Brazil: Energy giants accused of land grabbing for wind projects | Weekly Update 13 March
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
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Mongabay
Residents of Umburanas, Bahia, claim that energy companies Enel and Maestro Holding de Energia have stripped them of their land to develop a EUR450m (approx. USD474m) wind farm. They allege that the companies engaged in aggressive ‘land-grabbing’ tactics, securing access to land without meaningful consultation or fair compensation for local communities, including Indigenous and Quilombola groups.
A months-long investigation identified multiple potential cases of land grabbing by the energy firms, acquiring public land used by residents, and taking advantage of the fact that many do not have formal land titles, despite their long-standing ties to the land.
While no affected residents contested the importance of renewable energies, community leaders emphasised that projects must include local residents in their decision making.
Enel responded to journalists’ request for comment, stating that it ‘strictly complies with legal requirements, industry regulations and complies with all environmental requirements’, and does not purchase land, instead leasing from private owners with documented land rights. Maestro Holding de Energia did not respond to requests for comment.
With Enel planning to expand its investments in Brazil to USD3.7b, affected residents warn that without stronger protections and the enforcement of land rights, similar conflicts are likely to continue.
?FROM US
BUSINESS & HUMAN RIGHTS IN FOCUS?
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:
Women workers across the world marked International Women’s Day with protests and demands for stronger protections amid growing attacks on gender equality. Demonstrations took place across Europe, with activists highlighting issues such as precarious working conditions, gender-based discrimination, unpaid care work and unequal pay.
In Bangladesh, garment workers called for an end to workplace violence and six months of paid maternity leave.
Meanwhile in South Korea, a study by labour rights group Workplace Harassment 119 revealed that 76% of women perceive gender bias in workplace promotions and placements.
UNI Global Union urged major corporations not to abandon diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, warning that corporate responsibility is critical for addressing systemic inequalities.
See also: our latest blog ‘Race to regression – what Big Tech’s ‘masculine’ urge to sideline gender equality means for investors’
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OPPOSITION TO EU OMNIBUS:
More than 360 CSOs from 53 countries have urged the EU to reject amendments that could weaken the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), warning that the European Commission’s Omnibus proposal could undermine corporate accountability, supply chain due diligence, and climate commitments.
Experts from Frank Bold, ShareAction, WWF, European Coalition for Corporate Justice and the World Benchmarking Alliance have also criticised the Omnibus proposal, after analysing its key implications for the CSDDD, CSRD and EU Taxonomy. They warn that legal uncertainty and diluted enforcement mechanisms could lead to a regulatory race to the bottom.
Meanwhile, German SMEs are calling for the swift implementation of the CSDDD and revisions to the German Supply Chain Act to ensure legal clarity while avoiding excessive administrative burdens. Calls for urgent action continue as negotiations move forward.
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EXTRACTION IN AFRICA:
Across Africa, communities are challenging the environmental and human rights impacts of extractive industries, from oil pipelines to mining pollution.
Authorities in Uganda arrested 11 student activists in Kampala for protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). The pipeline, owned by TotalEnergies, China National Oil Corporation, Uganda National Oil Company and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, has faced opposition due to concerns over the displacement of local communities and environmental destruction.
In Kenya, a High Court ordered Kenya Pipeline Company to pay USD1.6m to Taita Taveta residents affected by a 2016 oil spill that contaminated land and caused severe health issues.
Meanwhile, a report in Zambia reveals that more than 95% of children in the town of Kabwe suffer from lead poisoning due to waste from a former mine. In South Africa, the advocacy group MACUA accused Parliament of silencing mining-affected communities, alleging government bias toward corporate interests at the expense of local rights.
?AROUND THE WORLD
AFRICA
Spotlight:
The Guardian, Access Now, #KeepItOn
A report from Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition reveals 21 internet shutdowns in 15 countries, surpassing previous years. Governments in Comoros, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritius joined repeat offenders like Ethiopia and Kenya in restricting access, often during protests, conflicts and elections.
The report shares testimonials of instances where shutdowns caused ?'innumerable, long-lasting, and far-reaching' harms, such as in conflict zones, where internet blackouts can hinder access to vital information and aid while also suppressing dissent.
A spokesperson for Access Now noted that telecommunication and internet service providers who limit services based on government orders are complicit in the rights violations associated with the shutdowns, citing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.
Other news from the region:
AMERICAS
Spotlight:
Yahoo
Cristino Castro Perea, an environmental defender from Barra de la Cruz, Oaxaca, was reportedly killed in retaliation for his activism against hotel developments on the region's coast. Castro was a strong advocate for the protection of vital environmental sites, including a nationally protected sea turtle reserve.
Activists say his murder is part of a disturbing trend of violence against activists in the area, in which speculators and developers seek to exploit communal lands.
Other news from the region:
ASIA & PACIFIC
Spotlight:
ABC News
An investigation has uncovered poor working and living conditions on tea estates in Sri Lanka certified by Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, including low wages, dilapidated housing, lack of drinking water and child labour. Despite these estates being labelled as ethical, workers reported insufficient audits and oversight. Major tea brands, including Twinings, Lipton, Yorkshire Tea, Tetley and Dilmah, have responded to the allegations. ?
Fairtrade International and Rainforest Alliance have defended their standards. Fairtrade acknowledged challenges in enforcement and has referred the allegations to its independent certifier, FLOCERT. Meanwhile, Rainforest Alliance says that it is ‘taking significant steps to make requirements more streamlined and resource efficient to audit’.
Other news from the region:
EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA
Spotlight:
TechCrunch
Digital forensics company Cellebrite has suspended its services to Serbia after a report from Amnesty International alleged that its technology was used by Serbian police to plant spyware on the phones of a journalist and an activist.
In a statement, Cellebrite said that it ‘took precise steps to investigate each claim’ and ‘found it appropriate to stop the use of our products by the relevant customers at this time’.
Amnesty International has called for an independent investigation, and for Serbian authorities to hold those responsible to account, remediate victims and establish safeguards to prevent future abuse.
Other news from the region:
MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA
Spotlight:
Reuters
Major global brands including Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Mars, M&M and L’Oréal, are reportedly at risk of sourcing gum arabic from Sudan’s conflict zones, in which paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have taken control of key harvesting areas.
Gum arabic, a natural emulsifier and stabiliser, is primarily produced in Sudan, which supplies about 70% of the global market. Since late 2023, traders have been forced to pay fees to the RSF to transport the substance, which is then smuggled into neighbouring countries before entering international supply chains.
As the conflict in Sudan continues, companies face increasing difficulties in tracing their supply chains and ensuring that they are not financing the conflict. None of the brands mentioned responded to journalists' requests for comment.
Other news from the region:
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Catch up on company responses & non-responses to key stories from previous weeks:
Ynet
In January 2025, the US lifted an embargo on the supply of 2,000-pound bombs made by Boeing and D9 bulldozers made by Caterpillar to Israel. The previous administration had imposed the embargo on these technologies due to the high risk of civilian casualties posed if used in densely populated parts of Gaza.
UN experts have warned that continuing arms transfers may assist operations violating international human rights and humanitarian law.
? We invited Boeing and Caterpillar to respond to the allegations, they did not.
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