Friends of the Earth Europe
Encyclopedia
Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) is the European branch of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International
(FOEI). It includes 30 national organisations and thousands of local groups.
The Friends of the Earth Europe office in Brussels fulfils a number of functions. It represents the network’s member groups towards the European institutions aiming to influence EU-policymaking; raises public awareness around Europe on environmental issues; campaigns for sustainable solutions for the most pressing environmental and social challenges threatening people and planet; runs capacity building
projects for its membership, and is a secretariat for its 30 national members.
The FoEE office is located in Mundo-B – a sustainable
building housing Belgian and European NGOs near the European Parliament
in Brussels
.
Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for balanced policy-making putting people’s and nature’s interest first, at the expense of all-out companies’ profits. FoEE strategy combines direct advocacy among Brussels-based decision makers together with campaigning through reports, online petitions and media actions.
The economic justice programme is organised around three streams of work.
FoEE’s work aims at exposing how irresponsible company practices are affecting local communities and their environment. The programme is based on extensive exchange and cooperation between FoEE Office in Brussels and local Friends of the Earth groups around Southern countries. Facts and evidence collected on the ground are used to lobby the European institutions towards tighter EU regulation for European extractive companies.
Recent examples of campaign topics and activities include:
On this campaign, FoEE operates in the framework of the European Coalition for Corporate Justice, of which it is a founding member.
FoEE has been active in exposing cases of revolving door scandals, misleading lobby registrations. or deceptive lobby practices. It has been lobbying EU Commission and Parliament in favour of stricter EU legislation in order to close the current loopholes and prevent such scandals. Examples of advocacy and campaign activities include:
(YFoEE), was established by national Young Friends of the Earth groups affiliated to FoE member groups. YFoEE is an autonomous and self organised youth-led network, with structures and ways of working set and led by young people, yet retains strong links to Friends of the Earth Europe and the Friends of the Earth International
Federation and their mission, vision and values
The YFoEE network unites youth organisations and youth groups working on social and environmental justice in Europe, and runs campaigning and educational activities for young people on a European level. It consists of youth member groups in 15 countries from both EU and Non EU countries, including Natur og Ungdom
(Norway), BUNDjugend
(Germany) or YFoE Ukraine.
The key campaigning topic of the network since 2007 has been advocating for climate justice
, in particular opposing what it considers to be false solutions to climate change, such as nuclear energy, and educating young people to create a youth movement for climate justice. In 2010, YFoEE hosted a parallel convergence to the COP16 UN Climate Talks in Cancún, Mexico, in Brussels, Belgium as an alternative forum to the International political negotiations and to build the regional European Youth Climate Movement.
YFoEE has been active as part of the Youth Climate Movement
and youth delegation at the UNFCCC international climate negotiations, and is one the founding members of European Youth Climate Movement.
Campaigns and events are led and developed by individual volunteers and representatives of member groups who make up working groups.
under the ‘LIFE+ regulation’, the European Climate Foundation, Oak Foundation, and Isvara Foundation, amongst others. It also gets membership fees from national Friends of the Earth groups.
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
(FOEI). It includes 30 national organisations and thousands of local groups.
The Friends of the Earth Europe office in Brussels fulfils a number of functions. It represents the network’s member groups towards the European institutions aiming to influence EU-policymaking; raises public awareness around Europe on environmental issues; campaigns for sustainable solutions for the most pressing environmental and social challenges threatening people and planet; runs capacity building
Capacity building
Capacity building also referred to as capacity development is a conceptual approach to development that focuses on understanding the obstacles that inhibit people, governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations from realizing their developmental goals while enhancing...
projects for its membership, and is a secretariat for its 30 national members.
The FoEE office is located in Mundo-B – a sustainable
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
building housing Belgian and European NGOs near the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
FoEE Member organisations
| Country | Name | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Global 2000 | Global 2000 |
| Belgium (Wallony) | Amis de la Terre Belgique | Amis de la Terre |
| Belgium (Flanders & Brussels) | Friends of the Earth Vlaanderen & Brussel (Friends of the Earth Flanders & Brussels) | MotherEarth.org |
| Croatia | Zelena Akcija (Green Action Green Action Green Action is an environmental organization based in Zagreb, Croatia and the national member of Friends of the Earth. Based with a full-time activist group with thirteen members back by a larger number of volunteers, the organization works on topics related to biodiversity, energy, climate... ) |
Zelena-Akcija.hr |
| Cyprus | Friends of the Earth Cyprus | FoECyprus.weebly.com |
| Czech Republic | Hnutí Duha Hnutí DUHA Hnutí DUHA is an environmental movement in the Czech Republic, the most prominent in the country... (Rainbow Movement) |
HnutiDuha.cz |
| Denmark | NOAH | Noah.dk |
| England/Wales/Northern Ireland (EWNI) | Friends of the Earth (EWNI) Friends of the Earth (EWNI) Friends of the Earth is one of 70 national groups around the world which make up the Friends of the Earth network of environmental organizations... |
FoE.co.uk |
| Estonia | Eesti Roheline Liikumine (Estonian Green Movement) | Roheline.ee |
| Finland | Maan Ystävät Ry (Friends of the Earth) | Maanystavat.fi |
| France | Les Amis de la Terre (Friends of the Earth) | AmisdelaTerre.org |
| Georgia | Sakhartvelos Mtsvaneta Modzraoba (Greens Movement of Georgia) | FoE Georgia |
| Germany | Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland is a German non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving nature and protecting the environment. The german title would be translated to something like Union for the environment and nature conservation Germany... (BUND) |
BUND.net |
| Hungary | Magyar Természetvédok Szövetsége (National Society of Conservationists) | mtvsz.hu |
| Ireland | Friends of the Earth | FoE.ie |
| Italy | Amici della Terra (Friends of the Earth) | AmicidellaTerra.it |
| Latvia | Zemes Draugi (Friends of the Earth) | ZemesDraugi.lv |
| Lithuania | Lietuvos Zaliuju Judéjimas (Lithuanian Green Movement) | Zalieji.lt |
| Luxembourg | Mouvement Ecologique (Ecological Movement) | Mouvement.oeko.lu |
| Macedonia | Dvizhenje na Ekologistite na Makedonija (Ecologist's Movement of Macedonia) | Dem.org.mk |
| Malta | Moviment ghall-Ambjent (Friends of the Earth (Malta) Friends of the Earth (Malta) -History:Moviment ghall-Ambjent, Friends of the Earth Malta, formerly ‘Zghazagh ghall-Ambjent’, has been active in the environmental field since 1985. The group was first set up as an umbrella organization for various youth and environmental groups, but soon developed into a committee of activists... ) |
FoEMalta.org |
| The Netherlands | Vereniging Milieudefensie Milieudefensie Milieudefensie is a Dutch environmental organization, founded on January 6, 1971, by a group of scientists in response to a report by the Club of Rome... (Environmental Defence) |
Milieudefensie.nl |
| Norway | Norges Naturvernforbund (Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature , also known as Friends of the Earth Norway and commonly abbreviated NNV is the largest Norwegian environmental organization with 28,000 members. The organization is based on a volunteer work among the members, constituting work both at local and... ) |
Naturvernforbundet.no |
| Poland | Polski Klub Ekologiczny (Polish Ecological Club) | PKE-zg.org.pl |
| Scotland | Friends of the Earth Scotland Friends of the Earth Scotland Friends of the Earth Scotland is an independent member of the Friends of the Earth international network of environmental organizations, and operates separately from Friends of the Earth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland . There is no single Friends of the Earth .Since 2011, Stan Blackley has... |
FoE-Scotland.org.uk |
| Slovakia | Priatelia Zeme Slovensko Priatelia Zeme Slovensko -General Facts:Priatelia Zeme Slovensko became a Friends of the Earth International member in 1997... (Friends of the Earth Slovakia) |
PriateliaZeme.sk |
| Spain | Amigos de la Tierra (Friends of the Earth) | Tierra.org/spip |
| Sweden | Miljöförbundet Jordens Vänner (Environmental Group Friends of the Earth) | MJV.se |
| Switzerland | Pro Natura | ProNatura.ch |
| Ukraine | Zelenyi Svit (Green World) | Anped.org |
Campaigns
The current campaign priorities of Friends of the Earth Europe are:- Climate justice and energy
- Food, agriculture and biodiversity
- Economic justice
- Resource Use and consumption
- Sustainable EU funds
Climate justice and energy
- FoEE’s European Big Ask climate change campaignBig Ask CampaignThe Big Ask is a campaign by Friends of the Earth calling for a new climate change law in the United Kingdom and 15 other EU member states. The United Kingdom Government announced the introduction of the Climate Change Bill in the Queen's Speech on November 15, 2006. This was as a result of...
was launched in February 2008 following a successful campaign of the same name by Friends of the Earth in the UK which is widely credited with getting the UK government to introduce the Climate Change Bill. The Big Ask brings together FoEE member groups across Europe to campaign for national climate change legislation. The launch of the European Big Ask was supported by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and the European Environment Commissioner at the time, Stavros Dimas. The campaign has different names in different countries.
Economic Justice
Friends of the Earth Europe’s economic justice programme is looking into the influence of companies over EU decision-making and the economic, social and environmental consequences of their practices. The three streams of work are complementary, respectively looking at different aspects of the same issue. Together they are exposing cases of corporate capture of EU regulation and examples of the impact of the lack of regulation that often results from the influence of corporate interests over EU policy process.Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for balanced policy-making putting people’s and nature’s interest first, at the expense of all-out companies’ profits. FoEE strategy combines direct advocacy among Brussels-based decision makers together with campaigning through reports, online petitions and media actions.
The economic justice programme is organised around three streams of work.
- Extractive industries
- Corporate Accountability and Financial Regulation
- LobbyingLobbyingLobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
Transparency
Extractive Industries
The extractive industries campaign is looking into the destructive impacts of the activities of the European oil, gas and mining industry in developing countries. Most of the natural resources are located in Southern countries but their exploitation often handled by powerful companies based in Western countries, which fail to redistribute the wealth and benefits to local communities. Rather resource exploitation often leads to worrying environmental damage and corruption circles in developing countries.FoEE’s work aims at exposing how irresponsible company practices are affecting local communities and their environment. The programme is based on extensive exchange and cooperation between FoEE Office in Brussels and local Friends of the Earth groups around Southern countries. Facts and evidence collected on the ground are used to lobby the European institutions towards tighter EU regulation for European extractive companies.
Recent examples of campaign topics and activities include:
- Preventing Tar SandsTar sandsBituminous sands, colloquially known as oil sands or tar sands, are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit. The sands contain naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay, water, and a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum technically referred to as bitumen...
from entering EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... - Arcelor Mittal
Corporate Accountability
The corporate accountability campaign looks into the effects of the activities of European companies having subsidiaries outside of Europe. As multinational companies often fail to respect EU laws and workers’ rights when operating abroad, FoEE campaigns for the introduction of proper rules for business. These should guarantee that:- European companies abide by the same safety and social standards for their workers and facilities outside of Europe as in Europe;
- European companies are held accountable for their practices outside of Europe, in particular in cases of abuses.
On this campaign, FoEE operates in the framework of the European Coalition for Corporate Justice, of which it is a founding member.
Lobbying Transparency
The lobby transparency campaign looks how companies exert their influence over and sometimes directly shape decision-making in the EU. It campaigns in favour of transparency around business influence and more balanced representation of stakeholders in EU policy making. These include:- The introduction of a mandatory lobbying register in the EU;
- Strengthened regulation on conflicts of interest and the revolving door for EU Commissioners and EU staff;
- Reviewed rules to avoid the regulatory capture of expert groups and other high level groups that prepare the legislative work in the EU and de facto orientate EU decisions.
FoEE has been active in exposing cases of revolving door scandals, misleading lobby registrations. or deceptive lobby practices. It has been lobbying EU Commission and Parliament in favour of stricter EU legislation in order to close the current loopholes and prevent such scandals. Examples of advocacy and campaign activities include:
- Reports
- Successful complaints for greater openness in the EU
- The annual Worst EU Lobbying Awards
Coalitions
FoEE is an active member of many coalitions working on environmental issues in Europe including:- The Green 10, consisting of BirdLife InternationalBirdLife InternationalBirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
(European Community Office), Climate Action NetworkClimate Action NetworkClimate Action Network is an umbrella group of environmental non-governmental organisations active on the issue of climate change...
Europe (CAN Europe), CEE Bankwatch Network, European Environmental BureauEuropean Environmental BureauThe European Environmental Bureau is a federation of over 140 environmental citizens’ organisations based in all 27 European Union Member States, potential Member States and a few neighbouring countries. These organisations range from local and national, to European and international...
(EEB), European Federation for Transport and EnvironmentEuropean Federation for Transport and EnvironmentThe European Federation for Transport and Environment is a European umbrella for non-governmental organisations working in the field of transport and the environment, promoting sustainable transport in Europe; which means an approach to transport that is environmentally responsible, economically...
(T&E), Health and Environment Alliance, GreenpeaceGreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
Europe, International Friends of NatureFriends of NatureFriends of Nature is an international movement with a background in the Social Democratic movement, which aims to make nature accessible to the wider community by providing appropriate recreational and travel facilities.-Background:It is a non-profit organisation which, in addition to encouraging...
(IFN), WWFWorld Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
European Policy Office and Friends of the Earth Europe. - The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU): FoEE is one of the founding and current steering group members of the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU), which was launched in Brussels in July 2005. ALTER-EU gathers 160 civil society groups that are concerned by the growing influence of the corporate sector on EU decision-making.
- The European Coalition for Corporate Justice
- Climate Action Network Europe
- Coolproducts
Youth Network (Young Friends of the Earth Europe)
In 2007 a youth network called Young Friends of the Earth EuropeYoung Friends of the Earth
Young Friends of the Earth Europe is a grassroots network of young people and youth organisations working together on social and environmental justice issues...
(YFoEE), was established by national Young Friends of the Earth groups affiliated to FoE member groups. YFoEE is an autonomous and self organised youth-led network, with structures and ways of working set and led by young people, yet retains strong links to Friends of the Earth Europe and the Friends of the Earth International
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
Federation and their mission, vision and values
The YFoEE network unites youth organisations and youth groups working on social and environmental justice in Europe, and runs campaigning and educational activities for young people on a European level. It consists of youth member groups in 15 countries from both EU and Non EU countries, including Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom
Natur og Ungdom which translates Nature and Youth, also known in English as Young Friends of the Earth Norway is a Norwegian youth environment protecting organisation. It is the only environmentalist youth organisation in Norway. 7000 members in 80 local groups work on environmental issues all...
(Norway), BUNDjugend
BUNDjugend
BUNDjugend is the youth organisation of the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland . As an environmental youth organization BUNDjugend is fighting for the protection of nature and environment. BUNDjugend was founded in 1984 and is divided into different state organizations...
(Germany) or YFoE Ukraine.
The key campaigning topic of the network since 2007 has been advocating for climate justice
Climate justice
Climate Justice is generally used as a term for viewing climate change as an ethical issue and considering how its causes and effects relate to concepts of justice, particularly social justice and environmental justice. For example examining issues such as equality, human rights and historical...
, in particular opposing what it considers to be false solutions to climate change, such as nuclear energy, and educating young people to create a youth movement for climate justice. In 2010, YFoEE hosted a parallel convergence to the COP16 UN Climate Talks in Cancún, Mexico, in Brussels, Belgium as an alternative forum to the International political negotiations and to build the regional European Youth Climate Movement.
YFoEE has been active as part of the Youth Climate Movement
Youth Climate Movement
The Youth Climate Movement or International Youth Climate Movement refers to an international network of youth organisations that collectively aims to inspire, empower and mobilise a generational movement of young people to take positive action on climate change.- Formation :Since the Rio Earth...
and youth delegation at the UNFCCC international climate negotiations, and is one the founding members of European Youth Climate Movement.
Ways of working
The YFoEE network is supported by a secretariat in the office of FoEE in Brussels, and coordinated by a Steering Group of 8 volunteers, elected from the YFoEE network annually at the Annual General Meeting.Campaigns and events are led and developed by individual volunteers and representatives of member groups who make up working groups.
Revenue
Friends of the Earth Europe receives funding from a variety of government and non-government sources. These include the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
under the ‘LIFE+ regulation’, the European Climate Foundation, Oak Foundation, and Isvara Foundation, amongst others. It also gets membership fees from national Friends of the Earth groups.