Development YES – Open-Pit Mines NO v. Group PZU S.A. - Other

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Litigation

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Development YES, a grassroots foundation working on anti-coal and anti-lignite activism in Poland, filed a specific instance against PZU in August 2018. The complaint concerned the indirect impact of the activities of PZU on climate change and lack of transparency in information regarding PZU’s CO2 emissions and the impact of financially insuring the coal mining sector in Poland.

The Polish National Contact Point for OECD Guideines for Multinational Enterprises (NCP) in its initial assessment accepted the case and directed the parties to proceedings. Although the NCP classified the initial assessment and the proceedings until the final assessment, it advised against adopting such  practice.

Both parties were willing to engage in dialogue, and PZU submitted a letter committing to publish information relating to the environmental impact of its activities in their 2018 non-financial report. Subsequently Development-YES and PZU reached an agreement in April 2019. 

In its final assessment, the Polish NCP recommended PZU to continue to honour commitments made to Development-YES, with particular regard to disclosing relevant non-financial information in the future and adopting policies that respect human rights and the environment. 


Development YES – Open-Pit Mines NO v. Group PZU S.A.

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Climate change impacts our society by disrupting the natural, economic and social systems we depend on. Physical hazards and underlying vulnerabilities can lead to increased resource competition for food and water, which can heighten the risk of conflict.

Activities of businesses and institutions that provide financial services and products to individuals and organisations.

The activities of industries involved in the production, distribution, and sale of energy, including electricity, gas, and renewables.

Air pollution involves harmful contaminants in the air, affecting both indoor and outdoor environments. It can lead to health issues like respiratory diseases and heart problems, and climate impacts such as global warming. Pollutants can damage plants, trees, habitats, and water bodies like rivers and lakes.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Financial support to help individuals manage the effects of unexpected events, securing their livelihoods and increasing the resilience of people and businesses to the changing climate. It’s especially vital in developing regions where everyday risks, climate-related weather extremes, or crop failures can push people into poverty. Without insurance, people may have to resort to selling assets or cutting consumption to cope with losses.

Activities of industries that extract natural resources, such as mining, oil, and gas, for commercial use.

Actions and measures to adapt and increase resilience of societies and the economy to climate change.

Codes and standards are regulatory instruments that specify minimum standards to protect health and safety. This ranges from performance standards, which prescribe outcomes while allowing flexibility to achieve compliance, to the more prescriptive approach of technology-specific standards.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

The processes through which enterprises can identify, prevent, mitigate and account for how they address their actual and potential adverse impacts. Due diligence is the idea that reasonable precautions should be taken to avoid causing harm to people, the environment, or society. It also involves identifying and mitigating risks before they occur.

This sector involves activities that impart knowledge and skills to individuals, including formal schooling, vocational training and educational support.

Development YES – Open-Pit Mines NO v. Group PZU S.A. - Other

Policy instrument

Risk

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience