Friends of the Earth Canada, along with more than 400 organizations worldwide, have supported an open letter to UN Secretary General António Guterres and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, in light of the appointment of oil executive Al Jaber as COP28 president. The full letter can be read below. Date: January 26, 2023 To: António
It is significant that the world has recognized how destructive pollution can be for biodiversity in Target 7 of the new Biodiversity agreement. For the first time, parties have agreed to an explicit objective on pesticides, committing to reduce overall risk from pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals by at least half by 2030. This is
Pollution is a key driver for biodiversity loss and, rightly, is the focus of Target 7 of the Negotiating Draft of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Negotiators are now dealing with a proposal to reduce nutrients lost to the environment [by at least half] and pesticides [by at least two-thirds]. These “square brackets” show that
This same week as the start to the UN’s Nature COP in Montreal, the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Governing Council will be meeting, and we’re calling on FAO leadership to end their indefinite agreement with pesticide industry lobbyists, CropLife International. FAO was created to promote sustainable agriculture, champion biodiversity and protect human health.
Giving Tuesday, November 29, is an antidote to the crass commercial cycle of Black Friday (and the weeks of advertising proceeding it), Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday – consumerism that begets single use plastic pollution and ever more gadgets and stuff. Giving Tuesday creates the space to consider and support the causes that give
By Beatrice Olivastri and Ian Shanahan. Wild native bees are barely noticed, but they work away like undercover agents in our fields, gardens, forests, and parks. There are more than 4000 species of wild native bees recognized in North America, 20,000 worldwide, and new species are still being discovered. Bees make up a cohort of
The calendar has rolled past another two years to October when CPP Investments gives us 10 days’ notice for the meetings they’re required to hold with their stakeholders (that’s anyone over 18 who invests through their CPP deductions or beneficiaries drawing their pensions). Is it a sign of their arrogance that they publish their 60
Petition Updates will be posted here. Petition e-4127 calling for a ban on glyphosate is closed effective January 13. Thank you to all 18,385 people signing on to the petition. Watch this space for details on presentation of the petition to the Minister of Health in the House of Commons. The Minister will be required
Friends of the Earth Canada has won standing in a historic climate change court challenge. The case known as Mathur et. al. v. Her Majesty in Right of Ontario is the first ever climate Charter case heard by a Canadian court. Seven young people are demanding that Ontario take real action on climate change and
By Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth It is wonderful to hear about widespread citizens’ efforts to plant pollinator gardens and corridors. In equal measure, it is disturbing to hear about municipal enforcement of antiquated by-laws that allow enforcement officials to cut down naturalized gardens based on complaints. A case in point is the
