EarthRights International (ERI) is a left-of-center litigation nonprofit created in 1995 that provides pro bono legal representation in environmental lawsuits. The group is run by its two co-founders, Burmese political activist Ka Hsaw Wa and his wife, Katie Redford. 1
Background
EarthRights International was formed in Massachusetts in 1995 by two left-wing activists, Ka Hsaw Wa and his wife, Katie Redford. 2 1 It opened its main office in Washington, D.C. in 2010. 3
In 1995, Redford received a fellowship grant from the environmental funder Echoing Green to found ERI. 4
Environmental Litigation
ERI claims that its primary function is to bring legal action, such as lawsuits, against oil companies and companies for supposed environmental abuses.
In 2005, legal action by ERI in conjunction with the Center for Constitutional Rights led to a settlement with the American oil company Unocal (John Doe I, et al. v. Unocal Corp, et al.) for building a pipeline in conjunction with the Myanmar government. 5
In April 2018, the City of Boulder, Colorado and County of San Miguel, Colorado filed a lawsuit against oil and natural gas companies ExxonMobil and Suncor, accusing the “fossil fuel-producing corporations” of harming the climate. 6 The Colorado communities were represented in the lawsuit by a joint climate group which included Hannon Law Firm—a group that litigates environmental lawsuits and whose founder Kevin Hannon worked as chief outside legal counsel in the suit—EarthRights International, and the libertarian-turned-liberal Niskanen Center, which represented the plaintiffs pro bono. 7 8
Funding
ERI received seed funding from the environmental funder Echoing Green in 1995, though the exact amount is unknown. 4
ERI has received substantial funding from a number of major left-wing foundations. Its top five foundation donors since 1999 are Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund (a donor-advised fund provider), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program (a donor-advised fund provider), and the Educational Foundation of America. Other prominent funders to ERI include the Tides Foundation, Oak Foundation USA, Ford Foundation, George Soros’ Foundation to Promote Open Society and Open Society Foundations, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. 9
Since 2000, ERI has received $11.5 million in grants from a number of major foundations, particularly on the political Left. A list of foundations and their total contributions to EarthRights International is available below: 9
| EarthRights International: Funders (2000-2017) | Amount | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| American Jewish World Service | $183,000 | 2006-2017 |
| C.S. Fund | $260,000 | 2005-2010 |
| Charles Stewart Mott Foundation | $150,000 | 2017 |
| Chino Cienega Foundation | $10,000 | 2017-2018 |
| Compton Foundation | $20,000 | 2003 |
| Conservation Food And Health Foundation | $205,000 | 2003-2017 |
| Denver Foundation | $15,000 | 2011-2017 |
| Ettinger Foundation | $10,000 | 2000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | $3,254,660 | 2012-2017 |
| Flora Family Foundation | $115,000 | 2004-2011 |
| Foundation To Promote Open Society | $421,525 | 2009-2014 |
| Frankel Family Foundation | $47,500 | 2004-2015 |
| Hanley Foundation | $10,000 | 2017 |
| JEHT Foundation | $135,000 | 2008 |
| John D & Catherine T MacArthur Foundation | $980,000 | 1999-2017 |
| Libra Foundation | $400,000 | 2016-2017 |
| Madison Community Foundation | $50,000 | 2004 |
| Marisa Muller Charitable Foundation | $10,000 | 2016 |
| Marty & Dorothy Silverman Foundation | $105,000 | 2009 |
| Open Society Foundations | $10,000 | 2008 |
| Overbrook Foundation | $10,000 | 2009 |
| Oxfam-America | $55,000 | 2013 |
| Park Foundation | $5,000 | 2004 |
| Rockefeller Brothers Fund | $180,000 | 2000-2002 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors | $10,000 | 2011 |
| Rose Foundation For Communities and The Environment | $62,000 | 2013-2017 |
| Rosewater Fund | $29,000 | 2009-2016 |
| San Francisco Foundation | $150,000 | 2002-2013 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund | $13,030 | 2017 |
| Scott W Fitzmorris Trust | $10,000 | 2014 |
| Sieben Foundation | $10,000 | 2000-2001 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | $90,000 | 2007-2011 |
| Swift Foundation | $98,000 | 2015-2017 |
| The Bay And Paul Foundations | $5,000 | 2016 |
| The D.N. Batten Foundation | $440,000 | 2013-2017 |
| The David Rockefeller Fund | $10,000 | 2008-2009 |
| The Educational Foundation Of America | $520,000 | 1999-2004 |
| The Ford Foundation | $350,000 | 2004-2009 |
| The Hobson Family Foundation | $10,000 | 2003-2004 |
| The Jenifer Altman Foundation | $20,000 | 2001 |
| The John Merck Fund | $125,000 | 1999-2001 |
| The Mcknight Foundation | $150,000 | 2013-2016 |
| The Oak Foundation USA | $360,000 | 2008-2012 |
| The Perls Foundation | $115,000 | 2005-2007 |
| The Prentice Foundation | $19,800 | 2000-2003 |
| The Russell Family Foundation | $5,000 | 2016 |
| The Threshold Foundation | $61,000 | 2006-2017 |
| Tides Foundation | $319,362 | 2005-2017 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | $626,000 | 2008-2014 |
| Wallace Global Fund II | $790,000 | 2010-2017 |
| Warsh Mott Legacy | $255,000 | 2009-2014 |
| Wellspring Philanthropic Fund | $225,000 | 2017 |
| Grand Total: | $11,519,877 |
Leadership
Co-Founders and Executive Director
Ka Hsaw Wa is the co-founder and executive director of EarthRights. 10 He was born in Burma (modern Myanmar), fleeing in 1988 after being tortured by the authoritarian Burmese government and changing his name to Ka Hsaw Wa (“White Elephant”) in order to protect his parents’ identities. 5 Besides general human rights advocacy, Ka Hsaw Wa advocates against oil pipeline expansion, particularly in Myanmar. In 2005, legal action by ERI led to a settlement with the American oil company Unocal (John Doe I, et al. v. Unocal Corp, et al.) for building a pipeline in conjunction with the Myanmar government. 5
Katharine “Katie” J. Redford is the former president and co-founder of the organization in 1995. 11 Redford, a lawyer, is married to Ka Hsaw Wa. Redford is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville (UVA) and American University. She is a board member for the Center for International Environmental Law, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable, and the Slingshot Development Fund; and an advisory board member of the True Costs Initiative and Free Speech for People. 4
Board of Directors
Aaron Eske is the board co-chair for EarthRights International. Eske also serves as the Senior Vice President for M&R Strategic Services. Prior to working at M&R, he served as the communications director for the Gates Foundation and was the press secretary for former U.S Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE). 12
Shalini Nataraj is the board co-chair for EarthRights International. She also serves as Vice-President of Programs for the Ing Foundation and previously served as a senior executive for the Global Fund for Women. 12
Lara Siree Johnson is a former ERI board member and senior development officer for the center-left Rocky Mountain Institute. In May 2019, Johnson left ERI’s board and became the group’s deputy director. She is a former regional coordinator for George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (2008-2014). 13
Financials
According to its 2022 990 form, the organization reported a revenue of $4,743,064, expenses of $6,397,569, and total assets of $14,442,400. 14
EarthRights’ articles of organization were filed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 13, 1995, and are available here.
References
- “About Us.” EarthRights International. Accessed October 23, 2019. https://earthrights.org/about/
- “EarthRights International.” Massachusetts Secretary of State: Business Search. Accessed October 23, 2019. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us
- “EarthRights International: Filings.” District of Columbia, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Accessed October 23, 2019. https://corponline.dcra.dc.gov
- “Katie Redford.” EarthRights International. Accessed October 23, 2019. https://earthrights.org/about/team/katie-redford/
- “The Defenders: Ka Hsaw Wa.” Speak Truth to Power. Accessed October 24, 2019. https://www.speaktruthtopowerinschool.com/defenders-map/ka-hsaw-wa
- “After Months of Silence, Boulder to Hold Rally With Activists to Announce Climate Lawsuit.” EID Climate – A Project of IPAA. April 20, 2018. Accessed October 24, 2019. https://eidclimate.org/after-months-silence-boulder-hold-rally-with-activists-announce-climate-lawsuit/.
- Cooke, Amy. “High Powered Legal Team for Plaintiffs in the Boulder Climate Lawsuit.” IWF. Accessed October 24, 2019. http://iwf.org/blog/2807807/High-powered-legal-team-for-plaintiffs-in-the-Boulder-climate-lawsuit.
- “Landmark Climate Change Lawsuit to Proceed in Colorado State Court.” EarthRights International. October 9, 2019. Accessed October 24, 2019. https://earthrights.org/media/landmark-climate-change-lawsuit-to-proceed-in-colorado-state-court/
- Information provided by FoundationSearch. EarthRights International. www.FoundationSearch.com
- “EarthRights International: Annual Report (2018).” Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Secretary of State. Filed December 4, 2018. Accessed October 23, 2019. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us
- “EarthRights International: Articles of Incorporation (1995).” Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Secretary of State. Filed February 13, 1995. Accessed October 23, 2019. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2019/10/Earthrights-International-Articles-of-Organization-1995.pdf
- “Board of Directors.” EarthRights International, Accessed February 27, 2024. https://earthrights.org/about/board-of-directors/
- “Lara Siree Johnson.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 24, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larasireejohnson/
- Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). EarthRights International. 2022. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43265555/202343199349318234/full