Energy & environment

Most investor-state disputes (ISDS) have concerned environmental matters. Corporations are using the ISDS system found in trade and investment agreements to challenge environmental policies. As of end of 2019, 41% of all ICSID cases were energy and natural resources-related.

Most well-known cases include:

• Lone Pine Resources (US) vs. Canada: the investor challenged Quebec’s moratorium on the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for natural gas. The provincial government declared the moratorium in 2011 so as to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the extraction method widely accused of leaching chemicals and gases into groundwater and the air. Case pending (NAFTA invoked).

• Bilcon (US) vs. Canada: the US industry challenged Canadian environmental requirements affecting their plans to open a basalt quarry and a marine terminal in Nova Scotia. In 2015 the ISDS tribunal decided that the government’s decision hindered the investors’ expectations. Bilcon won and received US$7 million in damages, plus interest (NAFTA invoked).

• Vattenfall (Sweden) vs. Germany: in 2007 the Swedish energy corporation was granted a provisional permit to build a coal-fired power plant near the city of Hamburg. In an effort to protect the Elbe river from the waste waters dumped from the plant, environmental restrictions were added before the final approval of its construction. The investor initiated a dispute, arguing it would make the project unviable. The case was ultimately settled in 2011, with the city of Hamburg agreeing to the lowering of environmental standards (ECT invoked).

Photo: Kris Krug / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

(March 2020)

The Express Tribune | 2-Oct-2017
Senior government officials have claimed that the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) overlooked Pakistan’s claim of corruption while deciding in favour of Karkey Karadeniz Elektrik Uretim over a rental power project (RPP) dispute.
Argus | 28-Sep-2017
Mexico is considering writing into law investor-state dispute settlement provisions contained in the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) to reassure US and Canadian investors in its energy sector.
The Express Tribune | 23-Sep-2017
The arbitral tribunal of the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has rendered an arbitral award of $700 million against Pakistan.
The Express Tribune | 22-Sep-2017
The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has not only imposed a hefty fine on Pakistan but also declared that the country will be paying $5.6 million as interest per month.
La Vanguardia | 21-Sep-2017
El CETA ya se aplica este jueves de forma provisional, a la espera de que todos los países del bloque ratifiquen las disposiciones que afectan a las competencias nacionales, como la más polémica, que prevé la creación de un tribunal de inversiones.
Daily Pakistan | 21-Sep-2017
Financially-strapped Pakistan has been imposed with a staggering $700 million in a damages suit by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) regarding rental power plants case.
Insider | 21-Sep-2017
The Edinburgh-based oil and gas explorer says both it and the Government of India have agreed a timetable for finalising document production, submissions and hearings.
Gestión | 19-Sep-2017
Tribunal arbitral del Ciadi habría culminado con las actas correspondientes al arbitraje internacional, informó Bear Creek. Avanza con estudios del proyecto Corani.
Junior Mining Network | 19-Sep-2017
Tribunal hearing the Bear Creek Mining’s Santa Ana ICSID arbitration claim has officially closed proceedings in the case.
Agenda | 18-Sep-2017
Inter RAO structures claim $175 million loss was due to a refusal to raise energy tariffs when the Georgian national currency Lari was devaluated.