Sweden

Friends of the Earth Sweden were founded in 1971. That same year we became one of the four co-founders of Friends of the Earth International. With roots in the radical environmental movement of the 1970s, FoE Sweden today has about 2,000 members and 25 local groups.  

FoE Sweden’s objectives are fighting climate change, defending the environment and promoting global solidarity. The methods we use are public information, mobilizing action and influencing decision-makers on a wide range of topics on all levels, from daily household decisions to national and international policies. A recurring theme is highlighting the role of the powerful economic driving forces behind the type of development that leads to human and environmental destruction.  

A large portion of the work is carried out by volunteers in working groups on issues such as energy, traffic, agriculture, nuclear waste and cross-cutting issues such as international financial institutions, globalisation etc. Local groups democratically decide their own activities which often include participating in national and international campaigns. A major activity during the past years has been the Sustainable Sweden project, based on the concept of "fair shares of environmental space". FoE Sweden has produced a series of publications , touching on issues such as targets for material and energy flows, the household level, the local level, limited environmental space as a source of conflict, etc. The latest publication “Makten över maten” (Power over food) illustrates how consumers can reduce their environmental impact.