School reports on Leadership

Bonn, Germany, June 11 – With the UNFCCC climate conference in Bonn drawing to a close, leaders of industrialised nations were criticised for failing to show leadership on climate change.

Young activists from Young Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth International rewarded end of term school reports, with a “Pass” or “Fail” award, to each of the government leaders, depending on their progress during the last two weeks.

Friends of the Earth International is critical of the role that industrialised countries are playing in the UN climate negotiations, by avoiding taking action at home, promoting carbon offsetting and other false solutions to the climate crisis. Governments have the responsibility to ensure that people and the planet are protected from climate change. Read the blog report of the action here

Read FoEE press release

Environment groups: European Commission off target

Brussels, June 10 – Friends of the Earth Europe and the ‘Green 10’ coalition of leading environmental organisations described the environmental record of the outgoing European Commission as worryingly off target, at a press conference in Brussels, as they published an assessment of the Barroso Commission, giving it an overall mark of 4.4/10.

In all, the ‘Green 10’ report examines successes and failures in 12 policy areas that impact the environment, and sets out a checklist for the next Commission. The Green 10 blamed the low score on, among other things, a failure to reform agriculture and fisheries policies, and, more broadly, to propose sustainable economic policies. But there were some positive notes, notably in climate, energy and transport policy. Download the report here

Read more

Politicians, have you done your homework?

Bonn, Germany, June 5 – On World Environment Day, leaders of industrialised nations were criticised for failing to do their homework on climate change, and were "kept behind after school" for their failure to take action to achieve fair solutions to the climate crisis.

Young activists from Young Friends of the Earth Europe and Friends of the Earth International wore masks with the faces of government leaders, and took their place in a classroom built outside the Maritim Hotel in Bonn. The leaders were forced to write out that they must commit to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 40% by 2020, to repay their climate debt and to promise not to invest in offsets, coal and nuclear. Watch the video here

Read more

New campaign 'pins down' prospective MEPs

Brussels, April 29 – A Europe-wide campaign launched in Brussels today with FoEE campaigners challenging prospective MEP candidates outside European Parliament to show their support for a European Union that puts public interests before private profits – ahead of June’s European Parliament elections.

At www.electioncampaign.eu voters from all 27 EU member states can ‘pin down’ MEP candidates by asking them where they stand on issues including lobbying transparency, big business accountability, trade, and financial market regulation.

Read more

Financial Fools Day – We won't pay for their crisis

Brussels, 1 April – Brussels-based environment, development, farming and transparency campaign organisations denounced the EU’s continuing contribution to the financial crises and the limited solutions it is advocating at the G20 with a theatre spectacle in front of the European Council from today.

Politicians and citizens battled their way out of the financial crisis, to the backdrop of a stock-exchange on stilts – all part of “Financial Fools Day”, a global day of action on the eve of the G20 meeting in London. 

Read more

EU must not cool its commitment to efficient appliances

Brussels, March 12 – Climate campaigners dressed as penguins set up a " penguin refugee camp" made of refrigerators in front of the Berlaymont building.

Environmental organisations are urging Europe not to agree weak energy efficiency measures and confusing changes to energy labels for key appliances. An Avaaz petition signed by over 116,000 citizens across Europe was delivered to a representative of the European Commission.

Read more

EU banks on insiders to fix the financial crisis

Brussels, 25 February – European leaders handling the economic downturn are relying on the advice of a committee dominated by financial industry insiders implicated in the current crisis, says a new report.

'Would You Bank on Them?' examines the track records of members of the EU’s High Level Group of financial “wise men”, who are charged with helping to frame Europe’s response to the meltdown in the financial sector. The group, named after its chairman Jacques de Larosière, is expected to deliver its proposals for reform of the financial system to the Commission today.

Read more

Private screening of the film ‘The Age of Stupid’ with producer Franny Armstrong at the European Parliament

Brussels, 10 February – this private screening of the film ‘The Age of Stupid’ took place at the European Parliament before its official release in the UK (15th of March) and was co-hosted by the Members of Parliament Caroline Lucas, Jens Holm, Vittorio Prodi, Anders Wijkman and Riitta Myller. The event was organised by Friends of the Earth Europe and Greenpeace European Unit and was a unique opportunity to screen a powerful film on the consequences of climate change to a public within the EU institutions.

Read more