Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)

Thank you LSE (Marie Petersmann) and the Grantham Institute for inviting me to take part in your interesting panel discussion yesterday on environmental pollution in the Niger Delta. It was wonderful to hear about Amnesty (Mark Dummett) and RAID’s (Zainab R. ) work in the area, as well as to hear the moving lived experience of our client King Okpabi, and to provide an update on our (Leigh Day)’s case against Shell for oil pollution in the Ogale and Bille communities. Some takeaways: 1. Environmental pollution threatens lives and should be considered in the context of the right to life 2. The impact of pollution on women’s health and fertility is significant and should not be overlooked 3. Digital mapping tools can be useful in assessing environmental damage alongside traditional investigative methods

For nearly a decade, the Ogale and Bille communities of Nigeria have been fighting for justice, seeking accountability from oil giant Shell for the devastating environmental pollution that has wrecked their land and livelihoods. Join us on February 26th (this Wednesday) for a conversation with King Okpabi, leader of the Ogale community, alongside an expert panel on environmental law and litigation. Together, they will unpack the significance of this case, its legal journey, and its potential impact on future lawsuits against corporate actors. King Bebe Okpabi - Oneh-Eh-Nchia X and Paramount Ruler of Ogale Zoe Johannes - Associate Solicitor in the international department at Leigh Day Mark Dummett - Amnesty International Zainab R. - Media & Communications Manager at RAID Chair: Marie Petersmann - Assistant Professor at LSE Law School Sign up here ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e9pU4DPh This event is co-hosted by The GRI, LSE Law School and Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)

Join us this Wednesday at the LSE Law School and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment for an in-person event with King Okpabi, leader of the Ogale community, alongside an expert panel on environmental law and litigation. This event coincides with the ongoing trial at the High Court in London against Shell over oil pollution that has devastated the Ogale and Bille communities. It's a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from those at the forefront of the struggle for ecological justice. Don't miss it! On the panel: King Okpabi, Leader of the Ogale community Zoe Johannes, Leigh Day Mark Dummett, Amnesty International Zainab R., RAID Chair: Marie Petersmann, LSE Law School Free event. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/e9pU4DPh Leigh Day International team Amnesty International

Protesters gathered at the High Court in London this morning as Shell faces a four-week trial over oil spills in Ogoniland, Nigeria. This trial is a critical moment in the fight for environmental justice and the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. Lawyers representing two affected communities – home to around 50,000 people – are demanding that Shell take responsibility for oil pollution between 1989 and 2020, allegedly from its infrastructure. Communities say the spills have left them without clean water, destroyed their ability to farm and fish, and created serious risks to public health. Communities have been fighting for 10 years for clean-up and compensation. This ‘preliminary issues trial’ will determine the scope of the legal issues to be decided at the case’s full trial in late 2026. If the case is successful, it will mark the first time in legal history that a UK multinational has been found to have breached human rights due to environmental pollution. Yet this case isn’t just about the past harms of the fossil fuel industry, it points to the ongoing fight for climate justice today. The same devastating impacts – polluted water, destroyed livelihoods, and serious health risks – continue to play out in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where mining for critical minerals fuels the green energy transition. While Shell faces scrutiny in a London court, communities in Kolwezi, DRC, are living the next chapter of this crisis, this time to fuel our electric vehicles (EVs) and renewables. Cobalt, a key mineral used in the batteries that power EVs, is mined on an enormous scale in the DRC. Our research across 25 villages and towns near the world’s largest cobalt and copper mines reveals the grim reality of toxic water pollution from industrial mining activities: widespread skin diseases, reproductive health problems affecting women and girls, and the collapse of fishing and agriculture. The fight for a cleaner future must not repeat the injustices of the past. This case demands close scrutiny – it could set a precedent for how companies are held accountable for human rights abuses and environmental harms in the Global South. Read more about the Shell trial here: https://lnkd.in/eC5AgpjN Read the BBC investigation on the Shell case here: https://lnkd.in/eYFi4yTV Visit our research around DRC’s industrial cobalt mines here: https://lnkd.in/eGV3sDMw 

Join our Executive Director, Anneke Van Woudenberg, at Lexology & GIR Live on 13 March 2025 in London when she and other panelists will discuss ESG issues, including reduce the risks of greenwashing, manage supply chain challenges, and address human rights violations. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/eTfVaRuD #LexologyLive #GIRLive #LEXGIRESG25 #ESG

What an inspiring evening at the launch of Steve Crawshaw's new book "Prosecuting the Powerful" - a book that couldn’t be more relevant today. At a time when the ICC's prosecutor and its staff face sanctions from Donald Trump, the battle for justice and accountability has never been more critical. Proud to have Steve as the Chair of the Board of Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)’s and grateful for his relentless commitment to justice. We stand with the ICC. We stand with justice! Go buy a copy of the book. It's a small act of resistance. #JusticeMatters #Accountability #ProsecutingThePowerful #SteveCrawshaw

A ground-breaking legal case in the UK is shaking up corporate claims about "responsible" and "ethical" sourcing. This is one to watch. Tanzanian human rights claimants are taking the bold step of suing London's gold market (the LBMA) for wrongly certifying gold from a large-scale mine in Tanzania as being free from serious human rights abuses. In a court hearing last week, a UK judge ordered a 4-week trial to go ahead next year. The case, filed by law firm Leigh Day, thrusts into the spotlight industry certification schemes which claim to maintain environmental and human rights standards. Such schemes have been multiplying as businesses promote their ESG and supply chain due diligence credentials, often with little public oversight. The LBMA’s gold certification scheme is particularly influential as the LBMA oversees the vast $600-billion-a-week London market. It says it has appropriate checks in place to halt tainted gold from entering this market. But does it? The legal action at the High Court in London is the first time in the UK that human rights claimants have sued an industry certification body for an alleged breach of a duty of care owed to them. In this case, the claimants allege that the LBMA’s failure to follow its own rules to stop the trade in tainted gold caused their devastating loss. This is an important case to follow, with significant implications for industry certification schemes. Am proud that Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID)'s research work helped inspire this case. https://lnkd.in/efyP9acE

Trial set to proceed in a case brought by Tanzanian families, challenging the LBMA's own 'responsible sourcing programme'.

The next court hearing in the LBMA case will be held this Monday 20th January at the High Court in London. The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) oversees the world’s largest gold market. This case alleges that the LBMA failed to exercise oversight. Tanzanian claimants, represented by UK lawyers, have sued the LBMA, arguing it was wrong to certify gold from Barrick’s North Mara mine as ‘responsibly sourced’. Filed by family members of two young men allegedly killed by security forces at the mine in 2019, this case casts a critical light on certification schemes claiming to uphold human rights standards. We continue to scrutinise the certification schemes and benchmarks proliferating across industry supply chains as part of the push for higher ESG standards.

#RawMaterialsWeek :⚡ Can the EU drive a just energy transition in the DRC? Despite being a critical supplier of transition minerals like cobalt & copper, the DRC has an electricity crisis—fewer than 1 in 5 people have power. The #EU 🇪🇺 must act. The mining sector consumes 80% of Congo’s electricity, forcing companies to use diesel generators. For the DR Congo, value addition depends on reliable energy. Without it, the country cannot process its raw materials locally. 📊 #CongoEpela maps energy access in the DRC. Data reveals how mining impacts local electricity. Some “electrified” zones only light up processing plants, while villages nearby stay dark. 📍https://lnkd.in/dWE-Bxwg ✅ What the EU Can Do: 🔋 Fund renewable projects 📊 Bridge energy data gaps 🤝 Involve civil society in solutions This is essential for a fair energy transition in the DRC. By supporting clean, community-focused solutions from CongoEpela, the EU can deliver a fair, inclusive transition—empowering communities, building resilience, and ensuring shared prosperity. This is about more than energy; it’s about creating a future of equity and opportunity. #GlobalGateway #DataForChange