Resource use In a world of finite resources, Europe must stop consuming more than its fair share

Debate: making company reporting work for people and planet

15 May 2013

Getting companies to report on their use of resources, like materials, water, land and carbon, as well as their impacts upon human rights, will help move Europe towards a resource efficient future that benefits people and planet. This was the message of a debate organised on Tuesday by the European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) and Friends of the Earth Europe.

22 April 2013

Samsung admits using forest-trashing tin

Samsung Electronics has admitted for the first time that it uses tin in its products that's destroying tropical forests, killing coral and wrecking the lives of communities in Indonesia, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland reveals today.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland
18 March 2013

Groups unite to call for Europe to cut its use of world’s land

A coalition of groups [1], including Friends of the Earth, Birdlife, Biofuelwatch, Compassion in World Farming and European Environment Bureau has united to call for European governments, and the EU as a whole, to reduce Europe's land footprint – the amount of land we use each year for food, textiles, wood, biofuels etc [2].

Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, France, Hungary, Spain

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Europe is using an ever-increasing amount of the world's resources and is more dependent on imported resources than any other region in the world. As the global population increases, developing nations expand their economies, and more people lead resource-intensive lifestyles, there is more pressure than ever on the earth's decreasing resources – exacerbating social inequalities and environmental damage.

Friends of the Earth Europe is calling for the measurement of Europe's resource use – and the subsequent reduction of consumption levels. We recognise the environmental, economic and social benefits of reducing Europe's resource consumption.

More resources

Reports & publications

7 Mar 2013

Hidden impacts: How Europe's resource overconsumption promotes global land conflicts

14 Feb 2013

Less is more: resource efficiency through waste collection, recycling and reuse

More reports & publications

For enquiries please contact:

  • Ariadna Rodrigo
    • 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