Milieudefensie
Encyclopedia
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
. It still performs research and brings out its own reports (sometimes requested by the government) but has also developed into an action group, often operating together with other organizations, such as the political party Green Left
, and is the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth
.
Milieudefensie is part of the 30 national organisations that Friends of the Earth Europe
represents and unites at the European level.
Milieudefensie has approximately 90,000 members and focuses on five main themes:
In recent years, climate change
has become a major issue. For example, in 2006 and 2007, Milieudefensie started a campaign called "Niet met mijn geld" ("Not with My Money") to stimulate public awareness about the role of banks in climate change. Together, Dutch banks manage a total of 2,700 billion euro
, by which they have a huge influence on which projects can go through and which cannot. According to Milieudefensie, the four major Dutch banks cause CO2 emission
s that are three times that of the Netherlands through their investments. They listed the ABN Amro
bank as being the "worst", followed by the ING
bank and Fortis
. According to Milieudefensie, the "best" banks in terms of CO2 emissions would be ASN
and Triodos
.
methods, such as sue
ing companies and the government. Possibly the most eye-catching action of Milieudefensie was one designed to stop the construction of a fifth runway at Schiphol airport. For this, they bought part of the land on which it was to be constructed and then sold small pieces of that land to many individuals. As a result, all those people had to disown the land separately. On this terrain, a forest was planted, the Bulderbos ("thunder forest").
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
environmental organization, founded on January 6, 1971, by a group of scientists in response to a report by the Club of Rome
Club of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
. It still performs research and brings out its own reports (sometimes requested by the government) but has also developed into an action group, often operating together with other organizations, such as the political party Green Left
Green left
The term Green left is used primarily to refer to a combination of environmentalism, feminism, socialism, and pacifism in countries where the term is used...
, and is the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth
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...
.
Milieudefensie is part of the 30 national organisations that Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe
Friends of the Earth Europe is the European branch of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International . It includes 30 national organisations and thousands of local groups....
represents and unites at the European level.
Milieudefensie has approximately 90,000 members and focuses on five main themes:
- GlobalizationGlobalizationGlobalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
- Transportation
- ClimateClimateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
and energyEnergyIn physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems... - LandscapeLandscapeLandscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
- AgricultureAgricultureAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and foodFoodFood is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
Climate change: "Not with My Money"
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
has become a major issue. For example, in 2006 and 2007, Milieudefensie started a campaign called "Niet met mijn geld" ("Not with My Money") to stimulate public awareness about the role of banks in climate change. Together, Dutch banks manage a total of 2,700 billion euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
, by which they have a huge influence on which projects can go through and which cannot. According to Milieudefensie, the four major Dutch banks cause CO2 emission
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
s that are three times that of the Netherlands through their investments. They listed the ABN Amro
ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is a Dutch state-owned bank with headquarters in Amsterdam. It was re-established, in its current form, in 2009 following the acquisition and break up of ABN AMRO Group by a banking consortium consisting of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Santander and Fortis...
bank as being the "worst", followed by the ING
ING Group
The ING Group is a global financial institution offering retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance services. ING is the Dutch member of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European banks...
bank and Fortis
Fortis
Fortis is a Latin word meaning "strong, sturdy, brave, manly, resolute", and in modern usage may refer to:* Aqua fortis, an alternate name for concentrated nitric acid...
. According to Milieudefensie, the "best" banks in terms of CO2 emissions would be ASN
ASN Bank
ASN Bank is a Dutch bank, part of SNS Reaal. ASN focusses on social responsible and sustainable investments.ASN Bank was founded on May 1, 1960 by the union of Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging and the insurance company de Centrale...
and Triodos
Triodos
Triodos might refer to:* a settlement in the Greek prefecture of Messinia** Triodos Airport* Triodos Bank which is a pioneer in ethical banking...
.
Bulderbos
Milieudefensie also uses legalLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
methods, such as sue
Filing (legal)
In law, filing is the act of submitting a document to the clerk of a court for the court's immediate consideration, for storage in the court's files, or both. Courts will not consider motions unless an appropriate memorandum or brief is filed before the appropriate deadline...
ing companies and the government. Possibly the most eye-catching action of Milieudefensie was one designed to stop the construction of a fifth runway at Schiphol airport. For this, they bought part of the land on which it was to be constructed and then sold small pieces of that land to many individuals. As a result, all those people had to disown the land separately. On this terrain, a forest was planted, the Bulderbos ("thunder forest").
External links
- Official website
- Investing in Climate Change, a report on the climate-(un)friendliness of banks (in English)
- Friends of the Earth International Website
- Friends of the Earth Europe Website