Friends of the Earth International: organisation

Friends of the Earth International is a highly decentralised federation, comprising autonomous organisations with a shared analysis of the root causes of today's most pressing environmental and social issues.

Roughly half of the 73 member groups call themselves "Friends of the Earth" in their own languages; the others use different names.

The organisation is democratic, with a general meeting every two years to decide the federation’s policies and activities, in which all members have an equal say.

The Biennial General Meeting (BGM) elects an Executive Committee (ExCom) and confirms the International Programme Coordinators positions.

The ExCom is made up of a Chairperson, directly elected by the BGM; a representative from the organisation hosting the next BGM; and representatives of up to seven member groups. We aim for the greatest possible balance of gender and regional representation. The role of the ExCom is to ensure the sound governance of the federation. It meets regularly between BGMs and employs and oversees a small International Secretariat based in Amsterdam to support Friends of the Earth International’s work and member groups.

Friends of the Earth International: programmes and regions

Our international programme work is facilitated by eight International Programme Coordinators (IPCs), two for each programme. IPCs are assisted by a programme steering group with member group representatives from all four regions. IPCs are hosted by different Friends of the Earth member groups worldwide to ensure that our international programme work remains rooted in the local reality of our member groups and the struggles they are involved in.

Friends of the Earth International has regional structures in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe, as well as a member group in Canada and the USA respectively. Our Regional Facilitators support each region, coordinating regional decision-making and activities - except for the European region, which has an office in Brussels that coordinates the region.

An international Membership Development Team composed of regional representatives, implement the membership development strategy and consult with groups in their region on membership issues.

Our work to achieve Gender Justice and Dismantle Patriarchy within Friends of the Earth International and more widely is led by a working group, composed of member group representatives from each region and the IPCs.

Our Internationalist Solidarity System (ISS) which responds to violations and mobilises internationalist support for threatened peoples and communities, is supported by focal points in each region.

Our communication work is coordinated from the International Secretariat office in Amsterdam and Uruguay, where our global online radio station - Real World Radio (RWR) - is based.