Environmental Working Group (EWG) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit to compel disclosure of Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) records concerning the decision to allow Tyson Foods, Inc., “one of the largest beef producers in the United States,” to market industrially produced beef as “climate friendly.” The complaint alleged that the failure to release documents “deprives consumers of information urgently needed to assess Tyson’s climate claims—and the government’s goal in approving them.” EWG alleged that FSIS had produced reports that redacted all information concerning greenhouse gas emissions in Tyson’s supply chain, all instances in which Tyson presented or applied its greenhouse gas emissions accounting methodology, and all explanations concerning Tyson’s ability to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions. FSIS cited FOIA’s exemption for protecting “commercial or financial information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential” as the basis for these redactions. EWG asserted that the defendants failed to meet their burden of establishing that the exemption applied.

Lawsuit to compel the Food Safety and Inspection Service to disclose records regarding its decision to allow beef producer to market beef as "climate friendly."

Environmental Working Group v. Food Safety & Inspection Service

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FOIA Lawsuit Sought to Compel Disclosure of Agency Records Regarding Approval of “Climate Friendly” Label for Beef Products

Filed

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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.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

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

Actions or measures to adapt terrestrial systems to climate change.

Hot temperature extremes are daily maximum temperatures  that were exceeded on average once in a decade or once in 50 years, and includes heatwaves.

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

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

Agriculture mitigation refers to practices used to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions at every level of the agrifood systems, from production to consumption.

Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

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

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

Activities that involve the cultivation of crops and raising of livestock for food, fibre, and other products essential for human life and industry.

Any substance with chemical properties that can cause physical harm to people or damage the environment, including ammonia, carbon monoxide, phosphine, chlorine, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, dioxins, microplastics, benzene, asbestos, aflatoxins, fluoride, methanol, and toxins from marine sources.

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

FOIA Lawsuit Sought to Compel Disclosure of Agency Records Regarding Approval of “Climate Friendly” Label for Beef Products

Risk

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience