ISDS case map: Fossil fuels

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in free trade and investment deals protect fossil fuel companies and undermine climate action. These mechanisms allow corporations to sue governments over public policies that restrict extraction, most often threatening local communities. In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that ISDS provisions jeopardise global climate efforts, with governments facing up to $340 billion in potential legal claims for halting fossil fuel projects.

• Ampal-American vs. Egypt: Terrorist attack

• Ascent Resources vs. Slovenia: Protecting groundwater from fracking

• Bechtel, Enron and seven European banks vs. India: Privatising gains, socialising losses

• Carlyle vs. Morocco: Portfolio investment

• Chevron vs. Ecuador: Amazonian oil pollution

• ConocoPhillips & Perenco vs. Vietnam: Making profits but refusing to pay taxes

• ConocoPhillips vs. Venezuela: Nationalising oil production

• Ethyl vs. Canada: Toxic fuel additive

• ExxonMobil and Murphy Oil vs. Canada: Research & development

• Hanocal & IPIC International vs. South Korea: ISDS attacking tax policy

• Lone Pine vs. Canada: Fracking

• Occidental Petroleum vs. Ecuador: Oil concession

• Rockhopper vs. Italy: Dirty oil attacks action on fossil fuels

• RWE vs. Netherlands: Undermining climate action

• TC Energy vs. United States: Climate change

• Total vs. Uganda: Illegal tax waiver

• Unión Fenosa vs. Egypt: Social unrest

• Vattenfall vs. Germany I: Coal-fired electric plant

• Vermilion vs. France: Blocking climate change laws with ISDS threats

• Yukos vs. Russia: Bonanza for lawyers and investors