Economics for Earth
March 2018 Update
Recently it was International Women's Day and we celebrated ALL the women - cis, non-binary, trans - who are part of the world wide movement for social and environmental justice. Despite being disproportionately affected by environmental injustice, women are not victims. Women are fighters. Women are protagonists in the defense of territories and the fight for autonomy over our bodies, lives and labour force. You can read more about Friends of the Earth's work dismantling patriarchy and for gender justice here.
Land & water
VicForests charged over alleged illegal logging in Gippsland forest
VicForest has been charged for illegally logging rainforest in an East Gippsland logging coupe. The logging operation took place in the Serpentine Creek Rainforest Site of Significance near Cann River, causing serious damage to protected warm temperate rainforest.
Food & Technology
Pesticides in Food Forum Featuring Professor Alfred Poulos
Friends of the Earth is proudly hosting Professor Poulos to speak about Pesticides in Food. Emphasis during the presentation will include: Different susceptibilities to pesticides (based on genetics, age and development in the womb) and acute and chronic health impacts.
Food & Technology
CSIRO planning US military funded genetic extinction experiments in Western Australia
A raft of emails obtained through a Freedom of Information request (The Gene Drive Files) reveal that CSIRO and University of Adelaide scientists are part of a US military funded global network researching a risky new genetic modification (GM) technique referred to as gene drives. The group have already identified six potential islands in Western Australia where they intend to use the technique to drive local mice populations to extinction.
Economics for Earth
Apple isn't a lone bad fruit. How can we hold companies to account?
Apple routinely disregards humans and nature in it's push for bigger and bigger profits. A couple of years ago suicide nets were installed to catch burnt out workers who thought their only escape from their production lines was suicide.
Food & Technology
Stop the Government deregulating genetically modified animals
The Government is proposing changes to our Gene Technology Regulations which would make Australia the first country in the world to deregulate a range of new genetic modification (GM) techniques in animals, plants and microbes.
Climate & Energy Justice
London bank funds doubly dirty coal plant in Vietnam
London based bank Standard Chartered is reportedly financing the 1,200MW Nghi Son 2 coal-fired power plant in Thanh Hoa province that will generate twice as much CO2 as the average power plant in Vietnam and is expected to increase premature deaths from air pollution three-fold.
Food & Technology
Civil society rejects GMOs at Food and Agriculture Organisation meeting
Civil society representatives firmly rejected genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a means of addressing world food security at a recent Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) meeting in Malaysia. The event was funded by the pro-GM US, Canadian and Australian governments.
Climate & Energy Justice
Renewable energy targets – Comparing Victoria's laws with the ACT and California
The Victorian Renewable Energy Target (VRET), now written into law as the Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Bill 2017, passed the upper house in State Parliament on October 20. Elsewhere, other states such as the ACT and California have previously introduced renewable energy targets (RET) in their legislation. How does Victoria's legislation compare? Let's first look at Victoria vis a vis the ACT, and then California.
Climate & Energy Justice
Building a cross-party network to support the opening of Australia's borders to climate migrants from Pacific Islands
As part of its Climate Frontlines campaign, Friends of the Earth is proposing to mobilise Australian politicians around the promotion of solutions and safe pathways for climate migrants from the Pacific Island states.