Problems of Europe’s appetite for land

7 March 2013

Europe must urgently tackle its over-use of the world's land, finds a new report from Friends of the Earth Europe, released today. [1]

The report, 'Hidden Impacts', is based on newly available data and shed lights on Europe's role as a major user of global land resources.

Europe's high consumption levels, and insatiable appetite for meat, dairy, textiles and other products that require large areas of land, mean Europe's 'land footprint' remains one of the largest in the world.

26 November 2012

Mining for smartphones: the true cost of tin

Tin used in some of the best-selling brands of smartphones is almost certainly linked to the devastation of forests, farmland, coral reefs and communities in Indonesia, according to a new report 'Mining for Smartphones: the True Cost of Tin' from Friends of the Earth.

3 July 2012

No medals in sight for Barroso II

Halfway through its term in office, the European Commission is falling behind in the race to create sustainable long-term prosperity in Europe, warn Europe's leading green groups in a critical assessment of the Commission's environmental performance since 2010.

All media for this issue
    • Agriculture

      Food and farming in Europe and its global impacts

    • Agrofuels

      Plant-based fuels from agriculture. Also known as biofuels

    • Biodiversity

      Species and habitat protection in Europe and around the globe

    • GMOs

      Genetically modified crops and organisms

    • Land

      Measuring Europe’s land footprint and tackling the drivers of land grabbing

    • Biodiversity

      Species and habitat protection in Europe and around the globe

    • Extractive industries

      Oil and gas exploration, and mining

    • Land

      Measuring Europe’s land footprint and tackling the drivers of land grabbing

    • Materials and waste

      Reducing, reusing and recycling resources

    • Resource use

      Europe’s consumption of land, materials, water and carbon

    • Shale gas

      Unconventional gas and the extraction process known as ‘fracking’

    • Tar sands

      Unconventional oil. Also known as oil sands

    • Water use

      Measuring Europe’s water footprint