Netherlands - Friends of the Earth International

Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) is a national organisation with many local groups across the country. Founded in 1971, it has more than 110 000 members and donors.

A good life for all people on earth and for generations to come: this is the mission of Milieudefensie. For this mission, a safe and healthy environment is needed, a just distribution of and access to the natural wealth of the earth, respect for nature and a voice for people on how to manage these. Milieudefensie is working on the changes that are needed for this, working together with citizens, movements, organisations, businesses and governments that also want this shift. We do this within the Netherlands as well as internationally – as far as possible in cooperation with the Friends of the Earth network. Milieudefensie joined Friends of the Earth International in 1972.

As we are the last generation who can prevent a climate disaster, the climate occupies a central position in our work. We choose just solutions – solutions without adverse effects for the South or for generations to come, and which can involve more people in our own country and create jobs and opportunities for everyone.

Milieudefensie no longer wants to influence and improve the present system – the current methods of production, doing business, consumption and mobility – but wants to replace this system with a sustainable and just alternative.

This change will not happen on its own – pressure is needed from organised people: pressure to implement these changes in a practical sense and to require governments and businesses, like Shell, to actually undertake changes.

A major part of Milieudefensie’s work consists of mobilising and organising people into a powerful movement who can help to accelerate the transition to a new, sustainable and just system. We will expand the movement by linking up with other social movements, such as the human rights, development cooperation and social justice movements.