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Annual Review 2014
People make the differenceWith your support we succeed together
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Two words sum up our story in 2014 – people power.So this report is really about you. Friends of the Earth’s supporters – people like you – and our volunteers in villages, towns and cities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, make us a formidable campaigning movement.Together this year, thousands of you have combined to tackle two of the most urgent problems facing the planet:
> a massive decline in nature > climate change.
And we're getting success...
Contents
3 Success of our nature campaign Big win for The Bee Cause
6 Run on Sun Renewable energy to tackle climate change
8 Other successes in 2014 Highlights from the year
10 Where your support goes Thank you
12 Bees are just the beginning Plans for 2015
To support Friends of the EarthEngland, Wales and Northern Irelandplease telephone 020 7490 1555
Friends of the Earth EnglandThe Printworks139 Clapham RoadLondonSW9 0HPTel: 020 7490 1555Fax: 020 7490 0881foe.co.uk
Friends of the Earth Northern IrelandEmail: [email protected]/northern_ireland
Friends of the Earth CymruEmail: [email protected]
Editorial team: Dominic Murphy, Sarah Hanson, Adam BradburyCreative Director: Glen ColegateDesign and art direction: Glynn Perkins Picture research: Amelia Collins
Photo: Kim Taylorfacebook.com/wwwfoecouk twitter.com/wwwfoecouk
Friends of the Earth Annual Review 2014 3
We began 2014 on a high, knowing that the Government had agreed to the key thrust of our current nature campaign – a plan to save Britain’s bees and other vital pollinators.
Bees, which pollinate up to 70% of our food crops, are a key species in the complex natural system that humans depend on. Yet they are in alarming decline. Their plight is typical of the huge problems threatening nature as a whole.
Following the Government’s commitment to a plan (known as the National Pollinator Strategy or NPS), the task now was to make sure it was good enough to save bees.
So during the year, as the Government put together the NPS, we’ve kept up the pressure. We’ve been doing this in partnership with scientists, other groups and businesses.
And we’ve been doing it through people power too. Tens of thousands of you have signed petitions in your communities, contacted your MPs and emailed ministers at crucial stages of the NPS process.
Bee WorldsTogether we’ve also led practical change, creating more than 200 Bee Worlds across the country (see picture). These havens of wild flowers are not only beautiful but provide much needed habitats.
Great British Bee Count People power also made the Great British Bee Count a resounding success. As part of a drive to get more people enjoying nature first hand, we partnered with B&Q and Buglife to develop a free phone app to monitor bees. More than 23,000 of you took part in this pioneering citizen science project, spotting 832,000 bees and gathering data on nine bumblebee species. We’ll be repeating this annually to help build a picture of the health of bees in Britain.
Award-winning collaborationAlong the way we picked up a prestigious award for our campaigning. Together with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI), we won the Charity Partnership Award at the Third Sector Awards ceremony – industry recognition of a great campaign.
The future of beesThe Government launched the NPS towards the end of the year. It’s good – a vast improvement on the original proposal – but it’s not perfect. It incorporates some important changes we campaigned for in 2014, but there are flaws: it still doesn’t support all farmers to help save bees, for example, while action on pesticides does not go far enough.
It is our NPS – we campaigned for it together – so over coming months we’ll be doing all we can to strengthen it and make sure it delivers.
Securing government commitment to action is a tremendous success though, and we’re really proud of all we’ve achieved with you so far. Thank you.
Next steps for nature page 12
Success of our nature campaign Big win for The Bee Cause
Photo: Alan Palmer
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Friends of the Earth Annual Review 2014 5
We’re building on The Bee Cause campaign to rally more people in support of nature in general. So in 2014 we continued to develop initiatives to give more people hands-on experience of nature. This included planting Bee Worlds on disused land, in parks and even on roundabouts. Tinke, left, took part in sowing wild flower seeds at Kitchener Park in east London, with sister Petra and mother Martina Matthewsova. Says Petra: “I love this. I want more seeds. I want a garden.” Angelika Brinis is another local resident who came to the event with her son Noah and nephew Danny. She says: “Wild seed planting is great. It is educating people – we need more of this.”
foe.co.uk/bees
Together we're creating wild flower habitats for bees up and down the country. We're calling them Bee Worlds
Successes at a glance> Government finally launches action plan for bees
> 200-plus Bee Worlds
> 23,000 people take part in the Great British Bee Count
> Our collaborative campaign wins award
Run on Sun Renewable energy to tackle climate change
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The science is clear – unless the world cuts its carbon emissions, and does it quickly, the planet faces potentially catastrophic climate change.
That’s why we’re campaigning to keep fossil fuels in the ground, and for a massive increase in renewable energy in the UK. Progress by the UK in its own back yard gives it the credibility to lead the call for international climate action.
About the Run On Sun campaignThe Run On Sun campaign aims to bring about a seismic shift in locally-owned renewable energy, and we’re starting with a focus on buildings at the heart of every community – your local school.
We want to make it easy for schools to run on solar power, breaking down the barriers that currently exist. It’s about communities having more control of where their energy comes from; it’s about people power.
Anna’s storyAnna Watson is a campaigner on Run On Sun. It was her experience at her children’s primary school, Saltaire, that inspired the campaign.
Along with another parent Anna approached the school about putting solar panels on its roof. The school was keen and after exploring various options for raising money, they decided to ask their local council, Bradford, for a loan.
It turned out Bradford had the same vision to see more energy saving and renewable energy in the district. So it agreed to pay for the installation of the panels. The school will earn money from the panels so will be able to pay back the cost over 7-8 years. After that the panels will belong to the school and it will reap the benefit. We believe every school in the country should have the same opportunity as Anna’s.
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Run on Sun successBradford Council has become the first local authority in the UK to vote for its schools to run on solar power. It has agreed to provide up to £1 million in 2015 for schools to invest in energy efficiency and renewables.
More than 700 schools so far have expressed interest in our campaign and several councils have committed to share best practice and explore how they can best support schools. Run On Sun is off to a great start on the road to making solar power for schools the new norm, and we’re ready to go even bigger in 2015. Thanks for all your support to get us here.
What if all schools installed solar panels bit.ly/solar-infographicRun on Sun case studies bit.ly/solar-examplesNext steps for climate page 12
Successes at a glance> 15,000 people signed up in support of
Run on Sun
> 700 schools have expressed an interest in going solar
> 1 council has already agreed to offer its schools £1 million for energy efficiency and renewable technologies
Clockwise from left: Saltaire primary school is being loaned the money to buy solar panels by Bradford Council. Children from Reay primary, south London, create their entry for our competition for free solar panels. Students from Henry Cavendish primary handed in our petiton to the minister, with 15,000 signatures, asking her to relax rules on borrowing for solar panels. A student from Wyvil primary, south London, explains why she likes solar panels
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Other successes in 2014Friends of the Earth’s vision is for a new, positive relationship between people and the environment. That means a stable climate and a thriving natural world – one that enables a good standard of living for everyone.
All the work we do together is designed to help achieve these goals.
Working with tens of thousands of supporters like you, we have had a tremendous 2014. Thank you.
Here are some highlights.
A vote for wildlife
The UK is still frack-free thanks to you
Hull on a high
Milestone in sustainability law
Paraguay communities fighting back
We’re supporting communities opposing drilling for shale gas, pointing out risks to health and the environment, over-hyped economic benefits and fracking’s contribution to climate change. And we’re getting success. For the past three -and-a-half years there has been no new shale gas drilling in the UK (see also Northern Ireland fracking win, opposite). In Lancashire, for example, we’re resisting the latest drilling proposals from Cuadrilla. And, in September 2014, after more than 5,500 objections, the Government blocked proposals for fracking in the South Downs National Park.
When beavers were discovered thriving in the wild in Devon, the Government tried to get them removed. We threatened legal action and more than 10,000 supporters wrote to the minister saying leave them alone. The return of a native species could be an important boost for our wildlife, and a small but powerful signal that we are capable of rebuilding our damaged environment.
Fantastic news from Hull, where Associated British Ports and Siemens Energy have committed to a £310m facility that will build and service offshore wind turbines. This will create around 1,000 much-needed jobs. Friends of the Earth played a major role in making this happen by championing the idea and building support through our Energising England events. We worked with, among others, the city council and local business networks.
We’re one big step closer to getting strong legislation on sustainable development in Wales. This will benefit both the environment and people. The Environment and Sustainability Committee of the National Assembly has been scrutinising the Well-being of Future Generations Bill since it was published in July. After a summer and autumn of campaigning from Friends of the Earth and others, the committee’s report recommends pretty much all the changes we’re asking for.
Since 2008 we’ve been working with rural communities in Paraguay to fight environmental crimes like deforestation. The work is going from strength to strength: in the beginning we were ignored by the authorities, but now they’re investigating, and prosecuting, lawbreakers. Recently, after two years of lobbying by the community of Luz Bella, Paraguay’s National Forest Institute has declared the deforestation in the community forest reserve illegal, so the invaders can be brought to justice.
foe.co.uk/success
Photo: West Sussex County Tim
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Friends of the Earth Annual Review 2014 9
CO2
No fracking in Northern Ireland
Attack on climate target thwarted
Making better products
Flood campaign embarrasses Government
Despite years of trying by the shale gas drilling companies, there is still no fracking in Northern Ireland, following campaigning by Friends of the Earth and others. This year, Tamboran, the main fracking company in Northern Ireland, had its application for exploratory drilling further delayed after we convinced the Government that planning permission and an environmental impact assessment was needed.
Following our Freedom of Information requests, we showed the Government’s claims to have increased spending on flood defences were untrue. In the huge media coverage that ensued, we showed that the Government should not only be spending more on flood defences but also doing more to tackle a major cause of increased flooding – climate change.
We fought off a Government challenge to a key part of the Climate Change Act. It’s long been reported that Chancellor George Osborne wanted to weaken a central target within the Act – the Fourth Carbon Budget, which was set at 50%, in line with advice from Government advisers the Committee on Climate Change. Friends of the Earth and our allies worked hard to keep the target, pointing in particular to the economic arguments. This helped inspire a vast array of businesses to back us. The Government has now decided to keep the 50% target.
The updated EU Accounting Directives represent a significant step towards large companies being more accountable for what happens in their supply chains. Fierce resistance by the British and German governments, and some business groups, put the brakes on progress, but Our Make It Better campaign helped win and save some important improvements. Make It Better showed how everyday products are damaging people’s lives and the environment, and puts us in a good place to improve the legislation further when it is transposed from EU to national laws.
Photo: Steve Cobb/Photo courtesy of West Sussex County Times
Anti-fracking campaigners in North, Horsham, West Sussex, July 2014. For the past three-and-a-half years there has been no new shale gas drilling in the UK
Photo: West Sussex County Tim
es
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Full audited accounts for both companies are available at foe.co.uk
Thank youMany thanks to everyone whose incredible generosity has helped make our work possible this year. Special thanks to:
1970 Trust
Antony Lewis, WordWeb Software
Ariane Braillard & Francesco Cincotta
B&Q Plc
Community Windpower Ltd
Department for International Development
Graham Hales
Ian Hall
Jacob & Miranda Cnattingius
John and Ingrid Broad
Lady Mackerras
Martin Gore
Martin Taylor
Mike and Kathy Smyth
Nigel and Margaret Woodward, founding Trustees of the Network of Wellbeing
Paper Round Ltd
Players of People's Postcode Lottery
Portobello Fund
Pure Climate
Reed Foundation through the Big Give Challenge
Roger de Freitas
Roger Ross, all those at Lots Road Auctions and the Rainmaker Foundation
Rosie Pearson
Sam & Ali Clarke
Stephen Brenninkmeijer, founder and principal of Willows Investments
The A Team Foundation
The Barbara Cairns Trust
The DG Charitable Settlement
The Freshfield Foundation
The Melvita Corporate Foundation
The Miss RCR Angel Charitable Trust
The Raphael Trust
The Roger and Ingrid Pilkington Charitable Trust
The Underwood Trust
The Waffle House, St Albans
Zennström Philanthropies
Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 May 2014
Friends of the Earth Trust £Income 10,204,463Expenditure 9,186,561Surplus for the year 1,017,902 Breakdowna) Climate & Energy 2,532,581 28%b) Land Use, Food & Water 799,679 9%c) Economics & Resource Use 1,520,813 16%d) Fair & Planned Transition 555,647 6%e) Nature & Ecosystems 1,155,831 13%f) Governance costs 47,229 1%g) Cost of generating funds 966,844 10%h) Supporter recruitment 1,607,937 17%
Where your support goes
Friends of the Earth TrustFriends of the Earth Trust is committed to the conservation, protection and improvement of the environment and promotes sustainable development for public benefit. It furthers these objectives by campaigning, undertaking research, education and publishing, and providing an information service on solutions to environmental problems.
“I have been supporting Friends of the Earth since the very early days. They are very much leading the way and are capable of surprises 40 years on. Friends of the Earth is in the rooms where I can’t be, fighting for the things I care about, the things that really matter for people and planet” Roger de Freitas
Friends of the Earth comprises two separate legal entities – Friends of the Earth Trust (a registered charity) and Friends of the Earth Limited (a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee). They work closely together, sharing staff, resources and a brand, in order to achieve their separate but similar objects as cost effectively as possible.
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Friends of the Earth Annual Review 2014 11
Friends of the Earth LimitedFriends of the Earth Limited is a campaigning organisation and exists to protect and improve the environment through influencing political policies and business practices, inspiring individual personal and political action, and stimulating wide and intelligent debate.
Gifts in willsWe would like to pay tribute to those supporters who generously donated gifts in their wills to protect the long-term future of our planet. Our grateful thanks go to:
Mr J Allard
Ms E Allsopp
Mrs R Bacon
Mr E Bailey
Mr A Bellis
Dr L Bentley
Mr P Betteridge
Mrs N Bradley
Mr J Burden
Mrs M Carr
Mrs Chambers
Mrs Clarke
Mr D Cook
Mrs R Corry
Miss Craven
Mrs D Cross
Miss J Dilloway
Miss M Dunn
Mrs V Dymott
Mrs N Emile
Mr V Evans
Miss I Flute
Mr P Gaggini
Mr J Gawler
Miss J Geere
Mr R Gilhooley
Mr D Glendening
Miss J Groom
Miss I Hartog
Mr MB Harwood
Miss A Holt
Ms B Hopkinson
Mrs D Hughes
Mr R Hunt
Mrs H Hurst
Ms L Jackson
Mrs D James
Mr AK Jones
Mrs M Karten
Mrs E Kingcome
Mr P Kreeger
Mrs V Lageard
Miss D Leith
Mrs J Lichtenstern
Mrs J Lingwood
Mrs P Lonsdale
Ms B Lourie
Mrs D Lowrie
Mr D Manning
Mr C McCall
Mr RP Miller
Mr R Mills
Mrs M Morley
Mr T Northwood
Mr P Norton
Miss D Plomley
Mr C Prettyman
Mr A Rawnsley
Mrs M Rees
Mrs M Robinson
Mr A Saunders
Mr M Scollan
Mrs D Seammen
Mrs KM Shaw
Mrs A Sheppard
Miss A Sleap
Mr J Stoddart
Mr H Thorpe
Mr P Tidmarsh
Mrs D Tyler
Mrs A Vallender
Mr A Vincent
Miss M Watt
Mrs G Webb
Miss J Webster
Miss G Weigert
Miss H Wills
Mr R Willson
Mr Wood
Mr M Woods
Mrs P Wormald
Mrs R Wybrow
Mr H Yapp
Miss J Young
Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 May 2014
Friends of the Earth Limited £Income 1,540,062Expenditure 2,023,743Deficit for the year (483,681) Breakdown a) Campaigning & information provision 1,853,815 92%b) Fundraising 120,889 6%c) Management & administration 49,039 2%
“We believe we have a responsibility to help customers create greener homes. This is why we’re working with Friends of the Earth as part of our One Planet Home programme and inspiring people to plant bee friendly gardens” B&Q Plc
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Bees are just the beginning: our plans for 2015
Terry Whittaker/2020Vision
Friends of the Earth Annual Review 2014 13
Wow what a year! Thanks to you (and the many thousands that joined with us), we have won our bee action plan and are another step further towards reversing the decline of British bees.
Now we must make sure Government plans turn into action, while scaling up our own help for all the pollinators on which we so depend. In 2015 we’ll work with others – politicians, businesses, communities – to create even more bee habitats, building on the huge success of our Bee Worlds in 2014, as well as pushing for tougher Government commitments.
2015 is also an important year for tackling dangerous climate change, and includes the United Nations Paris summit in December. This is a chance to get major commitments from the international community. With your support, we’ll be ensuring wealthy industrialised nations play their fair part in cutting carbon emissions quicker while helping developing countries tackle climate change and adapt to its impacts.
The Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (known as TTIP) is also on our agenda for 2015. This deal is supposedly about reducing trade barriers between businesses in the US and EU, but what it really means is cutting precious social and environmental protections.
Back at home, we’ll continue our successful work to keep the UK frack-free, as part of our overall drive to keep fossil fuels in the ground. At the same time, we will demonstrate how we can meet our energy needs through community-based renewables, with schools at the leading edge.
Of course there is a General Election this year and we will be doing all we can to push the wellbeing of people and the environment up the political agenda – both in the run up to and after the May vote.
So as we get stuck into another busy year, I always remind myself of our long-term goals as an organisation. We want a world where:
> we’re winning the battle to stop dangerous climate change
> nature is thriving and is a much bigger part in our lives
> new ways of living consume much less of our natural resources
> taking action to protect our planet and improve our lives is a way of life for millions
> people’s action in the UK is connected up to action all around the world.
Our goals are ambitious, but necessary. And the tremendous progress with the bee campaign shows they’re also realistic. I know with your support in 2015 we will achieve more than ever. Thank you for all that you do.
Executive Director
We’ve had a great year thanks to you
We want nature to be a much bigger part of our lives
We want nature to be a much bigger part of our lives
We want nature to be a much bigger part of our lives
Friends of the Earth Trust, registered charity number 281681, company number 1533942. Friends of the Earth Limited, company number 1012357. Our paper is totally recycled and our printers hold EMAS certification which means they care about the environment. January 2015.Cover photos clockwise from left: Mid sussex Friends of the Earth; Andrew Child; Su Dore.
Thank you so much for all that you do with Friends of the Earth. There are lots of different ways that you can contribute to our work and help us make a difference. With over 90% of our income provided by people like you, your ongoing financial support is hugely appreciated. If you wish to make a significant gift, we can discuss ways to ensure you are making a difference on the issues you care most about. You might also like to set up a regular donation, which adds your voice to thousands of others and helps us plan over the longer term. And of course, legacy gifts of all sizes are hugely important to us. We also value your time and expertise – from action online to joining with others in your community to make a difference locally, there are many ways to help us achieve change.
I’d be very happy to have a chat if you’d like to discuss your support for our work. You can reach me on 020 7490 1555 or email me direct at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you, and once again – a huge thanks from all of us at Friends of the Earth for helping us make a difference.
Joe Jenkins Director of Engagement
For more than 40 years we’ve seen that the wellbeing of people and planet go hand in hand – and it’s been the inspiration for our campaigns. Together with thousands of people like you we’ve secured safer food and water, defended wildlife and natural habitats, championed the move to clean energy and acted to keep our climate stable. Be a Friend of the Earth – see things differently.
