Multinational corporations across the Global North are currently suing the Colombian people in secretive ‘corporate courts’ for over £9 billion – 13% of the country’s national budget – all because Colombia is protecting human rights and taking action on the climate crisis.
This is made possible by unequal trade and investment treaties between Global North governments – including the UK – and Colombia. At the heart of the UK-Colombia treaty is ISDS (Investment to State Dispute Settlement) – the fossil fuel industry’s secret weapon. ISDS gives UK corporations exclusive access to secretive corporate courts where they can sue Colombia for putting in place policies that could affect future corporate profits – policies to protect the climate, ecosystems and Indigenous communities.
Because corporate courts are built into the UK-Colombia trade deal, corporations can keep profiting by extracting wealth from Colombia and its people. But now, we have a chance to end the UK’s role in damaging Colombia’s communities and ecosystems.
The UK’s investment treaty with Colombia has just reached the end of its initial 10-year term, meaning that the UK government can now work with Colombia to end it. The UK must immediately end the treaty – and the unjust use of corporate courts – which threatens human rights, democracy and action on climate.
Earlier this year, with campaigning from supporters like you, the UK recognised the dangers of corporate courts when it announced its withdrawal from the climate-wrecking Energy Charter Treaty, the world’s most used ISDS agreement.
Now, we have another opportunity to end the use of corporate courts and put people and the planet above corporate profits. Will you email your MP today to demand the UK end its damaging treaty with Colombia?
