/15/3
Methanex v. United States
Methanex Corp. v. United States of America, UNCITRAL (Originally published in 2011 in International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from 2000–2010; republished on this website on October 18, 2018. […]
Burlington v. Ecuador
Burlington Resources Inc. v. Republic of Ecuador, ICSID Case No. ARB/08/5 (Published in 2018 in International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from the 2010s and on this website on […]
Glamis v. United States
Glamis Gold Ltd. v. United States of America (Originally published in 2011 in International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from 2000–2010; republished on this website on October 18, 2018. […]
Metalclad v. Mexico
Metalclad Corp. v. United Mexican States, ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/97/1 (Originally published in 2011 in International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from 2000–2010; republished on this website on October 18, […]
Clayton/Bilcon v. Canada
William Ralph Clayton, William Richard Clayton, Douglas Clayton, Daniel Clayton and Bilcon of Delaware Inc. v. Government of Canada, UNCITRAL, Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Case No. 2009-04 (Published in 2018 […]
Can Foreign Investors Be Held Liable for Human Rights Violations? International Human Rights Law and Beyond
Host states have had the challenge to protect their citizens from human rights violations caused by multinationals. This paper explains the bases of states’ obligations under international human rights law and how foreign investors may be held responsible.
Ecuador awarded USD41 million in counterclaim against U.S. oil and gas company Burlington Resources
Burlington Resources Inc. v. Republic of Ecuador, ICSID Case No. ARB/08/5
Community Perspectives in Investor–State Arbitration
This report examines whether and how investment tribunals consider community perspectives, interests and rights.
Tribunal dismisses all claims by U.S. mining investor against Oman
Adel A. Hamadi Al Tamimi v. Sultanate of Oman, ICSID Case No. ARB/11/33
Does the Green Economy Need Investor–State Dispute Settlement?
Those that propose that the environment needs “more investment protection” are recommending a very long-term solution (of questionable efficacy) to what is essentially a short-term problem.
ICSID tribunal renders interim decision on Ecuador’s environmental counterclaim in long-running dispute
Perenco Ecuador Limited v. Republic of Ecuador, ICSID Case No. ARB/08/6
NAFTA and Sustainable Development: The history, experience, and prospects for reform
This book assesses the current state of environmental protection under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), outlining the scope and process of both agreements, their impact on specific environmental issues, and paths to reform.