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Climate Justice Times

A special one-off publication produced for the UN climate talks in Copenhagen with articles about Friends of the Earth's demands for climate justice, campaigns around the world, and testimonies. Read more...

The 40% Study - Mobilising Europe to achieve climate justice

A summary of the study by Stockholm Environment Institute 'Europe's share of the climate challenge - Domestic actions and international obligations to protect the planet'. The research proves for the first time that 40% domestic emissions cuts by 2020 in Europe are technically possible and financially feasible, and estimates the EU's fair share of financial contributions to developing countries. Read more...

The full study by Stockholm Environment Institute is available at: www.sei-international.org/climateshareeurope

Losing the plot: the threats to community land and the rural poor through the spread of the biofuel jatropha in India

As India’s economy has grown, its energy demand has increased rapidly and the Indian government has looked to alternative supplies, including biofuels. The jatropha plant – a bush native to South America which grows in dry areas and can produce oil-rich seeds – has been identified as an ideal source of biodiesel, with a target set to replace 20% of diesel consumption by 2017. But, biofuels crops have been the subject of widespread criticism as growing demand to use crops for fuel has impacted on food prices, biodiversity and rural communities. Read more

Calling the EU's bluff

This report from Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth Latin America and Caribbean questions the EU's role in negotiating free trade agreements, and asks, 'Who are the real chamption of biodiversity and traditional knowledge?'. Read more...

Potential unfulfilled: EU funds need to deliver more clean and efficient energy in central and eastern Europe

The EU structural and cohesion funds have the potential to catalyse the transition to a low carbon economy in Central and Eastern Europe. Yet, as this latest analysis from CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe - published approaching the midpoint of the 2007-2013 programming period - reveals, this prospect still remains remote for now.  Read more...

Biofuels - Handle with care

This analysis of EU biofuel policy highlights the failure of EU law to account for the environmental impact of indirect land use change when calculating the greenhouse gas benefits of biofuels meaning there is a substantial risk that current EU biofuel policy will cause more harm than good.

A captive Commission - the role of the financial industry in shaping EU regulation

The vast majority of financial ‘experts’ advising the European Commission represent the banks and investors responsible for the global economic crisis, according to this report published by the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER EU).

'A captive Commission - the role of the financial industry in shaping EU regulation' examines how before, during and in the wake of the worst financial crisis for a generation, the Commission chose to listen almost exclusively to the finance industry. The Commission must break free from these advisors on financial issues if it is serious about reforming the failed financial system. Read more...

Gone to Waste: The valuable resources that European countries bury and burn

Despite progress in recent years countries across the European Union (EU), including the United Kingdom (UK), are continuing to dispose of significant amounts of valuable recyclable materials to landfill or incineration. This analysis examines this disposal in more depth, in an attempt to provide a
reasonable estimate of the amount of different recyclable materials that is lost through landfilling or incineration. The study then estimates the value of these lost materials, and the climate change benefits that could have been gained by recycling these materials. Read more...

Is world trade law a barrier to saving our climate?

Is the World Trade Organisation blocking progress in the fight against climate change? This is the question at the origin of this legal analysis. Politicians often invoke the WTO as a powerful supranational institution that prevents them from taking any 'market unfriendly' measures. With this legal analysis we intend to correct this distorted picture of WTO rules, and demonstrate that WTO rules provide adequate flexibility for national policy makers to take bold and necessary measures to meet the climate change challenge. Read more...

Overconsumption - Our use of the world's natural resources

Many of the problems that threaten mankind’s survival on the planet result from the increased consumption of energy, water and raw materials, the increased production of waste and emissions and the increased human use of land area .This report provides evidence on current trends in resource use in different world regions and its environmental and social impacts. Read more...

Spanish Version >>>

How to measure Europe's resource use

The natural resource base, on which the quality-of-life of our societies is built, is in danger of overexploitation and collapse. Based on an analysis of the current situation in the development of resource use indicators, and a qualitative evaluation of existing indicators against a set of criteria developed by Friends of the Earth, a suggestion for a set of resource use indicators is presented. Read more

Shell's Big Dirty Secret - Insight into the world’s most carbon intensive oil company and the legacy of CEO Jeroen van der Veer

A report on oil giant Shell and its colossal contribution to global climate change and dirty forms of energy. The research illuminates the corporate strategy and lobbying tactics of Chief Executive Jeron van der Veer. Read more

Irresponsible Energy. Shell: The World's Most Carbon Intensive Oil Copmany

This brief summarises our analysis of the carbon intensity of the top international oil companies. It reveals
that Shell has become the most carbon intensive oil company in the world based on its total resources. Read more

Methodology behind "An Irresponsible Energy Future"

ArcelorMittal: Going nowhere slowly

Comprising case studies from seven countries ranging from the Czech Republic to India and South Africa, the report reveals new problems emerging around ArcelorMittal’s iron ore mining operations in Nimba County, Liberia, including unclear resettlement plans for local people, a lack of permanent employment from the mine, threats to the Mount Nimba Nature Reserve, and a questionable donation of 100 pick-up trucks. The report highlights that despite ArcelorMittal's rhetoric on social responsibility, it continues to destroy the environment, risk people’s lives and displace local communities. Read more

Public money for fossil fuels in the EU and in 3 EU member states

This research report from Friends of the Earth Europe aims to provide an overview of all forms of public money spent on the production and primary processing of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) in France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the European Union since early 2004. Public money includes research and development, investment and other subsidies; export credits and guarantees; tax rebates and reductions; bilateral development aid and other forms of financial incentives. Read more

Faster... but smarter or more destructive?

This updated map from CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe displays 55 environmentally destructive and economically unsound projects, several of which are already being funded, and the bulk of which are still in line for accelerated anti-crisis funding from the EU structural and cohesion funds and the European Investment Bank.

It calls for the EU funds not to cause damage but to instead bring real long-term benefits to people living in the CEE countries. In a time of crisis – economic and climate – EU funding can have a significant leverage impact on job creation and recovery, but the protection of nature and the prevention of climate change must not be overlooked. Read more