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Bees: EU Food watchdog delays its review of neonic pesticide


news release

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 …

London breaks air pollution limits for 2017 in just five days


news release

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 …

Bees: Pesticide restrictions must be extended to wheat - new Friends of the Earth report


news release

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 …

Barclays’ owned Third Energy gets go-ahead to frack in Yorkshire


news release

Mrs Justice Lang will give her judgement on the decision to frack in Ryedale, North Yorkshire this morning. She will rule that fracking may go-ahead. Claimant in the case, Reverend Jackie Cray, said: “I’m obviously disappointed in the verdict but …

Scale of diesel scandal unknown as garages banned from advertising pollution filter removal


news release

The Department for Transport must investigate how many diesel cars are driving without pollution filters says Friends of the Earth as garages are today (14 December) banned from advertising services for their removal. The environmental charity formally raised the issue …

Anti-fracking campaigner, Tina Rothery, escapes jail


news release

A judge at Preston Combined Court has ruled today that Tina Rothery should not go to prison for contempt of court. The order against Tina has been discharged. Polly Steiner, Friends of the Earth North West campaigner, said: “It is …

Bees: Wildlife and environment groups call for neonic pesticides ban to be retained - and extended to all crops


news release

Seventeen of the UK’s leading wildlife, conservation and environment groups are calling for the current EU restrictions on neonicotinoid insecticides to be retained – and extended to all crops – to protect Britain’s bees.

New NICE guidance on air pollution – “tinkering” not enough to deal with crisis says Friends of the Earth


news release

Responding to new draft guidance on air pollution from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Jenny Bates, Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner said: “While NICE is rightly saying schools and nurseries must be built away …

Ministers pledge £15 million for natural flood measures, following Friends of the Earth campaign


news release

News today that the government will provide an extra £15 million to utilise nature and manage land to reduce floods has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth. Today’s announcement by Andrea Leadsom follows a campaign by Friends of the …

Autumn Statement: Chancellor pootling along in slow lane towards a low-carbon future


news release

Reacting to the chancellor’s Autumn statement today, Friends of the Earth senior campaigner Liz Hutchins said: “The Chancellor is pootling along in the slow lane, when the UK needs to be on the fast track to a low-carbon economy. “With …

Cornwall congratulated for acting on bees and pesticides


news release

• Three major South West councils now have neonicotinoid pesticides bans on non-agricultural land Cornwall Council’s decision today to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on its parks, highways and other public land [1] as part of an action plan to …

Ministers failing to fund natural flood measures, reveals Friends of the Earth


news release

Nearly one year on from last winter’s devastating floods, ministers have failed to deliver on repeated promises to support natural flood management (NFM), like planting trees to reduce flood risk, Friends of the Earth reveals today. A Freedom of Information …

UK Parliament ratifies Paris climate deal


news release

Reacting to news that the UK parliament has approved ratification of the Paris climate agreement, Friends of the Earth international climate campaigner Asad Rehman said: ”This excellent news sends yet another signal to Mr Trump that world nations will act …

Fracking company says there are no bats at Yorkshire fracking site, survey finds differently


news release

In May of this year, North Yorkshire County Council approved an application to frack in Ryedale. In their planning report they stated that “the development as proposed would be undertaken within an area known to be devoid of bats.”

The environmental resistance will stand against Trump (Friends of the Earth US)


news release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President-elect Donald Trump threatens our environment and we vow to fight him every step of the way. Like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Trump tapped into a deep resentment about the governing establishment of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. …

Government consultation on coal phase-out welcomed


news release

Reacting to the government consultation published today on the phase-out of coal, Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: “Coal is a dirty, inefficient and climate-wrecking fuel that belongs in the past. The government’s move to consult on …

London taxi protest over air pollution


news release

Responding to the taxi drivers protests at Whitehall in central London latr today over traffic and air pollution, Sophie Neuburg, Friends of the Earth London campaigner, said: “Taxi drivers are right to be concerned about air pollution. London’s air is …

Sovereignty in Action: Parliament must give assurance that UK and environment will be better off


news release

Commenting on government’s court defeat this morning, Craig Bennett, chief executive, Friends of the Earth, said: “Those wanting to leave the EU said consistently that British courts and British parliament should be sovereign.

“Urgent and dramatic” action needed on climate change, warns UN – Friends of the Earth reaction


news release

Responding to today’s [Thursday 3 November] UN warning that the world must urgently and dramatically increase action to tackle climate change, Friends of the Earth’s international climate campaigner Asad Rehman said: “This is a stark warning that cannot be ignored …

Government loses court battle on dirty air, it must act now to ditch diesel


news release

The government must phase out diesel to reduce deaths from air pollution says Friends of the Earth, as the High Court today (2 November) allows a judicial review of the UK government’s plans to tackle air pollution – which campaigners …

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