Friends of the Earth considers environmental issues in their social, political and human rights contexts. Their campaigns stretch beyond the traditional arena of the conservation movement and seek to address the economic, social justice and development aspects of sustainability. The current national campaigns and projects of FoEA are:
Climate justice A
climate justice perspective addresses global warming by looking at who is harmed by climatic change, and how, and who is responsible for the emissions that caused the warming. In practical terms this means FoEA campaigns for Australia to reduce its carbon emissions to a 'globally equitable' level whilst also agreeing to accept a quota of '
climate refugees'. In 2009 it launched the Coalition for Climate Displacement and also broadened its campaign work into state based activity against the expansion of coal mining and export. The current main focus of its climate campaign is to oppose an expansion of Australia's reliance on coal and to promote a shift to low carbon sources of energy production.
Anti-nuclear Since its inception, FoEA has
campaigned against all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. The ACE Anti-Nuclear Collective is the longest continuous running campaign at FoEA, and has worked for over forty years researching, educating and actively campaigning on nuclear issues. At present this includes campaigning against the radioactive waste dump proposed for the South Australia and closure of all existing uranium mines, including the Olympic Dam mine at Roxby Downs in South Australia. The co-coordinator of its national nuclear campaign is
Jim Green.
Nanotechnology FoEA is calling for a moratorium on the research, development and production of synthetic nanoproducts while regulations are developed to protect the health and safety of workers, the public and the environment from the impacts of nanotechnology.
Chemicals FoEA campaigns on a range of industrial chemicals issues, particularly the use of
Bisphenol A in consumer products and use of pesticides in drinking water catchments.
Sustainable food The FoEA Sustainable Food and Agriculture Project addresses issues of social justice and
environmental sustainability in contemporary food and farming systems.
Indigenous land and rights Many local FoE groups work in partnership with Indigenous communities. FoE acts as the secretariat for the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA). In addition to more conventional campaigning, a number of FoE groups operate businesses and other ventures that act as practical examples of sustainable business. In 1999 FoE Brisbane initiated the Reverse Garbage re-use centre, which finds community uses for industrial discards which would otherwise go to landfill. The Bicycle Revolution (which finds and fixes up old pushbikes) also operates from FoE Brisbane. FoE in Melbourne has been running a large food co-operative and a bookshop for over two decades and, more recently an organic café. == Funding ==