Addressing Elsevier's climate related human rights impacts

Scientists who began a dialogue with Elsevier about its facilitation of new fossil fuel projects have announced a UN-based Grievance Mechanism, which can include anyone wishing to address Elsevier's negative impacts. Learn more and decide if you or your organization care to be involved.

Addressing Elsevier's climate related human rights impacts

Scientists who began a dialogue with Elsevier about its facilitation of new fossil fuel projects have announced a UN-based Grievance Mechanism process, something that can include anyone wishing to address Elsevier's negative impacts. Learn more and decide if you or your organization care to be involved.

Elsevier and its parent company RELX have disregarded the human rights impacts of accelerating fossil fuel discoveries for years. In 2021, employees pointed to the company’s neglect of its UNGP human rights obligations, just as scientist groups did in 2022—and as the UN has done with other companies still facilitating fossil fuel expansion, indicating complicity in "significantly worsened climate change-related human rights impacts." A Grievance Mechanism can involve anyone seeking to generate mitigation and access to remedy. All voices are welcome and needed in such a process—will you lend yours?

Issues

The company is neglecting its climate & ethics pledges by promoting fossil fuel expansion and misinformation.

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Dialogue

The Grievance Mechanism is open to all stakeholders potentially impacted by the company's business activity.

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Advocacy

Concerns have long been raised by scientists, organizations, and the company's employees and customers.

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"We consider the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in all our activities."

Márcia Balisciano, Global Head of Corporate Responsibility, RELX (2023)

"If this were the case, Elsevier would be 'discontinuing activities with potentially adverse climate change-related human rights impacts'…We are concerned that RELX/Elsevier is not living up to its ethical commitments.”

Reply from Kristina Dahl (Union of Concerned Scientists) and Stuart Parkinson (Scientists for Global Responsibility)

"We have to keep fossil fuels in the ground…life on Earth really does depend on how fast we can do this…There’s no more room [in the carbon budget] for fossil fuel expansion.”

Prof. Kimberly Nicholas, speaking to Elsevier employees at a company event in 2021

“We may disagree because the world still needs fossil fuels...We do provide data and analytics and information” for customers engaged in fossil fuel expansion.

2023 RELX Annual General Meeting, responding to a scientist and investor
PARTNERS
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Rose  Abramoff, Ronin Institute 
Dr. Anne Baillot, Le Mans Université, France
Dr Keith Baker, Glasgow Caledonian University
Steve Ballard, on behalf of the London Hazards Centre board of trustees
Dr. Jonathan Bamber, Former President EGU, RE for the IPCC AR5 and contributing author for AR6, Director Bristol Glaciology Centre
Dr. Phoebe Barnard, Founding CEO, Stable Planet Alliance
Dr. Chris Barrington-Leigh, McGill University
Dr. Paul Behrens, Leiden University  
Dr. Martin Birley, Health Impact Assessment
Diane Birmingham, Occupational Health
Dr. Daniel Black, University of  Bristol
Dr. Bjoern Brembs, University of Regensburg
Dr.  Cameron Brick, University of  Amsterdam
Dr Bruno Alves Buzatto, Flinders University
Dr. Yung En Chee, University of Melbourne, Australia
Dr. Patricia Chow-Fraser, University in Hamilton, Canada
Dr. Sara Coopman, Kent State University
Adam Cooper, Slade Group
Dr. Sarah J  Darby, University of  Oxford
Dr. Valérie D'Acremont, University of Lausanne
Dr. Nico  Edwards, University of Sussex
Dr. Hans Eickhoff, NOVA University, Lisbon
Dr. Julien  Emile-Geay, University of Southern California 
Dr. Theodore  Endreny, SUNY
Dr Jane Fisher, Centre for Alternative Technology
Dr. Charlie Gardner, University of Kent 
Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, University  of Maine
Dr. Joshua Goldstein, University of Southern California
Dr Alison Green, Executive Director, Scientists Warning
Alexander Hoogsteyn, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, https://renewablereads.com
Dr. Amy Janzwood, McGill University
Dr. Kathi Kemper, Editor in Chief, Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Elsevier)
Alaina Kinol, Northeastern  University
Susanne Koch, Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin; University of Southern Denmark Odense
Dr. Halliki Kreinin, University of Münster
Dr. Ariane Lambert-Mogiliansky,
Paris School of Economics

Dr.  Melissa Lem, University of British Columbia
Dr. Peter Newell, University of Sussex
Dr. Susan Park, University of Sydney    
Dr. Martin Parker, University of Bristol
Dr. Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director, Scientists for Global Responsibility
Dr.  Vincent Perrot, Vrije Universiteit, Brussels
Dr. Fernando Racimo, University of Copenhagen
Dr. James Rice, North Carolina State University
Lawren Richards, Business consultant
Dr.  Matthieu Romagny, Université de Rennes
Dr. Johan Rooryck, Leiden University   
Dr. Valeria Scagliotti, Sustainability consultant   
Dr. Günter Schwarz, University of  Cologne
Dr. Julia Steinberger, University of Lausanne
Dr. Elia Valentini, University of Essex 
Dr. Duncan Watson-Parris, UC San Diego
Dr. Phil Webber, Scientists for Global Responsibility
CRC MEMBERSHIPS
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Dr. Rose  Abramoff, Ronin Institute
Dr. Anne Baillot, Le Mans Université, France
Dr Keith Baker, Glasgow Caledonian University
Dr. Jonathan Bamber, Former President EGU, RE for the IPCC AR5 and contributing author for AR6, Director Bristol Glaciology Centre
Dr. Phoebe Barnard, Founding CEO, Stable Planet Alliance
Dr. Chris Barrington-Leigh, McGill University
Dr. Paul Behrens, Leiden University  
Dr. Martin Birley, Health Impact Assessment
Diane Birmingham, Occupational Health
Dr. Daniel Black, University of  Bristol
Dr. Bjoern Brembs, University of Regensburg
Dr.  Cameron Brick, University of  Amsterdam
Dr. Yung En Chee, University of Melbourne, Australia
Dr. Patricia Chow-Fraser, University in Hamilton, Canada
Dr. Sara Coopman, Kent State University
Adam Cooper, Slade Group
Dr. Sarah J  Darby, University of  Oxford
Dr. Valérie D'Acremont, University of Lausanne  
Dr. Nico  Edwards, University of Sussex
Dr. Hans Eickhoff, NOVA University, Lisbon
Dr. Julien  Emile-Geay, University of Southern California 
Dr. Theodore  Endreny, SUNY
Dr Jane Fisher, Centre for Alternative Technology
Dr. Charlie Gardner, University of Kent 
Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, University  of Maine
Dr. Joshua Goldstein, University of Southern California
Dr Alison Green, Executive Director, Scientists Warning
Alexander Hoogsteyn, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, https://renewablereads.com
Dr. Amy Janzwood, McGill University
Dr. Kathi Kemper, Editor in Chief, Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Elsevier)
Susanne Koch, Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin; University of Southern Denmark Odense
Dr. Halliki Kreinin, University of Münster
Dr. Ariane Lambert-Mogiliansky,
Paris School of Economics
Dr.  Melissa Lem, University of British Columbia
Dr. Peter Newell, University of Sussex
Dr. Martin Parker, University of Bristol
Dr. Stuart Parkinson, Executive Director, Scientists for Global Responsibility
Dr. Fernando Racimo, University of Copenhagen
Dr. James Rice, North Carolina State University
Lawren Richards, Business consultant
Dr.  Matthieu Romagny, Université de Rennes
Dr. Johan Rooryck, Leiden University   
Dr. Valeria Scagliotti, Sustainability consultant   
Dr. Günter Schwarz, University of  Cologne
Dr. Elia Valentini, University of Essex 
Dr. Duncan Watson-Parris, UC San Diego
Dr. Phil Webber, Scientists for Global Responsibility



CRC MEMBERSHIPS