2011
BIOFUEL “WONDER-CROP” JATROPHA FAILS TO DELIVER
BRUSSELS (BELGIUM)/ABUJA (NIGERIA) January 21, 2011 – The much-touted biofuel crop jatropha is neither a profitable nor a sustainable investment, according to a new report released by Friends of the EarthInternational today.
Shell under scrutiny for Nigerian situation again
THE HAGUE (NETHERLANDS), 25 January 2011 - Oil giant Shell will again be under scrutiny for the environmental and social impacts of its Nigerian operations. Tomorrow, the Dutch parliament will hold a hearing on Shell’s activities in Nigeria. Today, Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) and Friends of the Earth International have with Amnesty International filed a joint complaint [1] with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for Shell's unjust claims that almost all oil leaks in the Niger Delta are due to sabotage.
cracks widen in biotech industry myths
AMSTERDAM / BRUSSELS / MONTEVIDEO / BENIN CITY, 22 February 2011 - Governments are being forced to protect farmers and citizens from genetically modified crops (GM crops) to combat biotech corporations’ stranglehold over farmers, and health scares from escalating pesticide use, according to a new report by Friends of the Earth International. [1]
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES APPEAL AS SITUATION IN JAPAN DETERIORATES
TOKYO/ AMSTERDAM, March 16, 2011 – Friends of the Earth International expresses its sincere sympathy and solidarity with the people affected by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters in Japan.
Shell breaks promises again and increases gas flaring in Nigeria
LAGOS (NIGERIA)/AMSTERDAM (NETHERLANDS), April 19, 2011 - Despite promises made by Shell since the 1990s to stop flaring the 'associated' gas released in oil production in Nigeria, the oil concern flared more gas in 2010 than it did in 2009 in the West African country. This has come to light from the sustainability report brought out by Shell last week.
Barrick Gold clean up your act! Right to life over gold profits'
TORONTO (CANADA), April 27, 2011 – Today, during the annual general meeting (AGM) of mining company Barrick Gold in Toronto (Canada), Friends of the Earth International is supporting a loud call from communities around the world for a halt to gold mining and Barrick Gold's destructive practices. Campaigners are present at the meeting and join a protest rally outside the meeting venue.
Shell 'apologises' for worldwide damage in “erratum” to annual report
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, May 17, 2011: During the Shell annual general assembly (AGM) in The Hague, today, Friends of the Earth International presented an “erratum” [1] to Shell’s 2010 annual report. In this spoof “erratum”, which was distributed among shareholders, Shell 'admits' that it is “causing a lot of unwanted and unnecessary damage” in its global oil-gas- and biofuels operations. The company also states that Shell “has learnt from these mistakes” and pledges to take “full responsibility to prevent and mitigate costs for the environment and people affected by our operations”.
Report Reveals World Bank's Role in Fuelling Climate Chaos
BONN, GERMANY, June 11, 2011 – A new report released today by Friends of the Earth International during the UN climate talks in Bonn this week shows that the World Bank Group has been increasing its investments in fossil fuels and promoting corporate-led false solutions to climate change, including carbon trading, that serve to deepen rather than alleviate the current environmental crisis.
Friends of the Earth International celebrates 40 years of mobilization, resistance and transformation
Today Friends of the Earth International, the world's largest global grassroots federation of environmental groups, marks its 40th anniversary. Throughout the year we will celebrate, together with our member groups and supporters, all that we have achieved over the past forty years. Our anniversary is also an opportunity to look ahead to the next forty years and to stress the urgency of a global transformation towards environmentally sustainable and socially just societies.
Stop farm land grabbing – hundreds of civil society groups call on the G20
PARIS, MONTEVIDEO, LONDON, June 20, 2011: Today, in advance of the G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting in Paris on June 22 - 23rd, hundreds of civil society groups are calling on G20 governments to halt all land grabs and return lands to communities with immediate effect.
Friends of the Earth International conference on hunger and agribusiness in Africa
DURBAN, SOUTH-AFRICA, July 15, 2011 – Friends of the Earth International is hosting a two-day conference on the threats of agribusiness in Africa, starting today in Durban, South-Africa. During the conference “Agribusiness and Hunger policies in Africa: who are the real beneficiaries?” [1], organisations from over 15 countries will analyse the threats of agribusiness expansion in Africa. They will work on strategies to resist agribusiness and promote real, people-based solutions to hunger.
Friends of the Earth International call for Shell to be held to account
Friends of the Earth International welcomes the report released today by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) that reveals the true extent of the environmental devastation caused by fifty years of oil operations in Ogoniland, Nigeria.
Environmentalists Call on Shareholders to Stop Australian Mega Coal Mine
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, August 26, 2011 – On the eve of a court hearing due in Brisbane on August 29-31, Friends of the Earth International called on Swiss mining giant Xstrata's shareholders and investors to act to stop Xstrata's massive 'Mega Coal Mine' project in Australia.
TREE PLANTATIONS ARE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION
COSTA RICA, 21 September 2011 – Today, Friends of the Earth International, together with many social movements around the world, are celebrating the International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations. This annual event aims to expose the negative impacts caused by large-scale tree plantations on local communities and the environment. [1]
WARNINGS OVER NEW THREAT TO INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE TALKS
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA, October 7, 2011 - Friends of the Earth International has expressed strong concerns over renewed attempts by rich countries to tear up the framework for global action on climate change at the United Nations climate negotiations today.
meat and forest products consumption fuel inequalities in global land use
NEW REPORT: Europe and United States import millions of hectares of virtual land BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) / LONDON (UK), October 10, 2011 – More than 60 per cent of land consumed in Europe is imported while US demand for imported land increased by 100 Million hectares between 1997 and 2004, new research published today by Friends of the Earth reveals. [1]
NEW REPORT: Community Rights Help Communities Win
SAN JOSE', COSTA RICA, October 13, 2011 – A new report released today by Friends of the Earth International illustrates the importance of enforcing local community and Indigenous Peoples’ rights, featuring struggles of groups and communities from all continents. [1]
New Report Memory, Truth and Justice for Heroes in the Resistance against Mining Oil and Gas
10 November 2011 – Today, on the 16th anniversary of the murder of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa - a day of remembrance of the victims of mining, oil and gas - Friends of the Earth International releases a new report and renews its commitment to the struggle for justice for the communities who suffer the consequences of extractive industries.
IN SUPPORT OF THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 17 November 2011 – The world’s largest grassroots environmental organization today spoke out in support of the Occupy protests and called for environmental activists and organizations around the world to join the movement to demand radical system change.
UN CLIMATE TALKS : STRONG CONCERNS OVER AGENDA OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 22 November 2011 – Friends of the Earth International has expressed strong concerns over the stated agenda of the US and a number of other developed countries at the forthcoming UN climate talks in Durban from 28 November to 9 December [1].
UN CLIMATE TALKS: STRONG CONCERNS OVER AGENDA OF DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 28 November 2011 – Friends of the Earth International has expressed strong concerns over the agenda of the US and a number of other developed countries at the UN climate talks in Durban from 28 November to 9 December.
DEVELOPED NATIONS – LED BY US, UK AND JAPAN - TRY TO TURN GREEN CLIMATE FUND INTO GREEDY CORPORATE FUND
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, Dec. 1, 2011— Today 163 civil society organisations from 39 countries released a letter exposing an attempt led by the US, the UK and Japan to turn the Green Climate Fund into a “Greedy Corporate Fund” at UN climate talks in South Africa. [1]
WILL AFRICA LEAD THE WORLD WHERE RICH COUNTRIES HAVE FAILED?
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 2 December 2011 – Continued strong and united leadership by African governments is essential at the UN climate talks in South Africa if the world is to have a chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change, Friends of the Earth International warned today.
CLIMATE TALKS: SUSTAINABLE, SMALL-SCALE, AND PEASANT AGRICULTURE NEEDED TO COOL DOWN THE EARTH
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 5 December 2011-- The UN climate talks in Durban have reminded the world that agriculture is responsible for almost one fourth of the world's emissions of greenhouse gases.
NEW REPORT: WORLD'S FIRST BIG ‘REDD’ PROJECT VIOLATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 6 December, 2011 – While the governments of countries such as Australia are busy with forest projects that promote false solutions such as carbon offsetting, the UN climate talks in Durban are failing to address the urgent problem of deforestation, said Friends of the Earth International today.
CLIMATE TALKS: DURBAN INACTION A RECIPE FOR CLIMATE CATASTROPHE
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 7 December 2011 – Friends of the Earth International has issued strong warnings against climate inaction at the UN climate talks in Durban, and blamed industrialised countries like the US, Canada, Japan and Europe for seeking to unravel existing agreements under the guise of a “new mandate” for the climate negotiations.
CLIMATE AGENDA OF SOUTH AFRICAN ENERGY GIANT SASOL EXPOSED
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 7 December 2011 – Polluting companies and multinational corporations are exerting pressure on government climate policies and seeking to undermine global action on the climate crisis, Friends of the Earth International warned today.
CLIMATE TALKS: CORPORATE PRESSURE IS UNDERMINING REAL ACTION
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 8 December 2011 – One day before the close of the UN climate talks in Durban, South Africa, Friends of the Earth International released the second in a series of case studies highlighting how polluting companies, multinational corporations and financial elites are seeking to undermine government action on climate change [1].
REACTION TO TODAY'S PROTEST AT THE UN CLIMATE TALKS
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, December 9, 2011 -- Commenting on today’s protest at the UN climate talks attended by hundreds of climate justice activists from many organisations in support of a strong and fair agreement to protect Africa and the world, Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International said:
REACTION TO DURBAN CLIMATE TALKS
Commenting on the UN climate talks which ended today in Durban, South Africa, Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Climate Justice Coordinator of Friends of the Earth International said:
CLIMATE: DISASTROUS "DURBAN PACKAGE" ACCELERATES ONSET OF CLIMATE CATASTROPHE
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, 13 DECEMBER 2011 – The UN climate talks in Durban were a failure and take the world a significant step back by further undermining an already flawed, inadequate multilateral system that is supposed to address the climate crisis, according to Friends of the Earth International.
