Friends of the Earth has been the leading environmental advocate opposing international trade and investment agreements that empower corporations to undermine environmental policies.

Friends of the Earth educates the public at home and abroad about the environmental dangers and undemocratic nature of trade agreements. We are galvanizing public support by demonstrating how trade policy impacts particular environmental priorities, such as climate change measures, protection of biodiversity, and regulation of mining, oil drilling, and corporate agriculture. For example, there is building opposition, particularly internationally, against investor-state dispute provisions in these agreements that allow global corporations to bring claims for money damages against nation states before special international tribunals that are designed to favor individual property “rights” over the public interest.

Friends of the Earth is working to hold President Obama accountable to his pledge to advance fair trade policies as his administration negotiates a new trade pact with Pacific countries called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

We are also pushing Congress to pass the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act, a comprehensive trade reform bill that would set new rules to ensure that existing and future trade pacts advance the public interest.