Friends of the Earth is the U.S. voice of Friends of the Earth International, an international federation of diverse grassroots-based environmental organizations in 77 countries working in solidarity for sustainable, equitable and just societies.
We believe that as the world’s biggest historical global warming polluter, and as a wealthy nation with considerable resources, the United States has a special responsibility to lead the world in forging equitable solutions to the climate crisis, and we hold elected officials accountable for living up to that responsibility. We also believe, for the poorest countries on our planet, the global economic system has been an underlying cause behind environmental degradation and disruption of people’s livelihoods, and we work to change unjust global financial institutions and trade rules.
Read the latest news and updates from our International campaigns:
On Tuesday, Friends of the Earth International released the report, REDD myths: A critical review of proposed mechanisms to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries. I spoke at a panel event to release the publication, together with indigenous and NGO representatives from five continents. All of the panelists raised serious concerns about the potential risks of inadequate mechanisms to address deforestation.
As talks continue, developing country negotiators reminded rich, industrialized countries on Tuesday of the big picture: we undeniably have to reduce unsustainable consumption to address the climate crisis. Unfortunately, Japan appears to not really understand the scale of the problem we are facing. Instead of meaningfully addressing the need to radically decarbonize our economy and transition away from the destructive patterns of consumption, the Japanese delegate focused instead on superficial changes in individual behavior, like taking fewer showers. Seriously, that’s what he said.
As we face the greatest ecological crisis, perhaps ever, Japan is still talking about the role of taking a short shower instead of a bath. If this is really lens through which developed countries see these negotiations, we’ve got a real problem. As Bernaditas Muller, lead delegate of the Philippines and spokesperson for the G77+China (the group of developing countries), stated later, while Japan is talking about taking fewer showers, how many people don’t even have access to drinking water? Even worse, how many people see the limited water supply may have in peril due the serious impacts of climate change?
Karen Orenstein, International Finance Coordinator, and Kate Horner, International Climate and Energy Campaigner, report from Poznan, Poland, where they are working to influence the negotiations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
We arrived this past weekend in Poznan, Poland to attend the 14th annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as the 14th Conference of Parties. Official representatives – or “delegates” – from just about every country in the world are here for the next two weeks. In total, there are almost 11,000 registered participants, including many hundreds of NGO activists. While numerous activists are following negotiations on the inside, some are protesting in the streets outside of the convention center. Friends of the Earth works both inside monitoring the negotiations and outside to coordinate support for strong action.
I’ve been privileged to attend Friends of the Earth International’s Biannual General Meeting (BGM) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras -- a weeklong meeting of Friends of the Earth groups from around the globe now in 77 countries. The federation of groups works jointly to strategize on how to help transform our world into a genuinely just, ecologically and socially sustainable planet for both people and the environment.
The Biannual General Meetings of Friends of the Earth International are some of the most exciting gatherings in which I have participated. With representatives from so many countries around the world, it shapes up like a mini United Nations -- one fighting for environmental and global justice! We all come from different parts of the world, with different languages and sometimes different approaches, but we all share a strong common vision of the way the world could be, and a commitment to mobilize, resist and transform.
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is the world’s biggest carbon offsets market. In theory, the CDM allows industrialized countries to support projects that decrease emissions in developing countries and then use the resulting emissions reduction credits towards their own reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. Industrialized countries supported the establishment of the CDM because it would provide them with flexibility in how they can meet their Kyoto targets, particularly if domestic reductions turn out to be more costly than expected. Developing countries supported the CDM because they would receive funds for "sustainable development."
While President Obama's climate negotiators converge in official talks at the convention, Friends of the Earth staff members Nick Berning, Kate Horner, Karen Orenstein and Elizabeth Bast will be reporting in a variety of ways on what's happening both inside and outside those talks.
Check back here in December for videos, notes and ways you can become involved!
Agreement was reached and the conference ended this afternoon around 5:30 pm -- a full day late.
Never in my life have I seen such a display of political bullying as the United States undertook over the two weeks of this conference. The U.S. delegation, representing the richest and most capable country in the world, gutted just about everything of meaning from the roadmap going forward to tackle global climate change. For much of the last day, the U.S. negotiators continued to nitpick -- in plenary, with all the nations present and in front of outside observers. The delegation persisted in blocking language that India and Bangladesh spoke to on behalf of developing countries, and that many understood had been agreed to the previous night.
Halfway through the night Thursday -- well after normal work hours -- the U.S. delegation put out a proposal designed to stall the negotiations. It wasn't just your average difficult negotiating point. They actually threatened to make the whole discussion of reducing greenhouse gas emissions voluntary for all countries. Meaning, the over 30 countries that have already agreed to emissions reductions under the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol would go back to voluntary emissions targets. Meaning, there would be no targets at all for emissions reductions from industrialized countries. Meaning, in all likelihood, the planet would cook - ugly.
Negotiations continued today, largely behind closed doors, with technology transfer for developing countries at the top of the agenda. Rumors are that some agreement has been reached, at least on technology transfer, but it?s unclear whether the final proposal will truly bring things forward towards addressing climate change and the needs of developing countries or whether the meaning has been taken out of the agreement and developing countries have given up fighting. But it now looks like agreement may well be reached tomorrow.
