annual review 2010 - friends of the earth europe · 2015. 12. 7. · giant rwe (npower), goldman...

Friends of the Earth EuropeANNUAL REVIEW

2010for the people | for the planet | for the future

Friends of the Earth Europe Board 2010-11 Mike Childs, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland – Chair;Liliane Spendeler, Friends of the Earth Spain – member; Hester Schoute – Treasurer; Gina Gal, Friends of the Earth Hungary –Secretary; Olaf Bandt, Friends of the Earth Germany – member.

Who we are

* The European arm of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network * TheEuropean network’s representative at the heart of the European Union campaigning for sustainable solutions to benefitthe planet, people and our future, influencing European and EU policy and raising public awareness on environmentalissues *The largest grassroots environmental network in Europe uniting national member organisations and thousandsof local activist groups in 30 European countries * The people’s voice at the heart of the European Union.

Friends of the Earth Europe staff, Belgium, 2010

Cover image Cleaning lobbyists outside the European Commission building in Brussels, at the launch of the Worst EU Lobbying Awards © FoEE page 2© FoEE page 3© FoEE

p3 Welcome

p4 Campaign highlights

p8 New challenges

p10 Network highlights

p12 Publications

p13 Building a youth movement

p14 Financial information

p15 Our work in 2011

Contents

Friends of the Earth Europe ANNUAL REVIEW 2010 | 3

Welcome

It seems hard to believe that 2010 passed so quickly, andwithout any discernible dent in the inertia gripping ourpoliticians. Despite the mounting severity of the multiplecrises Europe and the rest of the world are in – I’mspeaking particularly about the climate, food, economic,and biodiversity crises – the political panacea has been tocontinue doing more of the same. Friends of the EarthEurope has been there to point out that, as AlbertEinstein said, “the definition of insanity is doing thesame thing over and over again and expecting differentresults”, and to argue that true transformation is needed.

More than 12 months have gone by since we were part ofan incredible mobilisation of citizens for the UN climatesummit in Copenhagen, and since we felt thedisappointment of world leaders’ failure to act. Wesucceeded to shake off the despondency whichcharacterised the start of 2010 and put ourselves back tothe challenge, concentrating on practical, solutions-orientated approaches. Among the solutions to climatechange at-hand in Europe, we see energy savings as key.The cleanest, cheapest and safest energy is the energy wedon’t need, and that’s why we are pushing the EuropeanUnion to make reducing demand core to its energy policy.At the same time our member groups are fighting climatechange from the angle of resisting false solutions, forexample in Germany where there has been huge publicopposition to nuclear and new coal power plants.

Another crucial part of the solution is to reduce thedisproportionate influence vested-interest groups haveon policy-making. Through the Worst EU LobbyingAwards we exposed the privileged access to decision-makers and unethical lobby tactics which business usesin its for-profit lobbying at the expense of more climateand consumer-friendly legislation.

We are advocating for solutions in the area of food andfarming by engaging in discussions on the future ofEuropean agriculture. As Friends of the Earth Europe we

are not interested in superficial changes to the CommonAgricultural Policy. We call for fundamental reform toensure ecologically sustainable food production inEurope, and to reduce emissions, conserve biodiversity,reduce global impacts such as deforestation, andsupport rural livelihoods.

A first solution to Europe’s over-consumption of theworld’s natural resources is to measure and set targetsfor our use of land, water, materials and carbonemissions wherever they are in the world. With our workon resource use we are frontrunners in challenging over-consumption, including its European and global impacts.

The EU budget, and its funding instruments, inparticular Structural and Cohesion Funds, can also bepart of the solution, and we are arguing for futurespending to be a tool for achieving progress on climate,biodiversity protection and resource efficiency.

Solutions exist at all levels – from the local to the global.As well as working at local and European level weengage in international efforts to reach agreementsthrough the United Nations. In 2010 we took ourdemands to the UN climate talks in Cancún, where weagain witnessed a disappointing outcome, and duringthe International Year of Biodiversity we attended theinternational biodiversity conference in Nagoya, puttingpressure on Europe to protect ecosystems.

2011 is the year when we celebrate 40 years of theFriends of the Earth International federation, as well as25 years of Friends of the Earth Europe. Throughout ourhistory we have been guided by our vision of sustainableand just societies. And we will continue to champion thetransformation agenda which we believe is so-muchneeded in the future. The many forms and approachesour work takes will, I hope, come across in the words andimages of this review. What is common to all ouractivities, and to all the diverse members of our network,is this shared vision of environmental and social justice,which guides everything we do.

Magda Stoczkiewicz Director, Friends of the Earth EuropeBrussels, April 2011

4 | Friends of the Earth Europe ANNUAL REVIEW 2010

Pushing for 40% In 2010 wecontinued to push for anincrease in the EU’s climatecommitment to at least 40%domestic emission reductionsby 2020. Our ‘40% seminar’assembled panellists fromthe European Parliament andCommission to discuss thescale of emission cuts feasiblein Europe by 2020 and howEU climate policy compares to what science and the EU’shistorical responsibility tell us is necessary.

If a 30 percent target isagreed, we’ll be closer to thecrucial 40 percent figure thatshould give us a betterchance of keeping globalwarming below 2 degrees

Reuters quotes Friends of the Earthcampaigner David Heller

Petition calls for toughercode of conduct for ex-CommissionersMorethan 50,000 signatures weredelivered to the EuropeanCommission urging it toclose revolving doors for ex-Commissioners who moveon to lucrative private sectorjobs after they step down.The petition, with the ALTER-EU coalition and Avaaz, waspart of our work on conflictsof interest, especially thecase of former IndustryCommissioner GünterVerheugen who set up hisown lobby consultancy afterleaving the Commission. TheCommission committed tostrengthen its rules onconflicts of interest forformer Commissioners.

Over 50,000 peopledemanded a toughercode of conduct for ex-Commissioners

100 young peopleattended the ‘Cancún inBrussels’ convergenceand took action forclimate justice in parallelwith the internationalclimate talks

Bringing Cancún to BrusselsIn parallel to the UNFCCCnegotiations in Cancún,Mexico, Young Friends of theEarth Europe organised ayouth convergence inBrussels. Two weeks ofactions, workshops, movies,discussion, debates andembassy visits. Over 100young people took positiveactions and put publicpressure on Europeandecision makers, calling forclimate justice in Cancún.

Small change for a bigdifferenceWe called on theEuropean Union to introducea financial transaction tax –a tiny tax on financial markettransactions that could raisehundreds of billions of Eurosannually for projects totackle poverty and climatechange. Actors from a broadcoalition of organisationsstaged symbolic tug-of-warsbetween bankers and thedeveloping world to send themessage for a tax to Headsof State and EU financeministers as they met in Brussels.

Youth activists bring Cancún to Brussels

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Advocating for real solutions

Promoting the Robin Hood tax outside the European Council

© FoEE

© Young FoEE

In 2010 we continued to work for environmental and social justice in Europe and around theglobe through our activities on issues including climate change, agrofuels, genetically modifiedcrops, corporate accountability, EU funds and extractive industries. We also built up a numberof new areas of campaigning to reflect our recognition of the most pressing environmentalchallenges. Through our projects our network goes from strength to strength, enabling us tobetter campaign for the interests of people and the planet on behalf of our grassrootsmembership. Here are highlights of just some of our activities in 2010.

Campaign highlights

CLIMATE JU

STICE

NOW!


7 countries visited bythe interactive audio-visual Energy Uniontour promotingintelligent energy

Intelligent energy toursEuropeWorking closelyalongside local and nationalFriends of the Earth membergroups the Energy Union tourvisited Croatia, Slovenia,Germany, Bulgaria, Spain,Belgium and the CzechRepublic, promoting thesensible use of energy andsustainable energyproduction. The interactivetour, with audiovisual artistsand musicians Coldcut,travelled by train with itsmessage of intelligent energy.

Revealing 2010’s worstlobbyistsThe Worst EULobbying Awards gave energygiant RWE (npower), GoldmanSachs, and derivatives lobbygroup ISDA the dubioushonour of being the worstlobbyists of 2010. Almost10,000 citizens across Europeparticipated in an online votefor the most deserving ofnominees, sending a clearmessage to EU transparencyand ethics CommissionerMaroš Šefčovič that a majorclean-up of the Brusselslobbying scene is urgentlyneeded. The awards,organised with CEO,Lobbycontrol and Spinwatchand supported byorganisations such as Oxfam,Attac and CAN Europe, exposeand counter dirty lobbyingtactics and privileged access.

The financial industry has an enormous influence onshaping the policy debate. I fully support the WorstLobbying Awards 2010 toexpose industry’s effect onEU policymaking

MEP Dennis de Jong, supportingthe Worst EU Lobbying Awards

Challenging the legality ofnew GMO rulesWecommissioned a legal analysisof European Commissionproposals to allowgovernments more autonomyover decisions to ban GM-crops. The conclusion: theproposals are deeply flawed,legally and politically. Wecalled on MEPs and memberstates to reject the originalproposals and ensure GM-freefood and farming.

Until member states’ demandsfor a full reassessment of therisks of GM-crops are met,there should be a moratoriumon authorising new GM-crops

The BBC quotes Friends of the Earthcampaigner Mute Schimpf

Measuring our resource use –a vital tool for resource-efficiency Europe is usingever more of the world’sresources, whilst throwingaway over five billion Eurosworth of valuable resourcesevery year. We held aconference and a seminar inthe European Parliament toargue for the need for Europeto measure and manage itsresource use, as highlightedin our ‘Measuring ourresource use’ briefing. Theseminar was particularlytargeted at the EuropeanCommission’s plans for aFlagship Initiative onResource Efficiency.

The European Commissionmust urgently adoptindicators for measuringEurope’s resource use

ENDS Europe quotes Friends of theEarth campaigner Michael Warhurst

Warning of the dangers ofemissions trading Thedangers of Europe’s relianceon carbon trading andoffsetting were spelled outby our briefing, showing thatthe Emissions Trading Systemis not delivering the CO2 cutsrequired by science, historicalresponsibility and soundfinancial practices, and thatover-reliance on carbonmarkets is obstructing theuse of other more effectivepolicy measures.

Revealing the facts

Promoting intelligent energy throughout Europe on the Energy Union tour

© Energy Union 2010

Saying no to tar sands at the Total headquarters in Paris

© Martin Leers

Counting the costs of tarsandsCitizens across Europevoiced their concerns over oilindustry investment in tarsands as part of our work toinfluence the Fuel QualityDirective and highlight thedevastating impacts tar sandsdevelopment will have inCongo, Jordan, Madagascar,Nigeria and Russia. Thisinitiative brought togetheranti-tar sands campaignersand concerned investors tocall on companies to disclosethe risks associated with theirtar sands investments.Representatives of affectedcommunities visitedshareholder meetings of BP,Shell and RBS.

Tar sands put vulnerablecommunities at risk, and willslow progress towards the EU’swider climate and energy goals

The Guardian quotes Friends of theEarth campaigner Darek Urbaniak

© FoEE

Casting votes in the Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2010


Questioning industry rhetoricin LiberiaOur campaignerstravelled to Liberia toinvestigate the use ofgovernment funds by steelgiant ArcelorMittal Liberia.The investigation raisedcritical questions about thecompany’s complicity in themisuse of millions of dollars.The subsequent reportresulted in a meetingbetween Friends of the EarthLiberia and Liberia’sPresident, and a call from thepresident to reform thegovernance andmanagement of countydevelopment funds in Liberia.

Criticising the Cancúnpackage Friends of the EarthEurope took concretedemands to the UN climateconference in Cancún,Mexico, and criticised theEuropean Union’s inaction.The negotiations ended withthe world further away froma just and strong agreementon tackling dangerousclimate change. The weakpackage adopted lackssubstance and pushes for anexpansion of ineffectivecarbon markets. We willcontinue to build a diverseglobal civil society movementto achieve climate justice,and push for action in Europe– now more urgent than ever.

Justice was not done inCopenhagen – and neither wasit done here in Cancún. There isa long and challenging way togo to achieve the strong andfair agreement we need

The Parliament Magazine quotesFriends of the Earth campaignerSusann Scherbarth

Taking the voice of youth toclimate talks Four days ofaction during the UN climatetalks in Bonn, Germanybrought together youthactivists at a camp for climateaction. Young Friends of theEarth Europe took nonviolentdirect action and publiclydemonstrated againstEurope’s inadequateemissions reductions targetsand false solutions to theclimate crisis. Additionally,Young Friends of the EarthEurope ran a workshop forover 35 representatives ofyouth groups from theUNFCCC’s youth caucus,exploring the youthperspective on climate justice.

Influencing the debate

11 African countriesstudied in our report on land-grabbing whichfound at least fivemillion hectares of landis being acquired toproduce biofuels

Mapping land-grabs in AfricaOur ‘Africa: up for grabs’report, with Friends of theEarth Nigeria, looked at elevenAfrican countries and foundat least five million hectaresof land – an area the size ofDenmark – is being acquiredby foreign companies toproduce biofuels mainly forthe European market.Activists dressed as ‘biofuelbandits’ grabbed land outsidethe European Commissionheadquarters to warn that EUbiofuels targets are leading touncontrollable land-grabbingfrom poor communities inAfrica, pushing more peopleinto hunger.

The EU’s mandatory targetfor increasing agrofuels is a clear driver to the land-grabbing in Africa

Bloomberg quotes Friends of theEarth campaigner Adrian Bebb

World Bank urged to stop dirtybusiness Our campaignershanded out dirty contracts forso-called ‘clean coal’ outside aconsultation between bankers,EU officials, industryrepresentatives and otherstakeholders, in a symbol ofthe disastrous impacts of theWorld Bank’s financing onclimate change and theworld’s poorest people. Similar demonstrations tookplace in South Africa and theUnited States; all part ofongoing campaigns saying ‘no’ to dirty coal and thelocking-in of carbon intensiveenergy models.

European Ombudsman findsCommission guilty ofintransparency andmaladministration Friendsof the Earth Europetransparency campaignersfiled a complaint followingcorrespondence between theEuropean Commission andcarmaker Porsche about CO2emissions from cars. TheEuropean Ombudsmanfound the Commissionguilty, stating that the failureto disclose the entirety of theletters was a clear instanceof maladministration.

Rights for people, rules for business As part of theEuropean Coalition forCorporate Justice welaunched the SO-OWEExhibition with a screening to over 400 people in Berlin.The exhibition, also availableonline at www.so-owe.org,shows cases of corporateirresponsibility and abuse,and is a tool for our work to demand binding legalframeworks for business to protect people againstcorporate abuse. In 2010, the European Commissionannounced that it will takemeasures to improveenvironmental and socialreporting of companies andthat it will develop a newcorporate social responsibilitypolicy. Issues brought forwardby Friends of the EarthEurope and ECCJ areprominently on the agenda.

Drawing attention to corporate abuses, on the15th anniversary of the execution of humanrights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa

© FoEE

Handing out dirty contracts for ‘clean coal’

© FoEE

© FoEI

Marching for climate justice in Cancún

Youth activists at the climate talks in Bonn

© Young FoEE


Changing perspectives onthe EU budgetOur proposal,joint with coalition partners,on how to allocate the EUbudget was launched at aconference bringing togetherdecision-makers, journalistsand experts. We believe theEU budget must be used toshape a sustainable future.Environmentally harmfulsubsidies must be stoppedand energy savings, andtackling biodiversity loss andresource inefficiency shouldbe prioritised.

Biofuels – driving todestruction Research intoindirect land use changereleased with 57 nationalcampaign groups across 21countries caused a mediastorm with over 400 articlesworldwide. Raising awarenessof the destructive climate andland use impacts of biofuels isan important part of ourstrategy to get governmentsand the EuropeanCommission to urgentlyreview the real impacts ofbiofuels on climate changeand food security.

120,000 against illegaltimber trade Over 120,000European citizens signed apetition asking European lawmakers to put a stop to theillegal timber trade. Thepetition, organised withcitizen’s network Avaaz, called on MEPs to ban illegallyharvested timber from the EUmarket. A new law waspassed following over tenyears of campaigning fromFriends of the Earth Europe –it’s a welcome step towards alevel playing field in theinternational timber sectorfor forest dependent people.We will continue to followthe implementation processto ensure countries andcompanies turn it into aneffective law.

120,000 people signeda petition against theillegal timber trade

In the moo-d for CAP reformCampaigners dressed as cowscalled for rainforest-free foodand farming at the start of the EU’s CommonAgricultural Policy reform. Our new agriculturecampaign is calling for thereform to help farmers swapimported soy animal feed forhome-grown alternatives. Theexpansion of soy plantationsis one of the major drivers ofdeforestation and ruralconflict in South America.

500,000 new jobs couldbe created by increasingrecycling across Europe

Creating more jobs, and lesswaste Our study ‘More Jobs,Less Waste’ shows how anincrease in recycling acrossEurope could create at least500,000 new jobs. This studyhas since been quoted by theEnvironment CommissionerJanez Potočnik, and wasmentioned in theCommission’s FlagshipInitiative on ResourceEfficiency.

Leading change at HarvardCampaigners andcommunicators from acrossthe Friends of the EarthEurope network participatedin an online course atHarvard University led byMarshall Ganz, campaignadvisor to President Obama.Focusing on empowermentand mobilisation, the courseprojects aimed to bring thevoices of European citizensdirectly to decision-makers.Learning from the coursewas put into practice withthe creation of a toolkit ofresources to communicateclimate justice, and a videoof climate justicetestimonies from Europe.

Summer training camp,Poland 45 young activistsfrom 17 countries acrossEurope met in Poland forfive days of training runjointly by Young Friends ofthe Earth Europe andFriends of the Earth Poland.The camp delivered keycampaign and action skillstraining to enable youngpeople to deliver effectivepolitical campaigns in theirlocal and national contexts.Emphasis on engagingyouth from countries with aweaker culture of youthenvironmental activismmeant key groups, notablyPoland, Hungary, Croatiaand Cyprus, were involved.The event was covered byregional Polish TV.

Building stronger membergroups 2010 was the secondyear of an ambitiousnetwork capacity buildingproject. The ‘Kolga’ project‘twins’ members of ournetwork from the Balticregion – Finland, Denmark,Poland and Sweden – withsupporting partners fromFriends of the Earth England,Wales and Northern Ireland,Germany, the Netherlandsand Switzerland. Through aseries of meetings, strategictrainings and study visitsthe groups supported andinspired each other towardsbecoming stronger andmore effective.

Building on our strengths

814,000 people visitedthe Friends of the EarthEurope website –www.foeeurope.org –throughout the year to find out more about our work

Working with the mediaWorking with Friends of theEarth International and IPSnews agency, we hosted amedia workshop forEuropean journalists andcommunicators from ournetwork. Speakers fromFriends of the Earth Europeand International gaveinsights into EU climatepolicy, gas flaring in Nigeria,agrofuels in Australia and thelink between corporations,biodiversity and the foodcrisis in Latin America.

Developing media skills in our network

© FoEE

© FoEE

Calling for rainforest-free food and farming

Engaging youth from across Europe at the YFoEE summer camp

© Young FoEE

more jo

bs,

less waste

New challenges

Friends of the Earth Europe built up a number of new areas ofcampaigning in 2010 – this reflects our recognition of the mostpressing environmental challenges, and opportunities we see toinfluence EU decisions which have implications for people and theenvironment across the globe. Here are some of the emergingareas of focus for our work for environmental and social justice.

We would like to see legislation that does not make it profitable to destroy biodiversityThe European Voice quotes Friends of the Earth campaigner Friedrich Wulf

Measuring is the first step towards decreasing resource use and becoming a more efficient economyEurActiv quotes Friends of the Earth campaigner Michael Warhurst

Resources Challenging over-consumption, including its Europeanand global impacts is the overarching goal which shapes allFriends of the Earth Europe’s campaigns. Europe’s resource use isat unsustainable levels, and is inequitable, with Europeans usingfar more than their fair share of the world’s resources comparedto those in poorer regions. To this end we are expanding our workon resource use. Our focus is on getting the EU to adopt indicatorsto measure this resource use, as a first step in achieving anabsolute reduction of Europe’s global resource footprint. Wewant to highlight the devastating impacts of consumption, anddevelop a positive vision of a more sustainable Europe.

Agriculture The biggest and most fundamental shake up of theEU’s Common Agricultural Policy, since it was established in the1960s, began in 2010 and will last until 2013. The next fewyears will therefore be crucial in determining what directionEuropean farming, and its impact in the world, takes. We havealready made our voice heard in the debate and are influencingthe reform towards a more people and planet-friendlyagricultural system in Europe. A new Common AgriculturalPolicy must stop driving deforestation in South America, stopexacerbating the impacts of intensive agriculture, and end thecorporate control of farming and the food chain.


We need a fundamental shift in subsidies to help European farmers put home-fed animals in our fields and rainforest-free food on our shelves

The Parliament Magazine quotes Friends of the Earth campaigner Mute Schimpf

A pyramid of species, emphasising the role of humans in preserving biodiversity, on biodiversity day in Hungary© FoE Hungary

Energy efficiency Among the solutions to climate change at-hand in Europe, we see energy savings as key. Energyefficiency offers the biggest potential to cut emissions, yet sofar there is no binding target – making this the missing link inEU energy policy and the new focus of our energy work.Cutting consumption at home is crucial to achieving at least40% domestic emissions reductions and avoiding catastrophicclimate change – the overall aim of Friends of the Earth’sclimate campaign. We are also stressing the other benefits ofsaving energy, like creating millions of green jobs, reducingimport dependency and slashing household bills.

Biodiversity Protecting biodiversity is at the heart of what manyof our member groups do, and our network already doesimportant practical nature protection work on the ground andhas considerable expertise and credibility on this issue. But, as thecollapse of biodiversity continues at an alarming pace, we identifythe need to campaign on the international, as well as nationaland local level. Last year was International Year of Biodiversity andthe year Europe failed to meet its deadline for stoppingbiodiversity loss. We attended the international biodiversityconference in Nagoya and made plans which will build uppressure on Europe to protect ecosystems.



Scotland Securing lowcarbon power Workingalongside a local group, andas part of the ‘Low CarbonPower’ campaign, Friends ofthe Earth Scotland collectedand delivered letters to thelocal council speaking outagainst new coaldevelopments inHunterston. Researchshowing how all Scotland’senergy needs can be metwith renewables backed upthe claim. The report, called‘Power of Scotland Secured’,shows that not only canScotland meet its ownelectricity needs fromrenewables, it can also shareresources with others.

Cyprus Putting a stop topoaching Friends of the EarthCyprus and the CommitteeAgainst Bird Slaughterlaunched a new campaignagainst bird trapping andpoaching, called ‘StopPoaching Now!’. In one of themost important migratoryroutes for wild birds in theregion, a bird protectioncamp was organised toensure a route safe fromillegal bird trapping andkilling. Activists locateddozens of trapping spots,conducted nonviolent directactions and dismantledhundreds of illegal trappingdevices, liberatingendangered wild birds.Hundreds of people called forthe repeal of a proposed lawamendment to weakenexisting poaching legislation.

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Germany Minimising‘Amflora’ cultivationFollowing the green light forBASF’s GM-potato ‘Amflora’,Friends of the EarthGermany maintainedpressure to restrict itscultivation with localactions, panel discussions,press work, and nonviolentdirect actions at the BASFheadquarters. Only onefarmer cultivated the potatoin 2010, and in 2011 not asingle farmer will grow‘Amflora’ in Germany, apartfrom two hectares plannedfor a ‘display-garden’ by thebiotech industry. Planting the roots of Belgium’s first peoples’ forest

© FoE Flanders and Brussels

Fixing Finnish climate politics

© FoE Finland

Acting out against new coal developments in Scotland

© FoE Scotland

Hungary Closer to a climatelaw After one and a halfyears of campaigning byFriends of the EarthHungary, the HungarianClimate Bill was debated inthe Hungarian Parliament. Apublic campaign continuesto strengthen public andNGO support to pressuredecision-makers to committo an essential climate law.

Lobbying in front of parliament in Budapest, in support of a climate law

© FoE Hungary

Belgium Planting a people’sforest Over 100 volunteersplanted more than fivehectares with regional treesand shrubs as part of the‘Lappersforest Oxygen Forestproject’. This constituted thefinal hectares of the forest,relocated from the BrugesLappersfort forest and savedthanks to successive peacefuloccupations and discussions,and financed entirelythrough public donations.This is the first communityshared forest in Belgium. Bythe end of this year Friendsof the Earth Flanders andBrussels will have planted20,000 trees and will havecreated two entirely newforests in Ostend, on thecoast of Belgium.

Finland ‘Lobbying’ en-massefor a climate lawMore than60 ‘lobbyists’ met with 40Finnish MPs from differentpolitical parties as part ofFriends of the Earth Finland’smass lobby event. The eventincluded training for activistsand an opportunity to getfirst-hand experience atlobbying. The FinnishParliament House wasturned into a constructionsite, and a banner read:“Lobbying work in progress –We are fixing Finnish climatepolitics”. More than onethird of MPs are now infavour of a climate law.

Campaigning with and for people across Europe Highlights of our member groups’ achievements in 2010


Spain 15,000 say no to GMOsFriends of the Earth Spain,with Via Campesina andother allies, mobilised 15,000people to say no to GMOs andcall for GM-free food andfarming. This was thehighlight of a year ofcontinued mobilisationagainst GM-crops: with streetactions, press work, reports,and the publication of theexact locations of GMO fieldtrials. Step by step theSpanish public are becomingmore aware of the problemwith GMOs, and movingtowards a GM-free society.

Scotland Cleaning up theRoyal Bank of ScotlandWitha coalition of organisations,Friends of the Earth Scotlandheld a week of action duringthe Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS) AGM in Edinburgh,culminating in analternative AGM. Rattled bythe level of activity RBSChair Sir Philip Hamptoninvited Friends of the EarthScotland to discuss theirconcerns – where RBS weretold to clean up their act.

Cyprus Promoting climatejustice and energy sovereigntyIn support of the wave ofEuropean mobilisation in therun up to, and during, COP16in Cancún, Friends of the EarthCyprus organised numerousdemonstrations and producedreports highlighting the needfor climate justice and energysovereignty. One street actioninvolved Themis – the AncientGreek Goddess of Justice –holding planet earth andcorporate profits in balance,and was a critique of thedisregard for people andplanet in favour of corporateprofits visible in Cancún.

Hungary Achieving anational ban of the‘Amflora’ GM potato Friendsof the Earth Hungary wasinstrumental in a nationalban of the ‘Amflora’ GMpotato. They convinced thegovernment to submit acomplaint to the EuropeanCourt of Justice followingthe European Commission’sapproval for its cultivation.

The Netherlands CallingShell to account Friends ofthe Earth Netherlandscontinues to expose thedirty practices of Shell. Theypresented 30,000 signaturesto the Shell HQ demandingan end to illegal gas-flaringin Nigeria. A report drawingcomparisons between theGulf of Mexico Deep Horizonoil spill and the continualspillages in Nigeria resultedin a Parliamentary hearing.All this while sustained legalpressure keeps Shell in courtover the Ikot Ada Udo spillcase, with hearingsscheduled in 2011.

Switzerland Building an arkfor biodiversity An ‘Ark ofBiodiversity’ was deliveredto the Swiss parliament toillustrate the need toaddress biodiversity loss,before being shown invarious cities in the country.The wooden vessel showsvarious representations ofendangered species, madeby children, and forms partof a large educationprogramme for children toraise awareness aboutbiodiversity and habitat loss.

Hungary Acting together to protect biodiversityAcrobats dressed as animalsformed a pyramid to raisepublic awareness about the importance of speciesinterdependence on theInternational Day ofBiodiversity. Alongsidespeeches, songs and facepainting, Friends of theEarth Hungary emphasisedthat people are part ofbiodiversity, and we have to act together to protect it.

Raising public awareness about biodiversity in Hungary

© FoE Hungary

A chain reaction against nuclear power in Germany© FoE Germany

Joining forces to defend Norway’s coast from oil exploration

© FoE Norway/Jo Straube

FoE Switzerland’s ‘Ark of Biodiversity’ in front of the Houses of Parliament, Berne

© FoE Switzerland

Spain More success forclimate change documentaryFriends of the Earth Spain’s2009 documentary showingthe impacts of climatechange in Spain throughpersonal testimonies touredEurope and receivedinternational acclaim. Thefilm was screened at eleveninternational festivals andwas awarded multiple prizes.The film will continue its tourshowing climate change isnot something that will onlyhappen in the future but isalready a reality.

Bearing witness to global climate injustice in Cyprus

© FoE Cyprus

Norway Saving Norway’s codpopulation One thousandpeople gathered in Lofoten,Norway, to protest againstthe expansion of the oilindustry into this uniquecoastal area – home to one ofthe world’s largest coral reefs,and the birth place of the laststrong cod population.Norwegian members ofparliament attended thegathering, organised incooperation with thegrassroots movementPeoples Campaign AgainstOil Drilling. The campaignachieved its goal at thebeginning of 2011, withgovernment legislationbanning oil drilling off thecoast outside Lofoten,Vesterålen and Senja.

Germany Chain reactionMore than 140,000 peopletook part in anti-nucleardemonstrations and formeda 120 kilometre humanchain across Germany aspart of the ongoing anti-nuclear campaign of Friendsof the Earth Germany. A further 100,000demonstrated later in theyear – a clear sign that theGerman population will nottolerate nuclear power, andthe accelerated phase-out ofdangerous nuclear powerplants is essential.


In 2010 Friends of the Earth Europe produced the followingpublications, all of which are available on our website –www.foeeurope.org/publications – or by contacting us.

Food and Farming: From forest to fork(December 2010)A report revealing howgrowing European demand for cattle,soy and sugar is destroying Brazil’sforests and damaging the climate.

Agrofuels: Jatropha: Money doesn’tgrow on trees (December 2010) Themuch-touted biofuel crop Jatropha isneither a profitable nor sustainableinvestment according to this report –warning investors away from thisenvironmentally damaging crop.

Climate justice: The Cancún agreement:not worth cheering (December 2010) Abriefing analysing the agreement madeat the COP16 climate negotiations, andcomparing it to what science andjustice demand.

EU funds: Changing perspectives(November 2010) Detailing 10 guidingprinciples, this report envisions a soundEU-budget with clear targets, improvedefficiency and accountability.

Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology,climate and energy: over-heatedpromises and hot air (November 2010)This report demonstrates thatnanotech is currently failing to deliverbenefits for global warming, resourcedepletion and pollution.

Agrofuels: Driving to destruction(November 2010) This study analysesthe likely impacts on land use andgreenhouse gas emissions of biofueluse by 2020 – including factors fromindirect land use change.

Climate justice: The EU Emissions TradingSystem: failing to deliver (October 2010)Proving that Europe’s Emissions TradingSystem is failing to deliver, this reportshows that reliance upon it meansEurope will continue to fail to meet itsshare of the climate challenge.

Waste: More jobs, less waste(September 2010)At least 500,000 newjobs would be created in Europe ifcountries recycled 70% more of theirwaste, this study argues.

Agrofuels: Africa: Up for grabs (August 2010) This investigation revealsthat the amount of land being taken inAfrica to meet Europe’s increasingdemand for biofuels is underestimatedand out of control.

Agrofuels: Three briefings on indirectland use change and emissions frombiofuels (August 2010) A series ofbriefings looking at three differentdisplacement chains, illustrating thereality of indirect land use change, andhow Europe’s biofuel targets could beaggravating climate change.

Extractive industries: Working fordevelopment? (June 2010) This reportraises critical questions aboutArcelorMittal’s complicity in the misuseof government funds in Liberia.

Friends of the Earth Europe: Friends ofthe Earth Europe Annual Review 2009(May 2010)

Extractive industries: Tar sands – fuellingthe climate crisis, undermining EU energysecurity and damaging developmentobjectives (May 2010) This report revealsthat the global development of tar sandswill magnify the climate crisis anddamage Europe’s environmental anddevelopment objectives.

Resources: Measuring our resource use(April 2010) The European Union musttake steps towards measuring resourceuse, this study demands, and adoptpolicies to increase resource efficiency,such as higher recycling targets.

Transparency: Bursting the Brusselsbubble (April 2010) An eye-openinginsight into decision-making within theEuropean Union, this book is a valuableguide to fighting for greatertransparency and accountability.

Transparency: Lobbying in Brussels(April 2010)Despite attempts to securetransparency, this report confirms thatlobbying in Brussels by Europe’s 50largest companies happens in secret.

Agrofuels: Too green to be true (March 2010) This report reveals thatthe Malaysian palm oil company, IOIGroup, fails to live up to itsenvironmental promises in theIndonesian part of Borneo.

EU funds: Potential unfulfilled (March 2010) There is still a vast gapbetween intentions to achieve positiveclimate objectives, and actual use ofavailable EU money in central andeastern Europe, this report finds.

Extractive industries: Cashing-in on tarsands (March 2010) Documenting theUK banks involved in financing tarsands – this report highlights theimpacts of extraction on local peoples’health, land rights and livelihoods, aswell as the environment.

Publications


Youth activists taking action in Brussels against nuclear power© Young FoEE

Young Friends of the Earth Europe: Building a youth movement The Young Friends of the Earth Europe network has been getting stronger and more dynamic since it was officially founded in2007, with each of the last three years empowering successively more young people, in more ways, on social andenvironmental justice issues.

In 2010 our grassroots network of vibrant local youth groups and young people inspired young people on a local, national andEuropean level and strengthened the voice of the youth movement. Through networking and grassroots training events,nonviolent direct action, great events, building links and sharing knowledge between activists, we enabled young people torun successful political campaigns and to bring attention to what we as young people think.

A few of our highlights from 2010 are:

• Our summer camp in Poland, organised with Friends of the Earth Poland, where 45 young activists from 17 countries

met for five days of training. Everyone took part in campaign and action skills training meaning we can campaign

effectively locally and nationally

• Four days of action during the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany. Youth activists from across our network took

nonviolent direct action and demonstrated against Europe’s inadequate emissions reductions targets and false solutions

to the climate crisis

• The youth convergence ‘Cancún in Brussels’ which we ran in parallel to the international climate negotiations in Mexico.

We organised two whole weeks of actions, workshops, movies, discussions, debates and embassy visits during which over

100 young people took positive action and put pressure on European decision makers, calling for climate justice in Cancún

• We represented Young Friends of the Earth Europe at the biennial meeting of Friends of the Earth International

in Indonesia, bringing recognition, and the voice, of the youth network to the global stage.


Financial information

Income sources 2010 (in euros)

Operational grant - EUProject grants - EUProject grants - national governmentsProject grants - foundationsProject contributions - membersMembership feesOther income

Total income 2010

Operational grant - EUProject grants - EUProject grants - national governmentsProject grants - foundationsProject contributions - membersMembership feesOther income

Expenditure 2010 (in euros)

Campaigning and communicationsNetwork developmentSupport to national campaignsManagement and organisational developmentAdministration, IT and office costs

Total expenditure 2010

Reserves carried forward (2%)

Campaigning and communicationsNetwork developmentSupport to national campaignsManagement and organisational developmentAdministration, IT and office costs

764,084361,220113,523

1,007,24328,443 190,947 18,559

2,484,019

1,134,500142,995369,808352,476434,240

2,434,019

50,000

46%6%15%14%17%

Thank you! Friends of the Earth Europe’s work would not be possible were it not for the support of our donors. We would liketo thank the following institutions and foundations who helped fund our work: EU Commission Directorate General (DG)Environment, the EU Commission DG Development, the EU Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, the EUEducation, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency, the James M Goldsmith Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign AffairsNetherlands, Isvara Foundation, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Oak Foundation, the European Climate Foundation, David and LucillePackard Foundation, Oxfam Novib, Misereor and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Thanks also to Friends of the EarthEurope national member groups and Friends of the Earth International.

Full copies of Friends of the Earth Europe’s accounts are available from the Belgian National Bank at www.nbb.be from 1st July 2011.

Quote company number 0443.252.089

Details of our funding can be found on our website: www.foeeurope.org/about/english.htm

31%15%5%40%1%8%<1%

Friends of the Earth Europe ANNUAL REVIEW 2010 | 15Friends of the Earth Europe ANNUAL REVIEW 2010 | 15

Looking ahead – our work in 2011In 2011 Friends of the Earth Europe will mark a quarter of a century of work in Brussels for environmental and social justice.In this 25th anniversary year, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Earth International federation, we continue to be guided by our vision of future sustainable and just societies.

Our activities in 2011 will take many forms and will focus on:

• pushing for binding energy savings targets, and strong policies so every country contributes to reducing energy consumption,

thereby cutting emissions, creating millions of green jobs, reducing import dependency, and lowering household bills

• mobilising European citizens in the ongoing fight against climate change, focusing on the increasingly limited atmospheric

space available and the need for a far-reaching and socially just transformation in the way we produce and consume

• challenging over-consumption and Europe’s unsustainable and inequitable use of the world’s resources,

by first getting the EU to measure its resource footprint

• stopping oil from tar sands entering the European market, including making sure the Fuel Quality Directive is fully

utilised to combat the most climate hostile and devastating of energy sources

• continuing our tireless work for lobby transparency and exposing corporate capture of EU decision-making,

especially on climate policy

• maintaining the stance we share with a huge majority of European citizens against genetically modified crops,

and opposing European Commission attempts to weaken the GMO safety net

• shaping the debate on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy towards more people and planet-friendly farming

• building up our work on biodiversity to make sure decision-makers are aware of the dire state of biodiversity in Europe

and the serious implications this has for the future of people and planet

• enabling people to take action against the destructive impacts of the large scale use of agrofuels

• influencing the next budget phase of the European Union so that it fosters sustainable development and catalyses

transformation to a low energy, renewable-based and resource-efficient society

• collecting stories and images to celebrate the anniversaries of Friends of the Earth Europe and International

and the strength and diversity of our unique global environmental federation.

To find out more about any of our activities please visit www.foeeurope.org or contact us.

Youth activists calling for system change, not climate change, at UN climate talks© Young FoEE

Published April 2011. Printed on 100% recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks

Austria, Vienna Global 2000 | Global 2000. Belgium – Wallonie, Namur Les Amis de la Terre | Friends of the Earth. Belgium –Flanders, Gent Friends of the Earth Vlaanderen & Brussel | Friends of the Earth Flanders & Brussels. Croatia, Zagreb Zelena Akcija| Green Action. Cyprus, Limassol Friends of the Earth | Friends of the Earth. Czech Republic, Brno Hnutí Duha | RainbowMovement. Denmark, Copenhagen NOAH | NOAH. England/Wales/Northern Ireland, London Friends of the Earth | Friends ofthe Earth. Estonia, Tartu. Eesti Roheline Liikumine | Estonian Green Movement. Finland, Turku Maan Ystävät Ry | Friends of theEarth. France, Montreuil. Les Amis de la Terre | Friends of the Earth. Georgia, Tbilisi Sakhartvelos Mtsvaneta Modzraoba | GreensMovement of Georgia. Germany, Berlin Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland | Association for Environment andNature Protection. Hungary, Budapest Magyar Természetvédok Szövetsége | National Society of Conservationists. Ireland, DublinFriends of the Earth | Friends of the Earth. Italy, Rome Amici della Terra | Friends of the Earth. Latvia, Riga Zemes Draugi | Friendsof the Earth Lithuania, Kaunas Lietuvos Zaliuju Judéjimas | Lithuanian Green Movement. Luxembourg, Luxembourg MouvementEcologique | Ecological Movement. Macedonia, Skopje Dvizhenje na Ekologistite na Makedonija | Ecologist’s Movement ofMacedonia. Malta, Valletta Moviment ghall-Ambjent | Movement for the Environment. The Netherlands, Amsterdam VerenigingMilieudefensie | Environmental Defence. Norway, Oslo Norges Naturvernforbund | Norwegian Society for the Conservation ofNature. Poland, Krakow Polski Klub Ekologiczny | Polish Ecological Club. Scotland, Edinburgh Friends of the Earth Scotland |Friends of the Earth Scotland. Slovakia, Banska Bystrica Priatelia Zeme – Slovensko | Friends of the Earth Slovakia. Spain, MadridAmigos de la Tierra | Friends of the Earth. Sweden, Gothenburg Miljöförbundet Jordens Vänner | Environmental Group Friendsof the Earth. Switzerland, Basel Pro Natura | Friends of the Earth Switzerland. Ukraine, Kiev Zelenyi Svit | Green World.

for the people | for the planet | for the future

Friends of the Earth EuropeMundo-B Building, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Brussels, Belgiumtel: +32 2 893 1000 fax: +32 2 893 1035e: [email protected] www.foeeurope.orgwww.facebook.com/FoEEuropewww.twitter.com/foeeurope

annual review 2010 - friends of the earth europe · 2015. 12. 7. · giant rwe (npower), goldman...

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