Carey L. Biron

Carey L. Biron is a former Washington correspondent for MintPress and for Inter Press News focusing on issues of equity and accountability, environmental and corporate regulation, and international development and governance from Capitol Hill.

World Bank Accused Of Transferring Safeguards Responsibility To Borrowers

“Other financial institutions that followed the bank in building up their standards … will now follow the bank in tearing them down,” a global development watchdog worries.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron
Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Jacob Zuma, Narendra Modi, Dilma Rousseff

WASHINGTON --- A bitter dispute has broken out in recent weeks following the release of proposed changes to World Bank policies aimed at safeguarding local communities and environments. A draft of the proposed reforms, released at the end of July, follows a half-year of consultations in some 40 countries. Yet civil society groups around the

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On Use Of Experimental Ebola Drugs, U.S. Under Increased Pressure

Officials wrestle with whether it is ethical to withhold potential treatment from some groups, but also if it is acceptable to offer either false hope or true risk to vulnerable populations.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron
Liberia Ebola

WASHINGTON --- The World Health Organization has taken the unprecedented step of declaring that the use of experimental drugs -- the efficacy and safety of which have yet to be proven -- would be “ethical” to combat the current outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. The multilateral agency’s unusual backing, announced Tuesday, will further complicate

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Criminal Prosecution Rates For Corporate Environmental Crimes Near Zero

Grappling with a shrinking budget and limited manpower, the EPA pursues criminal charges in “fewer than one-half of one percent” of total legal violations.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron
Gina McCarthy

WASHINGTON --- While U.S. regulators are actively flagging and tracking corporate violations of federal environmental laws, the government is rarely pursuing criminal penalties for those infractions. The Environmental Protection Agency, the key department in safeguarding the country’s health from pollutants, pursues criminal charges in fewer

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Why Are The “Big Four” Opposed To Hong Kong Democracy Demonstrations?

In newspaper ads, the “Big Four” accounting firms call Hong Kong democracy protesters a threat to “the rule of law, society, and the economy.” But it’s not clear why.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron
Hong Kong

WASHINGTON --- Rights and watchdog groups are questioning both the logical and legal basis for a series of advertisements, published by the world’s four largest accountancy firms, expressing opposition to the recent pro-democracy demonstrations that took place in Hong Kong. The firms include one, Deloitte, headquartered in the United States, as

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Postal Service Urged To Move Forward On Banking Proposal

“There is no reason for Congress to act or to politicize this. Ignore the politics: it’s time for the Postal Service to move forward,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron
Post Office

WASHINGTON --- A proposal that would see the U.S. Postal Service once again offer basic banking services at its branches across the country is picking up momentum, enough to result in new pushback from banking lobbyists. The proposal, which would include bank accounts, credit cards and related services, was first offered earlier this year in a

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Leaks: EU Wants “Free Access” To US Fossil Fuels, Lift Ban On Oil Exports In TTIP Agreement

The U.S. is now producing more oil than Russia and Saudi Arabia, so it’s no wonder that the oil-hungry European bloc would come knocking.

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron

WASHINGTON --- The European Union wants a binding agreement ensuring it “free access” to U.S. fossil fuels, according to a leaked internal negotiating document. In particular, EU negotiators appear to be stepping up pressure on the United States not only to significantly increase exports of its newfound natural gas surplus -- a contentious

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Contentious Start For UN Process Toward Business And Human Rights Treaty

Without the US and EU on board, what might become of a UN proposal to negotiate a legally binding treaty to prevent human rights abuses by transnational corporations?

Carey L. Biron
By Carey L. Biron

WASHINGTON --- In a landmark decision at the end of June, the United Nations Human Rights Council voted to allow negotiations to begin toward a binding international treaty around transnational companies and their human rights obligations. The move marked a key success for activists worldwide who have been working for decades to jumpstart such a

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