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for the people | for the planet | for the future

our impactFriends of the Earth Europe Annual Review 2014

2 | FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPE

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPEWHO WE ARE / welcome

Friends of the Earth Europe Annual General Meeting, Spain, 2014. © FoEE

who we areFriends of the Earth Europe Annual Review 2014

eu-us trade deal 10

member groups’ highlights 12

keepers: PROTECTING NATURE 16

financial information 18

looking ahead 19

welcome 3

campaign highlights 2014 4energy & climate 4food & agriculture 6corporate accountability 7resource use, eu funds & DEREGULATION 9

contents

Friends of the Earth Europe Board 2014-15Lawrence Sudlow, Friends of the Earth Spain – Chair; Bertrand Sansonnens, Friends of theEarth Switzerland – Secretary; Katie Kiria,Friends of the Earth Georgia – Treasurer; Andy Atkins, Friends of the Earth England,Wales and Northern Ireland – Member; EddieOlsson, Friends of the Earth Sweden – Member.

Cover image: Silje Lundberg from Young Friends of the EarthNorway is a leader in the campaign to protect the Lofoten islandsfrom oil exploration, natures-keepers.org © Luka Tomac / FoEE

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH EUROPE | 3

friends of the earth europeannual review 2014

It gives me great pleasure to introduce this review of our work and the impact we have had over the last year.

At a time when the political climate in Brussels is posing new threats to our work, it isheartening to be reminded of the strength and diversity of our network, and of the workof citizens and communities across Europe who are at the forefront of real solutions tobenefit people and planet.

Last year saw familiar obstacles as well as some emerging threats. The new EuropeanCommission, under the guise of ‘better regulation’, seems set on pursuing an ideologicalagenda against environmental and social policies, with potentially disastrous consequences.

This has so far resulted in the scrapping of key sustainable resource use and recyclingtargets – the so-called ‘circular economy package’. The worry is there may be more tocome in 2015, with vital nature protection laws being called into question. At the sametime, negotiations for the proposed EU-US trade deal rumble on, representing a similarassault on our hard-won environmental, social and health standards in Europe.

At a time when policymakers are lagging behind, citizens and communities are leadingthe way. Local energy projects are springing up across Europe, and taking back control of our energy system. Food co-operatives, farmers’ markets and community-supportedagriculture systems are leading the way for a better food future.

Nature protection is also ever-strong at the local level. Last year also saw the launch ofour ‘Keepers’ photography exhibition and book, bringing together conservationists from13 member groups fighting to protect wild nature across the continent.

As we face the challenges of 2015, some of the obstacles may be new, but our motivationremains the same. As Andreas Demetropoulos from Cyprus, profiled in ‘Keepers’ put it,“It’s a matter of love; when you love something you are committed to looking after it. You see how things should be in the future, and this horizon keeps you going”.

For me, for all of us in the Friends of the Earth network, and for everyone who shares ourvalues, it is vital that we retain our commitment to our vision of the future, and do not lose sight of this horizon.

our impact

/ the European arm of Friends

of the Earth International,

the world’s largest grassroots

environmental network

/ The European network’s

representative at the heart of

the European Union campaigning

for sustainable solutions to

benefit the planet, people

and our future, influencing

European and EU policy and

raising public awareness

on environmental issues

/ The largest grassroots

environmental network in

Europe uniting 32 national

member organisations and

thousands of local activist

groups across Europe

/ The people’s voice at the heart

of the European Union

Magda Stoczkiewicz, Director,Friends of the Earth Europemay 2015


Campaign highlights 2014climate & energy

The process to develop climate and energypolicies for Europe for 2030 began badly.The first proposal from the EuropeanCommission, early in 2014, did not eveninclude a target for reducing energy use.Friends of the Earth Europe did a numberof things to correct this.

We exposed flaws in the Commission’smethodology and were able to convincenational and EU officials that much moreambitious savings make economic sense.We pushed for improvements, as didseven member state ministries.

This was accompanied by articles by theFinancial Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC andother media which helped highlight the roleof efficiency in reducing gas imports.

All this resulted in a reversal from theCommission which later in the yearrecommended 30% energy efficiency aspart the EU’s 2030 climate package. Aweaker target of ‘at least 27% savings’ wasadopted by heads of state. But the factthere is a long-term energy savings targetat all can be traced to Friends of the Earth.

The difference we made is still paying offwith good chances the target will beincreased in future.

Energy savings improved

“It’s a deal that puts dirtyindustry interests ahead of citizens and the planet.”

brook riley, energy campaignerin the financial times

Dirty energy ‘lobbyists’ blocking the road to a clean energy future. © FoEE & Oxfam



Ahead of the COP20 UN climate talks inLima in December, Young Friends of theEarth Europe called for climate justicealongside many other civil societyorganisations at the Social pre-COP inVenezuela. Then they brought 50European youth to Brussels in Decemberfor a parallel ‘Lima in Brussels’ week ofclimate workshops and movementbuilding looking ahead to COP21 in Paris.

The energy revolution

Youth lead the resistance

Our movement to put power generationin citizens’ hands continued apace withour ‘Community Power’ project topromote the benefits of community-owned and run renewable energy sources.Numerous successful projects can befound in our partner countries. Examplesin our brochure include the isles of Eigg in Scotland and Samso in Denmark whichhave achieved 100% renewables-basedenergy self-sufficiency. Back in Brussels,our advocacy work ensured EU state aidguidelines now support a wider range of community energy projects.

Anti-frackingprotest withMEPs in Brussels. © Veerle Frissen / FoEE

Lima in Brusselsparticipants taketheir climatejustice messageto the EuropeanCommission. © Young FoEE

“The industry is trying to change the legislation...to repeat as much as possible the favourable policies we’ve seen in the U.S.”

ANTOINE SIMON, SHALE GAS CAMPAIGNER in IPS NEWS

Marching in Brussels for a community-led clean energy future. © Veerle Frissen / FoEE

While we have seen important globalvictories in the fight against shale gas –including fracking bans in Scotland andNew York – we continue to expose thethreat shale gas poses to people andplanet. Our research revealed howfracking threatens water-stressed andearthquake-prone regions around theworld. Back in Brussels we shed light onthe tangled web of EU shale gas lobbyistsoperating to weaken regulation.

Keeping Europe fracking-free


Campaign highlights 2014food & agriculture

2014 began and ended with wins in the fight to keep Europe GMO-free.

In January a two-thirds majority of EUgovernments said no to the cultivation of a second genetically modified maize.

By December there was strongmomentum behind new rules to givegovernments the right to permanentlyban GM crops on their territories.

This national opt-out law, while notperfect, is considerably stronger than itcould have been thanks to pressure put onthe European Parliament by Friends of theEarth groups. We were active incontacting parliamentarians about theflaws in the draft rules which could havegiven biotech companies a legal say inproposed bans. Our advocacy included thehand-over of 165,000 signatures from

concerned citizens and by the autumn theparliament had deleted the worst parts ofthe draft. The opt-out law is now in placehaving been passed early in 2015. For thefirst time a country’s right to reject GMOsis enshrined in law.

The onus is now on member states to legislate responsibly and keep our fieldsGMO-free.

Stronger right to ban GMOs

“Governments must be ableto ban unwanted and riskyGM crops without needingthe permission of thecompanies who profit from them.”

Adrian Bebb, FOOD CAMPAIGNER in reuters

Protestors with seeds at the United Nations climatenegotiations in Durban. © Luka Tomac



What are the global impacts of industrialmeat and dairy production? Our MeatAtlas provides a comprehensive overviewof the climate, local environment andhealth problems caused by industrialagriculture. From free trade deals thatlead to lower food standards, to waterstresses from intensive livestock farming,we made a powerful case for sustainablelocal food.

meat atlas

A farmers’ marketsupported by Friends ofthe Earth Bulgaria in Sofia.© FoE Bulgaria

With partners from five countries, we launched a project to promote thebenefits of sustainable local food, such asfarmers’ markets and food cooperatives, to connect it to citizens. Examples like thesurging farmers’ market scene in Sofiaprove communities are ready and able to provide the solutions to our brokenagricultural system – although they needmore support from policymakers.

Fixing the food system

Campaign highlights 2014corporate accountability

Getting tough on land grabbers

We turned up the heat on the Europeanfinanciers of land grabs overseas. We filed a complaint to the OECD about Rabobank,one of the financiers of the palm oilcompany Bumitama, and two months laterit cut its ties with an illegal plantation inIndonesia. We exposed the failings ofanother palm oil company – WilmarInternational – to live up to its promise tocut out land grabbing and the exploitationof human rights from its supply chain.

John Muyiisha, a farmer affected by landgrabbing in Uganda.© Jason Taylor / FoEI

“We don't need to take risks with untested and toxic GM crops when safer and moresustainable ways to farm are at hand.” Mute Schimpf, food campaigner in the parliament Magazine


Campaign highlights 2014corporate accountability

History was made in June when the UNHuman Rights Council agreed to developbinding rules to stop human rightsviolations by transnational corporations.This came after huge pressure frominternational civil society groups andmany countries in the global south.

Friends of the Earth Europe took a leadrole in a ‘Treaty Alliance’ of more than 600 organisations calling for a stronginternational law to protect human rightsand environmental defenders fromdestructive business practices. We usedour international network to bring a largedelegation of representatives ofcommunities from areas affected byharmful business practices – including

Nigeria, Palestine and Uruguay – to present their cases at the Council meeting in Geneva.

The proposal is in early stages, and ourchallenge now is to get the EU to engagein the process. We are working with theTreaty Alliance to push nationalgovernments to put pressure on the EU,and put human and environmental rightsahead of corporate profits.

UN human rights law for transnational corporations

“We are cheerful because it is not every day publicinterest wins overcorporate interests.”

Anne van Schaik, CORPORATEACCOUNTABILITY CAMPAIGNER in IPS NEWS

Calling for corporations to be held to account at the UnitedNations in Geneva. © FoEI



We worked closely with Friends of theEarth groups in Nigeria, the Netherlands,Germany, and Austria to push Shell andother oil companies to clean up their messin the Niger Delta. More than 40,000people signed a petition calling on Shell to act on its pollution, and the Nigeriangovernment gathered governments, civilsociety and corporations to implement aUN clean-up report. A new government in Nigeria will now finally have to act toclean up the Delta.

Cleaning up the Niger Delta

“What we see is just the tip of the iceberg. Given the lack of a mandatory lobby register,too much of the lobbying directed at EU institutions is shrouded in secrecy.”NATACHA CINGOTTI, TRANSPARENCY CAMPAIGNER in EURACTIV

There was a good step towards making EUlobbying more transparent when the newEuropean Commission announced plansfor mandatory disclosure of meetingsdecision-makers have with lobbyists. The breakthrough came after five years ofour campaign on the issue. The next stepis to keep European Commission PresidentJuncker to his promise to make sure alllobbyists register, so that EU citizens havethe full picture of who our representativesare talking to.

Transparency for lobbyists

It was a mixed year for our work onresource use. Significant achievementscame when the European Commissionadopted our recommendations for a 70%EU recycling target by 2030, and for‘footprint’ indicators to measurematerials, greenhouse gases, land andwater use. But, these strong legislativeproposals were scrapped by the incomingEuropean Commission. Promises toreplace them with a ‘more ambitious’package will be under close scrutiny.

Mixed resource results

The revised work programme andstructure of the new EuropeanCommission, led by Jean Claude Juncker,signaled a frightening deprioritisation ofthe environment. We were quick to reactto this turn of events and with ourpartners in the Green 10 we mobilised the European Parliament to intervene. We successfully pushed for the inclusionof sustainability in the remit of first vice-president Frans Timmermans. With thenew Commission’s fierce deregulationagenda, we are fighting to uphold EU lawsthat protect people and planet.

Fighting deregulation

EU funds until 2020 for central andeastern Europe are markedly moresustainable after four years of strongadvocacy by us at the EU level, as well asfrom Friends of the Earth and Bankwatchgroups in member states. More fundingwas allocated for climate action, andfuture projects will be selected based onstrict sustainability criteria, in part thanksto our critical analysis of the worryinglyunsustainable draft plans that memberstates had originally submitted.

Greener EU funds

Eric Dooh, one of the plaintiffs in a court case brought againstShell in the Hague, shows oil pollution due to the company’soperation in the Niger delta.© Marten van Dijl / FoE Netherlands

Campaign highlights 2014RESOURCE USE, NEW EUROPEAN COMMISSION, & EU FUNDS


EU-US trade deal – Stop the Trojan treaty

The transatlantic trade deal undernegotiation between the EU and USbecame headline news in 2014, in partdue to our high-profile campaigning atthe EU level and awareness-raising bynational Friends of the Earth groups.

Among the dangers posed by the deal –known as TTIP – are threats to food safetystandards and measures that would giveexcessive rights to overseas investors.

Our giant inflatable Trojan horse began atour of Europe, warning of the dangers ofthis ‘Trojan treaty’. In Denmark, Germanyand Hungary, Friends of the Earth groupstook to the streets to warn citizens of the

dangers posed by the trade deal to peopleand planet.

In Brussels we brought the controversiesof the deal to the forefront of the publicdebate. We helped nearly 150,000 citizens– a record for a European Commissionconsultation – say that they don’t wantcorporate courts as part of the treaty. Weuncovered the billions of Euros European

STOPPING TTIP - THE TROJAN TREATY

“Europe’s safety-firstpolicies are a fundamentalcornerstone and must notbe traded away to please industry.”

Mute Schimpf, Food campaignerin The Guardian

The Trojan horse is hosted by Friends of the Earth Denmarkin Copenhagen on the first stop in its European tour. © FoE Denmark



governments were forced to pay out toinvestors by these secret courts underexisting trade agreements, and with areport and high level conference helpedput the controversial investment part ofthe deal under public scrutiny.

We played an important role in increasingthe transparency of the negotiations.When the talks began they were shrouded

in secrecy with negotiating documentsoff-limits to all but a select few, but wehelped lead a coalition of 250organisations and forced the EuropeanCommission to release key texts. Now MEPs now have more access todocuments, and documents that werepreviously only shared with nationalgovernments are public.

Yet these measures do not go far enough.Many of the texts that have beenpublished only confirm our concernsabout this corporate captured trade deal.

With our Trojan horse visiting seven morecountries in 2015 we will continue tomobilise public opposition to stop TTIP.

Calling for a halt to the trade deal in frontof the Brandenburg gate, Berlin. © FoE Germany

Friends of the Earth Hungary protests against the ‘Trojan treaty’ outside the national parliament. © FoE Hungary


member groups’ highlights 2014Campaigning across Europe

Czech RepublicCutting waste

Friends of the Earth Czech Republiccampaigned for strong regulations onwaste in the face of intense industrylobbying. Particular successes came withnew standards for the mandatoryseparation of metal and bio-waste, and alandfill ban for mixed municipal wastefrom 2024. Friends of the Earth CzechRepublic also successfully argued againstthe use of EU funds for new incinerators.

Finland Climate law success

After several years of campaigning byFriends of the Earth Finland, the Finnishgovernment approved a strong climatelaw which commits the country to an 80%reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by2050. While Friends of the Earth Finland iscontinuing to call for at least a 95%reduction, the law remains a huge successfor the climate movement.

Highlights of our member groups’achievements in 2014.

ScotlandOn the road to a fracking ban

England, Wales & Northern IrelandFrack free

Friends of the Earth England, Wales andNorthern Ireland celebrated as they movedinto the fourth year of keeping the UK freefrom fracking. Not one local council has sofar allowed fracking to go ahead, andWales followed Scotland in implementinga moratorium to suspend fracking. This isdespite the UK Government pushing to go“all out for shale”. Friends of the Earthgroups across the country joined withother grassroots movements to call on allpoliticians to say no to fracking for good.

‘Mr Frackhead’ toured the UK towarn of the dangers of fracking. © FoE Scotland

“Strong climate law now!”© FoE Finland

Fighting fracking in the north of England.© FoE EWNI

The Scottish government announced amoratorium on fracking after strongpressure from Friends of the EarthScotland and many community groups, asmounting evidence on the public health,local environment and wider climate risksforced its hand. Friends of the EarthScotland is working hard to ensureunderground coal gasification is includedin the moratorium and to gather hugesupport for a permanent ban.



SwedenSave the night trains

More than 7,000 people signed Friends of the Earth Sweden’s petition calling onDeutsche Bahn to stop the closure ofEuropean night trains betweenCopenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Pragueand Paris. Several routes were closed inDecember but Friends of the EarthSweden will continue to fight for theirreopening as a founder of a newly formedinternational coalition for night trains.

austriaSeeds of change

Thanks to the help of over half a millionsupporters who signed a petition, Friends of the Earth Austria was able tohelp overturn a proposed EU regulation on seeds. The regulation would have putnumerous old and rare varieties of fruitand vegetables at risk. The EuropeanParliament rejected the proposal by anoverwhelming majority, and a year later,the European Commission finally withdrewit. Rich seed diversity survived after all!

Sowing the seeds of struggle. © FoE Austria

russiaWellbeing for all

Another new member has been welcomedto our network – Friends of the EarthRussia. Established in 1992, the groups isactive across the country and works fornature conservation, and health andwellbeing of people in Russia and aroundthe world. In 2014 the group ran aninformation campaign on energyefficiency across more than 22 regions ofRussia, showing alternatives to fossil fuels,nuclear and large scale hydropower plants.

EstoniaIn-tents green education

Friends of the Earth Estonia’s ‘Green Tents’education drive raised awareness of how toeat and live more sustainably. Over the lastone and a half years, 17 green tents havepopped up at public events and in schoolsacross the country. The tents give visitorsthe opportunity to join workshops, discussideas, and learn to think and act green.

Green educationworkshops in Estonia. © FoE Estonia

Informing people about thebenefits of energy savings.© FoE Russia


member groups’ highlights 2014Campaigning across Europe

SpainGiving power to communities

Friends of the Earth Spain helped makecommunity-run solar power a reality forcitizens when they opened a Solar Gardenin Madrid. 89 people have bought into thescheme to help expel dirty energy fromthe national grid, helping to save 24 tonsof CO2 each year. The project has been sosuccessful that a second community solarproject is already well underway.

Wallonia & BrusselsGetting back to nature

There were queues around the block for the opening of Friends of the EarthWallonia’s new film ‘Présent Simple’. The beautiful documentary chronicles thebenefits of living a simpler life, closer tonature, and it opened to packed audiencesacross the south of Belgium. After asuccessful crowdfunding campaign,audiences around the country will soon beable to share the experiences of the film’ssubjects, Marc and Veronika, two formerFriends of the Earth Wallonia volunteers,who now live in the Czech countryside.

LuxembourgTowards sustainability

Land use planning in Luxembourgdominated discussions as the governmentproposed new guidelines for the territorialdevelopment of the country. The plans forhouse building, industries, and streets wasbased on GDP growth of 2-3% per year.Friends of the Earth Luxembourg encourageddebate about the problems with economicgrowth and about alternatives andwellbeing. It developed detailed proposals for priorities in mobility and housing.

FranceKicking out coal

Friends of the Earth France pressured theFrench bank Société Générale to stopfinancing the Alpha Coal project inAustralia. This mine is a climate bomb thatwould destroy hopes of meaningful climateaction and threaten the Great Barrier Reef.Through actions and advocacy work,Friends of the Earth France helped pushSociété Générale to withdraw its funding.

Challenging‘Alpha Coal’. © FoE France

A ‘solar garden’in Madrid. © FoE Spain



Croatia Keeping services public

With the Croatian government intendingto privatise the country’s highways, Friendsof the Earth Croatia joined forces withunions and other organisations to collectnearly half a million signatures against theplan – enough to force a referendum.Citizens across Croatia are now waiting for the chance to formally say ‘no’ to the privatisation of public goods.

Germany Fighting for food safety

Over 50,000 people marched in Berlin foragricultural policy reform of as part ofFriends of the Earth Germany’s Good Food,Good Farming campaign – twice as manydemonstrators as the previous year. The protestors called on the Germangovernment to reject the proposed EU-UStrade deal over concerns that it threatensfood safety standards. Friends of the EarthGermany is also working intensively onstrong legal protections against GMOs,and is calling for a halt to the furtherexpansion of factory farms.

German protestorsdemand food safety first. © FoE Germany

Bosnia and Herzegovina Hydropower out

A warm welcome to Friends of the EarthBosnia and Herzegovina which joined ournetwork in 2014! Based in Banja Luka, thegroup has been bringing together activistsand professionals to work for people andplanet since 1999. 2014 saw it campaignagainst damaging hydropower projects inthe Sutjeska national park. 6,000 peoplesigned a petition to force a citizens’ initiativecalling for a stop to damaging developmentin the country’s oldest protected area.

Bosnia &Herzegovina’s unspoilt

waterways. © Luka Tomac / FoEE

Switzerland Protecting ponds,preventing pesticides

Friends of the Earth Switzerlandcelebrated the creation of the 100thcommunity-built pond as part of itscampaign to save amphibians. Frogs and related species are disappearing at an alarming rate due to many causes,including intensified agriculture andhabitat loss. Friends of the EarthSwitzerland continues to be activelyengaged for cleaner agriculture andreleased a report showing the real costs to society of the massive use of pesticides.


Keepers: protecting nature around Europe

2014 saw the launch of KEEPERS – a photoexhibition and book by Friends of theEarth Europe, with photos from LukaTomac, a photographer and campaignerwith Friends of the Earth Croatia. Itdocuments the tireless efforts made byactivists and volunteers to undo thedamage done to Europe’s precious

ecosystems by irresponsible humanactivity, and restore our continent to awilder, more natural and more vital place.

While they may be physically separated bythe nature they strive to protect – themountains of Bulgaria, the fjords of Norway,the Hungarian grasslands, and many more– the individuals profiled remain united bytheir vision of a wilder world, where people

are once more connected with the naturethat sustains them.

Our work on nature will gather pace in 2015to connect citizens with the natural worldacross Europe and make sure EU decision-makers strengthen vital nature protections.

Read more about the KEEPERS project:natures-keepers.org

Keepers: connecting naturestruggles around Europe

The local community calls for a ban on toxic mining wastedumping in Norway’s fjords. © Luka Tomac / FoEE



Dr. Heidrun Heidecke in the Goitzsche wilderness. © Luka Tomac / FoEE

Anne-Line Thingnes Førsund at the Førde fjord. © Luka Tomac / FoEE

Dagmar Kjucuková in Šumava national park. © Luka Tomac / FoEE

czech republic

Friends of the Earth Czech Republic wonthe prestigious EuroNatur conservationaward for its ‘outstanding commitment to the protection of the Šumava NationalPark’. Earlier in the year, a Czech court ruledthat protestors, including many Friends ofthe Earth Czech Republic members, hadacted peacefully and lawfully in their 2011 protests against loggers.

norway

Friends of the Earth Norway is fightingagainst the dumping of toxic miningtailings in nature-rich fjords. More than 30 European and international groupswrote to the Norwegian government to call for a halt to the dumping, andhundreds have since protested in Førde,home to one of the affected fjords.

germany

The Friends of the Earth network wassaddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Heidrun Heidecke early in 2015. Dr. Heidecke had a distinguished careerwith Friends of the Earth Germany, andher work was integral to the restoration of a former coal mine north of Leipzig. The area is now home to beavers, cranes,otters, ospreys and many more, and servesas a powerful symbol of transformation.

“It is more important than ever to give nature a space of its own for dynamicdevelopment and to give people a chance to experience the value of wildness.”

Dr. Heidrun Heidecke†, Friends of the earth germany


financial information2014 friends of the earth europe

annual review 2014

Operational grant – EUProject grants – EUProject grants – Other governmentsProject grants – FoundationsProject contributions – Members & partnersMembership feesOther income

Total

All figures rounded to the nearest Euro. Full copies of Friends of the Earth Europe’s accounts are available from the Belgian national bank at www.nbb.befrom 1st July 2015. Quote company number 0443.252.089. Details of our funding can be found on our website: www.foeeurope.org/about/financial

income 2014 (in euros)

763,269928,629268,978

1,005,496215,336201,1586,350

3,389,216

23%27%8%30%6%6%<1%

100%

Campaigning & communicationsNetwork developmentProjects – National members & partnersManagement & organisational developmentAdministration, IT & office costs

Total

Reserves allocation for 2014

expenditure 2014 (in euros)

1,655,236207,870667,376343,497465,237

3,339,216

50,000

49%6%20%10%14%

99%

1%

Thank you! Friends of the Earth Europe’s work would not be possible were it not for the support of our donors. We would like to thank the followinginstitutions and foundations which helped fund our work: EU Commission Directorate General (DG) Environment; DG Development and Cooperation –EuropeAid; DG Agriculture and Rural Development; Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency (Erasmus+); the Executive Agency forCompetitiveness and Innovation (Intelligent Energy Europe); the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, German Federal Ministry for the Environment –Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety; European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe; Adessium Foundation, European Climate Foundation;Ford Foundation; Grassroots Foundation; Heinrich Böll Foundation; Isvara Foundation; James M. Goldsmith Foundation; The Joseph Rowntree CharitableTrust; Mava Foundation; Open Society Foundation; David and Lucile Packard Foundation; V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation; The New Venture Fund andWallace Global Fund. Thanks also to Friends of the Earth Europe national member groups and Friends of the Earth International.

looking aheadParis and beyond – we are the energy revolution


In December 2015, the United Nationsclimate talks will take place in Paris.

World governments expect to agree to anew global treaty to combat climatechange. As the catastrophic impacts ofclimate change become more evident, so too escalates the urgency to act.

Last year we were present at the climatetalks in Peru to call for justice and realsolutions to the climate crisis.

In the run-up to Paris, and beyond thissummit, we will continue to pushEuropean governments to match theirstated commitment to limit globalwarming with action to transformEurope’s energy system. We will continueto promote the wealth of proven solutionsthat are already delivering transformationaround Europe and the world.

PUTTING PEOPLE’S SOLUTIONSCENTRE STAGE

We will be following developments in the EU’s Energy Union strategy. This hasrecognised the need to save energy andhelp citizens take control of clean, localrenewable sources, and we’ll be watchingthat these moves are not negated with newinvestments in fossil fuel infrastructure.

Throughout 2015, Friends of the Earth will be bringing more and more peopletogether to fight against the power of thepolluters and make sure decision-makershear the voiceless.

We will be on the streets before, duringand after the climate negotiations in Parisand as long as it takes to realise energysolutions that benefit ordinary people, not multinational corporations.

For us Paris is just the beginning – an opportunity to start connecting ourdemands for justice, equality, food, jobs,and rights, and to strengthen themovement in a way that will forcegovernments to act in the interests ofpeople and not in the interests of elites.Paris will launch us into 2016 as a year ofaction – a year when people’s demandsand people’s solutions take centre stage.

The Paris deadline will come and go, like others before. But the energytransformation is under way and politiciansshould respond to citizens’ demands and facilitate it, not slow it down.

Young Friends of the Earth protestagainst fossil fuel companiesduring the climate talks in Lima. © Young FoEE

Demanding real solutions to theclimate crisis at the United Nationsclimate talks. © Luka Tomac / FoEI

“We urgently need to decrease our energy consumption and push

for a just transition to community-controlled renewable energy.”

Susann Scherbarth, climate campaigner in IPS News

for the people | for the planet | for the futurewww.foeeurope.org

Friends of the Earth EuropeMundo-B Building, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

tel: +32 2 893 1000 fax: +32 2 893 [email protected] twitter.com/foeeuropefacebook.com/foeeurope

Austria, ViennaGLOBAL 2000 | GLOBAL 2000. Belgium – Wallonie, Namur Les Amis de la Terre | Friends of the Earth Wallonia & Brussels. Belgium– Flanders, Gent Friends of the Earth Vlaanderen & Brussel | Friends of the Earth Flanders & Brussels. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Banja Luka Centarza životnu sredinu | Friends of the Earth Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bulgaria, Sofia Za Zemiata | Friends of the Earth Bulgaria. Croatia, ZagrebZelena Akcija | Friends of the Earth Croatia. Cyprus, Limassol Friends of the Earth | Friends of the Earth Cyprus. Czech Republic, Brno Hnutí Duha| Rainbow Movement. Denmark, Copenhagen NOAH | NOAH Friends of the Earth Denmark. England/Wales/Northern Ireland, London Friendsof the Earth | Friends of the Earth. Estonia, Tartu Eesti Roheline Liikumine | Estonian Green Movement. Finland, Turku Maan Ystävät Ry | Friendsof the Earth Finland. France, Montreuil Les Amis de la Terre | Friends of the Earth France. Georgia, Tbilisi Sakhartvelos Mtsvaneta Modzraoba |Greens Movement of Georgia. Germany, Berlin Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland | Friends of the Earth Germany. Hungary,Budapest Magyar Természetvédok Szövetsége | National Society of Conservationists. Ireland, Dublin Friends of the Earth | Friends of the EarthIreland. Latvia, Riga Zemes Draugi | Friends of the Earth Latvia. Lithuania, Kaunas Lietuvos Zaliuju Judéjimas | Lithuanian Green Movement.Luxembourg, Luxembourg Mouvement Ecologique | Ecological Movement. Macedonia, Skopje Dvizhenje na Ekologistite na Makedonija |Ecologist’s Movement of Macedonia. Malta, Valletta Moviment ghall-Ambjent | Friends of the Earth Malta. The Netherlands, AmsterdamVereniging Milieudefensie | Friends of the Earth Netherlands. Norway, Oslo Norges Naturvernforbund | Norwegian Society for the Conservationof Nature. Poland, Krakow Polski Klub Ekologiczny | Polish Ecological Club. Russia, St. Petersburg Russian Social-Ecological Union | Friends of theEarth Russia. Scotland, Edinburgh Friends of the Earth Scotland | Friends of the Earth Scotland. Slovakia, Banska Bystrica Priatelia Zeme –Slovensko | Friends of the Earth Slovakia. Spain, Madrid Amigos de la Tierra | Friends of the Earth Spain. Sweden, Gothenburg Jordens Vänner |Friends of the Earth Sweden. Switzerland, Basel Pro Natura | Friends of the Earth Switzerland. Ukraine, Dnipropetrovsk Zelenyi Svit | Green World.

our membersFriends of the Earth Europe Annual Review 2014

our impact - friends of the earth europefracking threatens water-stressed and earthquake-prone...

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