Press releases
Rio+20: Friends of the Earth International to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon: "Stop the business lobby at the UN"
RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL), 19 June 2012 – On June 22 Friends of the Earth International chair Nnimmo Bassey will meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and deliver a civil society statement denouncing the corporate domination of the United Nations.[1]
Rio+20 summit under corporations' undue influence
RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL), JUNE 18, 2012 – One the eve of the Rio+20 United Nations Earth Summit [1] on June 20-22, Friends of the Earth International warns world leaders that multinational corporations such as oil giant Shell have an undue influence over the Rio+20 Earth Summit.
Rio+20 summit must listen to People's Summit
RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL), JUNE 16, 2012 – While world leaders and the business sector gather for the Rio+20 Earth Summit due to take place here on June 20-22 [1], Friends of the Earth International campaigners are gathering with social movements from around the world at an alternative Summit [2] focused on human rights and environmental justice on 15-23 June.
Rio Summit participant denied entry in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL), JUNE 15, 2012 – A participant of the UN Summit in Rio de Janeiero was denied entry into Brazil by the Brazilian authorities.
Reclaim the United Nations campaign starts today
BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) / RIO DE JANERIO (BRAZIL) JUNE 4, 2012 – Tomorrow, on World Environment Day, just two weeks before a major United Nations (UN) Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Friends of the Earth International starts a campaign urging the UN to limit the excessive influence of multinational corporations on its decision-making processes.
Seventy thousand people ask oil giant Shell to clean up its mess in Nigeria
AMSTERDAM (THE NETHERLANDS), May 21st, 2012 – On the eve of the annual general meeting of oil giant Shell, Friends of the Earth International announced that it will deliver to Shell CEO Peter Voser some 70,000 signatures of people who want Shell to start cleaning up its mess in the oil-rich and highly polluted Niger delta in Nigeria.
UN Global Compact turns a blind eye to corporate malpractices
AMSTERDAM / RIO DE JANEIRO, May 10, 2012 - Institutions and initiatives of the United Nations, such as the Global Compact provide far too much room for influence by private corporations. A Civil Society Statement to halt the corporate capture of the UN, raises concerns in run up to the Rio Conference.
New report uncovers land grab in Uganda
WASHINGTON DC / BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) / KAMPALA (UGANDA) 23rd April 2012: Released on the eve of a World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty [1], a new report reveals widespread violations of people’s rights and environmental destruction from a land grab initially funded by the World Bank in Uganda. [2]
Opposition to biotech giant Monsanto growing worldwide, new report shows
APRIL 4, 2012, WASHINGTON (US) / MONTEVIDEO (URUGUAY), PARIS (FRANCE), – Today, the day that biotech giant Monsanto (NYSE: MON) releases its second quarter earnings, a new report by civil society organisations shows that around the world small-holder and organic farmers, local communities and social movements are increasingly resisting and rejecting Monsanto, and the agro-industrial model that it represents.
Polluting Brazilian mining giant Vale exposed
DAVOS (SWITZERLAND) / PORTO ALEGRE (BRAZIL), 27 JANUARY 2012 -- With more than 25,000 votes, the Brazilian mining giant Vale has been crowned the 'world's worst corporation of the year' at the January 27 'Public Eye Awards' in Davos, Switzerland [1]
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.
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:
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:
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].
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: 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.
New report: world's first big ‘REDD’ project violating indigenous people 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: 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.
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.
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]
