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did you know?: In 2008, Friends of the Earth International counted 77 member groups and 14 affiliates, uniting more than 2 million members and supporters around the world.
africa: mapping the expansion of agrofuels: Switching to agrofuels has been portrayed as a golden opportunity, a ‘green’ solution that could tackle the world’s energy crisis and help to mitigate climate change. Industrialized countries, international financial institutions such as the World Bank, and multinational agribusiness, oil and transport companies are all promoting agrofuels as a panacea to the world’s problems.
nigeria: challenging agrofuels in west africa: It is increasingly recognized that filling gas tanks with agrofuels exported from Africa and other impoverished regions monopolizes productive arable land. This robs people of their farmland and violates local communities’ rights to food. Opposition to agrofuels means that corporations are now looking to Africa’s so-called ‘marginal lands’ – which they regard as being unimportant or worthless – as a testing ground for the production of crops like cassava and oil palm. Yet the concept of ‘marginal lands’ ignores the various important ways in which local communities utilize their lands.
community testimonies: building capacity: In 2008, Friends of the Earth International hosted three commmunity testimonies from Africa, Latin America and Asia. Read here about the experiences of our three interns.
member groups: Friends of the Earth International is made up of the activities and actions of our 76 member groups, and it is our mission to support and strengthen their work at the local level. These groups mobilize people, resist socially and environmentally damaging projects and policies, and help to transform their societies in tens of countries around the world. Their local work in turn allows us to campaign on the regional and international levels, and to seek political support for the rights of people everywhere to sustainable livelihoods and for social, economic, gender and environmental justice.
international photo competition and calendar 2008: Friends of the Earth International ran our third annual photo competition in 2008 on the theme of "Dreams, Hopes and Possibilities for a Better World."
togo, ghana & nigeria: inspiring west africans’ resistance to controversial pipeline: The newly-operational 680-kilometer West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) from Nigeria through Benin, Togo and Ghana is unlikely to fulfil its promise to reduce gas flaring in the conflict-ridden Niger Delta. Local communities on the pipeline’s path along the Gulf of Guinea have confronted issues including inadequate compensation, insufficient safety measures, pollution and damage to fisheries. Yet there is little recourse to hold the Bermuda-registered West African Pipeline Company (WAPCo) consortium responsible for its actions.
ghana: raising awareness among children on mining’s negative impacts: Over the past two decades, ten large-scale, foreign multinational mining companies have caused considerable environmental destruction and human suffering in Ghana. Largely focussed on mining gold through the use of cyanide leaching, their operations have led to water pollution, reduced air quality, land and soil degradation, and destruction of biodiversity. Human rights abuses are also known, including the eviction of Indigenous peoples from their homes and farmlands. Furthermore, mining company publicity programmes brainwash young people, and there is little information available for schools and youth groups to convey the true consequences of these activities.
togo: generating energy to fuel campaigns: Electricity shortages are a common phenomenon in many West African countries, specifically Bénin, Togo and Ghana. This leads to frequent and frustrating periods when computers, fax machines and lights can not be used.
ghana and togo: tackling the threat posed by gmos in west africa: The influx of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the West Africa subregion poses a grave and growing threat. Yet Ghana’s domestic national policy is very receptive to US influence, which is strongly pro-GMO. Furthermore, the close and growing political and diplomatic ties between Ghana and Togo extend this pro-GMO influence into Togo.
ghana: strengthening community dialogue on climate change: Climate change impacts in northern Ghana, including reduced rainfall, desertification, and drought, are leading to famine and aggravating poverty and destitution. In fact, this year many farmers reported complete crop failure. This is forcing an exodus of rural Ghanaian workers to urban centres such as Kumasi and Accra, thereby undermining rural development in the north.
africa: monitoring the introduction of gmos: Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) entering African countries pose a growing risk to human health, the environment and poor farmers’ food security. Their governments are under major pressure to introduce GMOs from multinational corporations, which argue (despite lacking evidence) this will improve food security. Africans are also vulnerable to introduction of GMOs through food aid, from donor agencies such as USAID.
funding and membership support
world bank-funded pipeline project under investigation: Friends of the Earth International has been working with FoE groups in West Africa to support a stronger network and more solidarity among communities affected by the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP). This pipeline, which is now operational, runs from Nigeria through Benin, Togo and Ghana. In 2007 FoEI saw a major campaign goal achieved: the World Bank approved a July 2007 inspection of the controversial pipeline project.
foei works to keep africa gm free: In the African region, Friends of the Earth International’s campaign against genetically modified (GM) organisms has been built around biosafety policy issues. Here are some of the main campaign highlights in the region for 2007.

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