Manchester Friends of the Earth news releases will have contact details for the specific campaign leads.
You are also welcome to contact our Media officer or one of the Group coordinators but please be aware that we are all volunteers and may not be able to respond to you right away:
Media officer:
- Pete Abel: 07951 642858, pete[at]manchesterfoe.org.uk
Group coordinators:
- Ali Abbas: 07786 090520, ali[at]manchestefoe.org.uk
- Catherine Thomson: cat[at]manchesterfoe.org.uk
You can also email coords[at]manchesterfoe.org.uk which goes to both Ali and Catherine.
Dozens of parents and residents in Levenshulme gathered at the Inspire community centre this weekend (Saturday 16 Sept) to discuss the problem of air pollution in the neighbourhood. They were joined by Councillor Dzidra Noor, Levenshulme ward councillor, and volunteers … Continue reading →
18th Sep 2017
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Nine of the top 10 leading garden retailers and garden centres don’t want the flowering plants they sell to be grown with bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides and have told suppliers not to use them, a Friends of the Earth survey [1] … Continue reading →
22nd Aug 2017
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Greg Clark MP still has to give final consent before the controversial hydraulic fracturing process can begin. With support for fracking at an all-time low, and local opposition increasing, Friends of the Earth has said it’s not too late for … Continue reading →
17th Aug 2017
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The government must act to permanently ban bee-harming pesticides says Friends of the Earth as new research from Royal Holloway University released today (14 August) suggests that neonicotinoid pesticides pose a risk of bumblebee extinction. The research showed that queen bees … Continue reading →
14th Aug 2017
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Responding to news that Tesco is to replace single use carrier bags with a new ‘Bag for Life’, Friends of the Earth campaigner Henry Chown said: “We’re delighted Tesco is replacing disposable bags with bags for life – we hope … Continue reading →
8th Aug 2017
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An investigation by a group of Levenshulme parents and Manchester Friends of the Earth into air pollution across Levenshulme has revealed shocking levels of air pollution. [1] If air pollution levels were as bad all year as they were for … Continue reading →
7th Aug 2017
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The UK Biodiversity Indicators 2017, published by the UK government today (3 August), shows not enough is being done to protect our natural environment, with too many indicators static or showing a decline in our biodiversity, says Friends of the … Continue reading →
3rd Aug 2017
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UK support for fracking is at its lowest recorded level according to the latest BEIS Energy and Climate Change Public Attitude Tracker reported released today (3 August). Support for fracking has decreased over the last year, from 21% to just … Continue reading →
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The compliance committee for the UN Aarhus Convention – to which the UK is a signatory – has concluded in its latest report that recent government changes to court costs in environmental legal cases further remove the UK from compliance … Continue reading →
2nd Aug 2017
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The government’s Air Quality Plan will leave thousands breathing dangerous air says Friends of the Earth, as analysis by the environmental charity reveals that there are no plans for action on dirty air across large parts of the North West, … Continue reading →
1st Aug 2017
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Friends of the Earth described today’s air pollution announcement as a ‘cynical’, headline-grabbing move which passes the buck of saving lives to local authorities as the government reveals its Air Quality Plan today (26 July).
26th Jul 2017
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Responding to the ClientEarth High Court case (5 July), in which the judge ruled against their challenge to the government’s consultation on its draft Air Quality Plan, Oliver Hayes, Friend of the Earth air pollution campaigner, said: “Despite today’s disappointing … Continue reading →
6th Jul 2017
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Citizen Science investigation reveals air pollution in every region of the UK With the government due back in court regarding its inadequate plan for tackling air pollution tomorrow (Wed 5 July), Friends of the Earth reveals the ten worst air … Continue reading →
4th Jul 2017
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Over half of people surveyed (54%) still believe fracking to be unsafe, despite long-term efforts from the industry to sell the controversial process to the county.
30th Jun 2017
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Citizen Science investigation reveals at least 7 Greater Manchester MPs face pollution problem as people take to the streets to demand Clean Air Everywhere A new report – Unmasked: the true story of the air you’re breathing – suggests that dirty air … Continue reading →
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The results of a long-awaited, large-scale European field trial, published today, has found that neonicotinoid pesticides harm honeybees and wild bees. The results of the study, conducted by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and published in the journal Science, … Continue reading →
29th Jun 2017
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Love Your Bike are inviting people to join a special ‘Oxford Road goes Dutch for Clean Air’ Bike Friday cycle ride from Whitworth Park on Friday 30th June. [1] The bike ride has been organised as part of national Clean … Continue reading →
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Friends of the Earth has welcomed today’s Northern Ireland Court of Appeal decision that the Northern Ireland government acted unlawfully by not stopping the dredging at Lough Neagh, one of Europe’s most important wetlands [1] [2]. The environmental campaign group … Continue reading →
28th Jun 2017
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Fossil Free Greater Manchester (FFGM) today hailed UNISON’s decision that local authority pension funds should stop investing in fossil fuels. UNISON members took the decision at their annual conference in Brighton.
23rd Jun 2017
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MEPs have overwhelmingly rejected an attempt by a UK Conservative MEP to oppose a full ban on neonicotinoid pesticides that have been linked to bee decline. 43 MEPs on the Environment Committee voted against the proposal by Julie Girling MEP, … Continue reading →
22nd Jun 2017
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• Large parts of Lancashire are licensed for onshore oil and gas extraction • Cuadrilla have already been delayed with plans for fracking due to significant local opposition A YouGov survey [1] of Lancashire residents for Friends of the Earth released today … Continue reading →
21st Jun 2017
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Responding to today’s news of a hung U.K parliament and that the Conservative Party may govern with the support of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), James Orr, Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland Director, said: “Under the DUP leadership Northern … Continue reading →
9th Jun 2017
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Manchester Friends of the Earth are today publishing the results of an online survey of the Greater Manchester General Election candidates. The survey asked candidates to tell their electorate where they stand on 12 key environmental issues including air pollution, … Continue reading →
7th Jun 2017
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Donald Trump has officially pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement. In response to the news, Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth CEO said: “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world faces and the next … Continue reading →
2nd Jun 2017
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Reacting to reports today (31 May) that Donald Trump will pull the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth CEO said: “Friends of the Earth will campaign vigorously against any trade deal with the … Continue reading →
31st May 2017
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“By 2030 renewables should be able to produce at least 75% of our electricity while maintaining system reliability” Alasdair Cameron, report author With the cost of renewable energy falling, and advances in grid management and storage technology, the UK can … Continue reading →
26th May 2017
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Manchester Friends of the Earth are calling on all the General Election candidates in Greater Manchester to tell their electorate where they stand on 12 key environmental issues. The online survey includes questions on fracking, climate change, energy, waste, farming, … Continue reading →
24th May 2017
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Manchester Friends of the Earth, Frack Free Greater Manchester and Central Lancashire Friends of the Earth are inviting people to a special screening of ‘The Bentley Effect’ Movie – A Message of Hope, 3pm, Saturday 27th May at the Central … Continue reading →
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TV presenters Michaela Strachan and Ellie Harrison are urging people to take part in Friends of the Earth’s Great British Bee Count, which begins today (Friday, 19 May 2017) and runs until 30 June. The Bee Count is also being … Continue reading →
19th May 2017
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• Findings come as Friends of the Earth launches Great British Bee Count 2017 Over three quarters of the British public (78%) agree that garden centres and retailers should not sell plants grown with pesticides that are harmful to bees, … Continue reading →
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Commenting on the content of the Conservative Party Manifesto launched today (18 May), Dave Timms, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said: “The mantra of ‘take back control’ will ring hollow for communities who face having fracking forced down their throats … Continue reading →
18th May 2017
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Join Great British Bee Count 2017 (19 May-30 June) and find out how bee-friendly your local space is. Manchester Friends of the Earth is urging local people to play their part in helping Britain’s under-threat bees by creating pollinator-friendly gardens, … Continue reading →
17th May 2017
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Commenting on the content of the Liberal Democrat Manifesto launched today (17 May), Dave Timms, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said: “These are welcome and ambitious measures to end the scandal of food waste and make efficient use of our … Continue reading →
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Commenting on the content of the Labour Manifesto launched today (16 May), Dave Timms, Friends of the Earth campaigner, said: “Labour’s manifesto offers a compelling and practical vision for a sustainable energy system which bans fracking, keeps our homes warm … Continue reading →
16th May 2017
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Call comes ahead of Great British Bee Count, launched next week Garden centres and retailers are being urged to take urgent action after new research, revealed today [1], found some outlets were selling garden plants grown with pesticides linked to … Continue reading →
13th May 2017
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Garden centres and leading plant retailers are being urged by Friends of the Earth to follow B&Q’s lead after the retailer announced today (Tuesday 9 May) that it has banned suppliers from using neonicotinoid pesticides in its flowering plant range … Continue reading →
9th May 2017
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Responding to the announcement that Andy Burnham has been elected Greater Manchester Mayor, Manchester Friends of the Earth welcome the commitments Andy Burnham made to:
5th May 2017
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The government’s draft Air Quality Plan has been branded “woefully inadequate” and won’t deliver clean air for all Friends of the Earth warned today (5 May 2017) as they call on manufacturers to foot more of the bill.
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On Thursday 4th May, Greater Manchester will elect our first ever Metro Mayor. In the run up to the election, Manchester Friends of the Earth has encouraged Greater Manchester residents to ask the Mayoral candidates to pledge support for 12 … Continue reading →
3rd May 2017
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Friends of the Earth welcomes today’s High Court decision to order the government to publish its draft Air Quality Plans after the local elections, putting people’s health before political process. The government was mandated to produce a draft Air Quality Plan … Continue reading →
27th Apr 2017
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Responding to news today that the National Farming Union’s (NFU) application for an emergency authorisation for neonicotinoid seed treatments has been declined by DEFRA Minister George Eustice, Friends of the Earth’s nature campaigner, Sandra Bell, said: “Once again the NFU’s … Continue reading →
26th Apr 2017
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With Greater Manchester on the verge of electing its first ever Metro Mayor a coalition of environment campaigns have organised the “What About the Environment?” hustings on Friday 28th April to give people the chance to quiz the mayoral candidates … Continue reading →
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Doctors, teachers, religious leaders and academics from Manchester have called on the city’s mayoral candidates to commit to cleaning up the city’s illegal levels of air pollution. Doctors from University Hospital of South Manchester, academics from the University of Manchester … Continue reading →
25th Apr 2017
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The delay to publication of the government’s draft Air Quality Plan, due today, is appallingly bad for people’s health, say Friends of the Earth, as the environmental charity demands a Plan that will deliver clean air everywhere.
24th Apr 2017
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As the nation’s gardeners prepare for spring, a new survey reveals a lack of real choice for consumers looking for peat-free composts at garden centres and other outlets. It highlights the need for more determined action to phase out peat … Continue reading →
11th Apr 2017
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Government Air Quality Plan expected this week Environmental charity urges government to act on dirty diesel The government is being urged by Friends of the Earth to act on dirty diesel vehicles in its soon-to-be-published draft air quality plan after … Continue reading →
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• Reducing grass-cutting saves money for cash-strapped councils • Nearly two thirds (63%) of public say councils should be doing more to help protect our bees • Buglife and Friends of the Earth launch council guide to help pollinators at … Continue reading →
6th Apr 2017
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Manchester Friends of the Earth welcomes the announcement that Greater Manchester has become the UK’s first member of the ‘BreatheLife’ cities network, and has pledged to achieve the World Health Organisation’s strict air quality guidelines by 2030. [1]
5th Apr 2017
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With the environment left out of the UK’s Article 50 letter, it’s vital that the Great Repeal Bill brings over not just the laws, but the principles, which protect our environment warns Friends of the Earth as the Great Repeal Bill White … Continue reading →
30th Mar 2017
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Responding to today’s (29 March) announcement that the Mayors of London and Paris are introducing a scheme to rate cars based on their real-world emissions and impact on air quality, Oliver Hayes, Friends of the Earth’s air pollution campaigner, said: … Continue reading →
29th Mar 2017
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Responding to a report in the Guardian that draft regulations show the European Commission wants to prohibit the insecticides that cause ‘acute risks to bees’, Friends of the Earth senior nature campaigner Paul de Zylva said: “Evidence of the harm … Continue reading →
23rd Mar 2017
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Responding to reported comments by Princess Anne on GM crops, Friends of the Earth’s senior food and farming campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said: “GM crops are right now exacerbating the very worst impacts of industrial farming.
22nd Mar 2017
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Landmark research shows scant evidence that road schemes produce economic benefits, but that they increase traffic dramatically and damage the countryside New research published by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) today reveals that road-building is failing to provide … Continue reading →
20th Mar 2017
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A local community fighting fracking in Lancashire is taking the Government to court at a hearing in Manchester tomorrow (15 March) which could last until Friday. Preston New Road Action Group are appealing the decision by the Secretary of State … Continue reading →
14th Mar 2017
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Friends of the Earth has slammed today’s budget after the Chancellor failed to tackle the UK’s air pollution crisis, which leads to tens of thousands of premature deaths every year. Mr Hammond also signalled the UK’s continuing addiction to climate-wrecking … Continue reading →
8th Mar 2017
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Over 50 women will join a breakfast bike ride to the Whitworth Art Gallery this International Women’s Day (8 March) to celebrate the start of safer ‘Danish-style’ cycling conditions in the city. The ride, which is organised by charities Sustrans … Continue reading →
6th Mar 2017
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Friends of the Earth renewed its call on the Chancellor to introduce a scrappage scheme for the dirtiest diesel cars after a survey it commissioned with YouGov revealed that nearly half of car-owning British adults (45%) would be likely to … Continue reading →
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Birkenhead, Greater Manchester and Liverpool are all breaching legal air pollution limits Today Friends of the Earth launch nationwide citizen science air pollution experiment Friends of the Earth is calling on people across the North West to take part … Continue reading →
1st Mar 2017
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A Friends of the Earth investigation has revealed that fracking company Cuadrilla are planning to start drilling in Lancashire in the next few weeks before completing the 12 months of groundwater monitoring required by law.
21st Feb 2017
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Chemicals giant INEOS has identified a potential shale gas drilling site in the heart of Sherwood Forest, Friends of the Earth can reveal. The revelation comes weeks after INEOS told local people that it had no intention of drilling inside … Continue reading →
16th Feb 2017
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A pesticide industry legal challenge [1] to current EU restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides is taking place today and tomorrow (15-16 February). Friends of the Earth says there is growing scientific evidence of the threat these chemicals pose to bees and … Continue reading →
15th Feb 2017
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The UK government must introduce Clean Air Zones across the country and commit to cleaning up the UK’s air faster says Friends of the Earth, as the European Commission today (15 February) issues a “final warning” demanding that the UK … Continue reading →
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Manchester Friends of the Earth is calling on all the Greater Manchester mayoral candidates to pledge their support for a new Clean Air Act fit for the 21st Century.(1) A coalition of health, environment, transport and other groups including Friends … Continue reading →
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Responding to a commitment announced today (13 February) by Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor candidate Andy Burnham (1), to tackle illegal levels of air pollution in the city-region, Catherine Thomson from Manchester Friends of the Earth said: “Manchester Friends of the … Continue reading →
13th Feb 2017
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Responding to today’s NFU announcement that it has applied for emergency use of banned neonicotinoid seed treatments for “a proportion of the English oilseed rape crop”, Friends of the Earth food and farming campaigner Sandra Bell said: “With mounting scientific … Continue reading →
7th Feb 2017
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Housing Minister Gavin Barwell had been expected to set out a range of radical plans to boost the housing supply with the release of the government’s much-anticipated and delayed Housing White Paper today. However, there was little to indicate that … Continue reading →
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The government’s Brexit white paper commitment to bring current EU environmental protections into UK law is welcomed by Friends of the Earth but, as the charity points out, the devil will be in the detail.
2nd Feb 2017
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Commenting on proposals for a third runway at Heathrow published today by the government, Friends of the Earth London campaigner Sophie Neuburg said: “Airport expansion will bring more noise, pollution and misery to local communities.
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Reacting to a warning by the UN special rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes Baskut Tuncak that the UK’s appalling air pollution problem threatens the human rights of children, Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Oliver Hayes said: “Mr … Continue reading →
31st Jan 2017
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Responding to the NFU’s flooding manifesto, which was unveiled today, Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “The NFU is absolutely right to warn of the dangers of increased flooding driven by climate change, and right to call … Continue reading →
26th Jan 2017
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Theresa May must challenge Donald Trump over climate change when the two leaders meet in Washington this Friday, (27 January), the heads of Friends of the Earth US and Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland said today … Continue reading →
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Friar Tuck has joined the campaign to save Sherwood Forest from fracking, as a petition signed by over a quarter of a million people is handed to Environment minister, Andrea Leadsom, today (25 January). The actor Phil Rose, who played … Continue reading →
25th Jan 2017
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countries across the Europe, including Britain, have formally pledged to try and cut their food waste by 50% by 2030 campaigners call for target to be binding Pressure from Friends of the Earth and people across the continent, including 60,000 … Continue reading →
24th Jan 2017
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Reacting to today’s air pollution alert in London which is so high that adults and children have been told to reduce outdoor activities, Friends of the Earth London campaigner, Sophie Neuburg said: “It’s outrageous that children, who have done nothing … Continue reading →
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Speaking ahead of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration later today (Friday 20 January 2017), Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) chief executive Craig Bennett said: “The battle to prevent the world spinning towards catastrophic climate change is going … Continue reading →
20th Jan 2017
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With the eastern coast of England braced for flooding from a storm surge, Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “The east coast has seen terrible flooding as a result of storm surges before, in 1953 and 2013 – … Continue reading →
13th Jan 2017
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Welcoming an independent review by former energy minister Charles Hendry, published today, which backs the development of a tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay, Haf Elgar, acting director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “This is welcome news – a tidal … Continue reading →
12th Jan 2017
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Responding to new figures, published today [Tuesday 10 January 2017] by WRAP revealing that £13 billion of edible food was needlessly thrown away from homes in 2015, Friends of the Earth food campaigner Kierra Box said: “While people live in food … Continue reading →
10th Jan 2017
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The European Food Safety Authority has delayed its much-anticipated review of three neonicotinoid pesticides – currently subject to EU restrictions – until the autumn. EFSA had been due to publish a full re-evaluation of the scientific evidence of the safety … Continue reading →
9th Jan 2017
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Just five days into the New Year Brixton Road in London has already breached air pollution limits for the whole of 2017, Friends of the Earth reveals today. EU air pollution rules say that sites can only breach hourly limits … Continue reading →
6th Jan 2017
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Current EU restrictions on neonicotinoid pesticides must be extended to wheat to protect bees and other wildlife, Friends of the Earth warns today (Thursday 5 January 2017) in a new report published at the Oxford Real Farming Conference [1,2,3]. Three … Continue reading →
5th Jan 2017
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