Press Advisory: Senate Briefing on Private Investment as Driver of Deforestation and Climate Change

WASHINGTON – With growing concern over the impacts of climate change and related financial risks to U.S. investors, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Friends of the Earth and Amazon Watch will host a briefing on private investment as a driver of tropical deforestation and related material financial risks to U.S. investors.

Civil society experts from Indonesia, Liberia and Ecuador will present testimonies from the frontlines of tropical deforestation. Analysts from Friends of the Earth and Amazon Watch will detail how investors may be exposed to significant risks related to environmental degradation, human rights violations and land conflicts.

WHEN: Wednesday September 5, 2018, 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Russell Senate Building, Room 485

WHO:
The Honorable Brian Schatz, United States Senator
Opening Remarks or Closing Remarks (as scheduling permits)
Zenzi Suhadi, WALHI, Indonesia
Ali Kaba, Sustainable Development Institute, Liberia
Manari Ushigua, Sapara Nation of the Ecuadorian Amazon
Jeff Conant, Friends of the Earth, U.S.
Moira Birss, Amazon Watch

WHY: Deforestation is the second largest contributor to climate change after fossil fuels. While investors are increasingly incorporating sustainable investing principles, particularly in relation to climate change, they still remain exposed to significant material risks. This briefing will examine the existing financial, material and reputational risks to U.S. investors exposed to conflict palm oil, crude oil and other forest-risk commodities and provide recommendations toward securing sustainable investment.

RSVP: Please confirm participation to Gaurav Madan at [email protected] by September 4.

Interviews and images available upon request.

Communications contact: Patrick Davis, Friends of the Earth, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]