Forests
The loss of forests worldwide accounts for roughly 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and forests are critical to regulating the climate, both locally and globally. Climate change has thrust the decades-long fight against deforestation back into the international spotlight. Deforestation is an urgent problem that has wide repercussions. But forests are not merely the lungs of the earth — they are also the greatest repositories of biological and cultural diversity on earth, and home to 350 million people, including at least 60 million indigenous peoples who have protected and defended forests since time immemorial. Friends of the Earth’s International Forests program works to address the root causes of forest destruction and the marginalization of forest-dwelling communities. We do this through our campaign on Land grabs, forests & finance, and our work to challenge forest carbon offsets.
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Forests Tell BlackRock: Stop supporting environmental destruction and human rights violations!TAKE ACTION
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Forests Stop a hydro dam from wiping out the newly discovered species of orangutanTAKE ACTION
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Forests Tell TIAA to defund deforestation!TAKE ACTION
Friends of the Earth and our allies have pushed businesses and corporations to cut ties with abusive and destructive palm oil companies.
More than 40,000 Friends of the Earth members signed our petition urging Nestlé to cut ties with REPSA. And Nestlé responded.
In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2018, the board and staff of Friends of the Earth U.S. have issued a resolution supporting the full protection of the West Berkeley Shellmound and Ohlone village site in Berkeley, California.
With growing concern over the impacts of climate change and related financial risks to U.S. investors, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Friends of the Earth and Amazon Watch will host a briefing on private investment as a driver of tropical deforestation and related material financial risks to U.S. investors.
Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), a palm oil company operating in Liberia since 2012, last week voluntarily suspended its membership in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) — the sustainability certification body for the industry.
BlackRock is the largest U.S. financier of palm oil. Enabled by BlackRock’s money, dirty palm oil continues to be produced, traded and consumed with no consequence — and rampant deforestation continues to drive rapid climate change.
The danger facing critics of the palm oil industry is particularly high, as the industry appears to have deep ties to narco-trafficking and money-laundering — and even international conservation efforts appear bent on controlling disputed territories without fully considering the needs of the region’s most affected communities.
CalPERS's new policy gives extraordinary attention to some crucial climate issues: deforestation, land use and the related human and labor rights issues.