Media Releases

Negotiators reached a deal in Bali today (Saturday) on taking forward the Kyoto Protocol but Friends of the Earth International expressed deep disappointment at the weak content following many attempts to derail the talks by the some delegations.

Friends of the Earth International today warned Ministers arriving at the UN climate talks in Bali that they have a huge task ahead at these talks if they are to be deemed a success.

BALI TRADE MINISTERIAL: KEEP UNFAIR TRADE OUT OF CLIMATE TALKS 

BALI INDONESIA --7 December, 2007 - Informal trade talks scheduled to take place in Bali this weekend could seriously threaten the opportunity for a just and sustainable way forward on tackling climate change, Friends of the Earth International warned on the eve of the talks (Friday).

A new report from Friends of the Earth International launched on November 26 provides nine testimonies from community members around the globe who have dramatic first-hand experience of the devastating impacts of climate change.

This festive season, community environment group Friends of the Earth is encouraging community members to eat locally as a way of reducing their environmental impact and understanding more about the impacts of our food system.

MEDIA RELEASE - NOVEMBER 22 2007

PM URGED TO COME CLEAN ON NUCLEAR PLANS

Environmentalists have called on PM Howard to detail his plans for a nuclear Australia should he be re-elected on Saturday.

Global warming is set to reverse decades of social and economic progress across the Asia-Pacific, home to more than four billion people or 60 per cent of the world’s population, according to a new multi-agency report published today called Up in Smoke: Asia and the Pacific.

The Coalition’s federal election campaign headquarters will be put on the map today with a massive white elephant set to be inflated at the Melbourne CBD location.

Recent comments made by Malcolm Turnbull appear to be muddying the waters on what has been a clear nuclear power push by the Coalition Government up to this point.

Friends of the Earth Australia calls on the Australian government to assist people due to climate change impacts both within Australia and in the Asia Pacific region, in the wake of comments from a UN representative in Australia.

Friends of the Earth Australia condemns todays announcement of a deal to sell uranium to Russia

PM John Howard is being called upon to stop trying to impose a nuclear waste dump on an indigenous community in the NT and to scrap the flawed and undemocratic process the Federal Government have using to push their nuclear waste dump proposal.

A national anti-nuclear Alliance launched this weekend at a bush meeting in central Australia has committed to supporting Indigenous opposition to federal government and industry plans for uranium mining and radioactive waste dumping.

National environment group Friends of the Earth Australia calls on all federal politicians to support the private members bill to establish a Climate Refugee Visa, which will be debated in the Senate on Thursday August 9.

Friends of the Earth Australia

Climate Justice Campaign

MEDIA RELEASE: 8 ^th August 2007

Federal Politicians urged to support Climate Refugee Bill

Foreign minister Alexander Downer's August 1 media release on proposals for the US and Australia to sell uranium and reactors to India is false and misleading, Friends of the Earth claimed today.

MEDIA RELEASE - AUGUST 3 2007

DOWNER MISLEADS ON INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL

Foreign minister Alexander Downer's August 1 media release on proposals for the US and Australia to sell uranium and reactors to India is false and misleading, Friends of the Earth claimed today.

The Victorian Environment Assessment Council (VEAC) has handed down an outstanding set of draft recommendations to protect remaining red gum wetlands along the Murray and its tributaries.

media release

Bracks gets mandate to protect red gums in 4 new National Parks

19 July 2007 - with the Victorian National Parks Association and The Wilderness Society

Friends of the Earth, Australia is urging conservationist and scientist James Lovelock to get his facts straight on nuclear issues. Prof. Lovelock, famous for his 'Gaia Theory' of the Earth as a self-regulating organism, will be in Adelaide this weekend speaking at the Festival of Ideas.

Friends of the Earth Netherlands wants governments to combat deforestation by taking CITES measures to regulate trade, but will they move beyond their fear of detrimental economic impacts and lobbying from the timber industry? To make sure change happens, we need your help.

In early June, the 14th conference of the 'Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora' (CITES) will be held in the Netherlands.

Friends of the Earth Australia says that the recommendations of the Emissions Trading taskforce given to the Prime Minister yesterday will not achieve the emissions reductions required to avoid dangerous climate change. This is because it does not recommend a target, recommends offsets and allows the free allocation of permits to big polluters.

Friends of the Earth Australia calls on the Australian government to commit $1.8 billion a year in funding adaptation to climate change in light of a new report released today by Oxfam International.

media release

May 29 ^th 2007

Friends of the Earth Adelaide are seeking your artwork for an ART AUCTION to raise funds to support Indigenous traditional owners from the Northern Territory in their campaign against the Federal government’s attempts to impose a nuclear waste dump on their traditional lands.

The world's leading scientists say governments can tackle climate change and that the solutions are affordable and available, in a key United Nations (UN) report published today.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Friends of the Earth International
4 may 2007
 

The ALP conference was held in Sydney last weekend. The uranium policy has been a major issue. Check here for details on this issue and debate on climate change and climate refugees.

There are four releases on this topic:

• The uranium issue is a long way from dead - despite Labor’s U-turn [April 28]
• national environment groups call on Labor to retain 'no new mines policy' [April 27]
• ALP urged to recognise climate refugees [April 27]
• community presence at ALP conference

National environment group Friends of the Earth (FoE) will welcome the Bracks' government's move to legislate to force a plebiscite if the Commonwealth attempts to impose a nuclear facility on Victoria. This will provide a timely confirmation of Victoria’ nuclear free status. However FoE will express concern that numerous Victorian delegates to the ALP conference in Sydney on April 27-29 are expected vote to overturn ALP policy of opposition to new uranium mines in Australia.

An international coalition of 21 environment, public interest and labour organisations has released an open letter rejecting proposals to use voluntary measures to manage the risks associated with nanotechnology.

Media Release

International civil society coalition rejects proposed voluntary nano risk management

13 April 2007

Overnight, an international coalition of 21 environment, public interest and labour organisations has released an open letter rejecting proposals to use voluntary measures to manage the risks associated with nanotechnology.

On 2nd -5th April, the world's leading scientific experts are to gather in Brussels, Belgium, to launch the second volume from the United Nation's Fourth Assessment Report, which addresses climate impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. The report is expected to portray a bleak future for the world's poorest countries, which have done least to pollute the atmosphere.

The publication of the Government's draft Climate Change Bill was welcomed by Friends of the Earth today (13 March). The campaign for a new climate change law has been led by Friends of the Earth through The Big Ask climate campaign.

Australian peace and environment groups, following the report of a coalition of peace groups and think - tanks to the UK government, predict that an attack on Iran will be a catastrophe.

February 11, 2007

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AUSTRALIA
PEOPLE FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT- W.A.
MARRICKVILLE PEACE GROUP
AUSTRALIAN PEACE COMMITTEE
CAMPAIGN FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND DISARMAMENT

Almost as catastrophic as an actual attack, according to the groups, would be talking about or preparing for, military action. The military option, say the groups, must be clearly, visibly, and unambiguously taken off the table. The entire nature of the relationship with Iran must be transformed.

PARIS (FRANCE) FEBRUARY 2, 2007 -- Friends of the Earth International today called on world leaders to take urgent action to cut emissions of greenhouse gases after the planet’s leading scientific experts, endorsed by the world's governments, delivered the starkest warning yet on the threat of global climate change.

February 2, 2007

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published its long anticipated Fourth Assessment Report in Paris today (Friday 2nd January) providing the most credible and convincing evidence so far of the human link to climate change and its devastating impacts. [1]

PARIS (FRANCE), 2 February 2007 -- The world's leading scientific experts are set to deliver the latest, starkest findings on climate change.

January 29, 2007

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change begins its release of the long anticipated Fourth Assessment Report in Paris on 2 February 2007, which is set to provide the most credible evidence yet of the human link to climate change and its devastating impacts.

Shopping at large supermarkets is the worst thing people can do for farmers, according to a local environmental and social justice organisation.

January 23, 2007

Cam Walker, Campaigns Coordinator at Friends of the Earth, says that with 70% of the retail grocery market held by two major players, big supermarkets have the upper hand in their dealings with farmers. "This means that they, not farmers, set the prices and conditions under which they buy. They dictate how, where, when and for how much food is produced, packaged, stored and delivered. They even control what varieties of crops are grown," he said.

Friends of the Earth Brisbane says that today’s announcement of the opening of a new coal mine near Clermont in Queensland signals that the Beattie Government is not taking the threat of climate change seriously.

January 10, 2007

“A government serious about addressing climate change should be leaving coal in the ground and start shifting towards developing a strong renewable energy industry” said Friends of the Earth’s Climate Justice spokesperson Emma Brindal.