Friends Of The Earth Research Articles

BEYOND THE COURTROOM: THE EVOLUTION OF RIGHTS-BASED CLIMATE LITIGATION FROM URGENDA TO HELD AND ITS POLICY IMPACT

This paper examines the growing trend of employing international and human rights law in domestic climate change lawsuits as a strategic tool for legal action. Using a qualitative and comparative analysis of seminal case law, such as Urgenda Foundation v the Netherlands and R (Friends of the Earth and others) v Heathrow Airport Ltd and Held v State, this paper aims to explain the juridical trajectories and methodologies employed in rights-based climate litigation. The primary objective is to critically evaluate the potential regulatory impact of this emergent jurisprudential paradigm on both domestic legislation and international climate change treaties. The study posits that when traditional enforcement mechanisms enshrined in international environmental law treaties prove ineffective, domestic litigation grounded in human rights claims serve as a catalyst for transformative jurisprudence. This, in turn, can exert substantial pressure on state and non-state actors, compelling them to adopt more strict regulatory measures to mitigate the effects of climate change. The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to elucidate the effectiveness and development of rights-based jurisprudence in climate litigation, and second, to assess its potential for influencing the creation of stronger regulatory mechanisms at both state and international levels. The paper argues that when international treaties fail to take adequate climate change action, domestic lawsuits based on human rights claims start to serve as a lever of change, pressuring both state and non-state actors into adopting more ambitious measures. The study underscores the importance of this rights-based approach not merely as a legal strategy but as a multifaceted tool for effectuating systemic regulatory advancements and fostering climate justice.

Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics

To commemorate 40 years since the founding of the Journal of Business Ethics, the editors in chief of the journal have invited the editors to provide commentaries on the future of business ethics. This essay comprises a selection of commentaries aimed at creating dialogue around the theme Ethics at the centre of global and local challenges. For much of the history of the Journal of Business Ethics, ethics was seen within the academy as a peripheral aspect of business. However, in recent years, the stakes have risen dramatically, with global and local worlds destabilized by financial crisis, climate change, internet technologies and artificial intelligence, and global health crises. The authors of these commentaries address these grand challenges by placing business ethics at their centre. What if all grand challenges were framed as grand ethical challenges? Tanusree Jain, Arno Kourula and Suhaib Riaz posit that an ethical lens allows for a humble response, in which those with greater capacity take greater responsibility but remain inclusive and cognizant of different voices and experiences. Focussing on business ethics in connection to the grand(est) challenge of environmental emergencies, Steffen Böhm introduces the deceptively simple yet radical position that business is nature, and nature is business. His quick but profound side-step from arguments against human–nature dualism to an ontological undoing of the business–nature dichotomy should have all business ethics scholars rethinking their “business and society” assumptions. Also, singularly concerned with the climate emergency, Boudewijn de Bruin posits a scenario where, 40 years from now, our field will be evaluated by its ability to have helped humanity emerge from this emergency. He contends that Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth) v. Royal Dutch Shell illustrates how human rights take centre stage in climate change litigation, and how business ethics enters the courtroom. From a consumer ethics perspective, Deirdre Shaw, Michal Carrington and Louise Hassan argue that ecologically sustainable and socially just marketplace systems demand cultural change, a reconsideration of future interpretations of “consumer society”, a challenge to the dominant “growth logic” and stimulation of alternative ways to address our consumption needs. Still concerned with global issues, but turning attention to social inequalities, Nelarine Cornelius links the capability approach (CA) to global and corporate governance, arguing that CA will continue to lie at the foundation of human development policy, and, increasingly, CSR and corporate governance. Continuing debate on the grand challenges associated with justice and equality, Laurence Romani identifies a significant shift in the centrality of business ethics in debates on managing (cultural) differences, positing that dialogue between diversity management and international management can ground future debate in business ethics. Finally, the essay concludes with a commentary by Charlotte Karam and Michelle Greenwood on the possibilities of feminist-inspired theories, methods, and positionality for many spheres of business ethics, not least stakeholder theory, to broaden and deepen its capacity for nuance, responsiveness, and transformation. In the words of our commentators, grand challenges must be addressed urgently, and the Journal of Business Ethics should be at the forefront of tackling them.

Searching for green elephants and other mythical creatures during the Trump years: Partisanship and congressional voting on environmental legislation

AbstractAre there any environmentalists left in the Republican Party? Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and data from the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) for the 115th (2017–2018) and 116th (2019–2020) Congresses, the author finds that around 25% of Republicans in the House of Representatives and 40% of those in the Senate are more supportive of environmental legislation than the average Democrat in their respective chambers, when separating partisanship from environmentalism. However, findings also suggest that environmentalism for Republicans tends to focus far more on conserving existing programs and resources than it does on advocating for progressive new policies to address emerging problems, like climate change, so it manifests differently than environmentally focused initiatives that are synonymous with the policy doctrine of Democrats.Related ArticlesDunning, Kelly Heber. 2021. “Unlikely Conservation Policy Making in a Polarized Congress: A Multiple Streams Analysis of ‘America's Most Successful Conservation Program’.” Politics & Policy 50(1): 93–118. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12448.Gershtenson, Joseph, Brian W. Smith, and William R. Mangun. 2006. “Friends of the Earth? Partisanship, Party Control of Congress, and Environmental Legislation in Congress.” Politics & Policy 34(1): 66–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2006.00004.x.Wink, Kenneth A., and Andrew Bargen. 2008. “The Consolidation of the White Southern Congressional Vote: The Roles of Ideology and Party Identification.” Politics & Policy 36(3): 376–99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2007.00113.x.

Impact of Colonialism on Environment: A Socio-Ecological Study of Twilight in Delhi

Massive devastation of indigenous social ecology was envisaged during the colonial expansion in almost all parts of the world since the 16th century. This colonial craze resulted in the exploitation of the natural resources of the colonial territories, which leads to environmental degradation. The alarming consequences of economic expansion including depletion of the ozone layer, air pollution, loss of forests and biodiversity, extinction of animal and plant species, loss of marine life, water and soil pollution have occurred at an alarming rate. Substantial destruction has greatly affected the global environment in the shape of global warming, urbanization, and massive industrialization among other grave issues. Modern intelligentsia and academia give rise to environmental consciousness through multiple campaigns including the celebration of “Earth Day”, the emergence of environmental activist organizations like “Friends of the Earth”, “Earth First”, “Sea Shepherd” and the formation of “Association for the Study of Literature and Environment ASLE” in America, the vis-à-vis start of Environmental studies and Ecocriticism at universities all over the world. Soon it prospered into further interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields of studies, in addition to the environmental campaigns activated across the world.

The Green is the New Red? A Libertarian Challenge: The Radicals and the Friends of the Earth Italy, 1976–1983

This paper focuses on Italian libertarian and anti-authoritarian environmentalism, embodied at the political level by the Radical Party and by a small organization linked to it, the Amici della Terra, the Italian section of Friends of the Earth. It aims at highlighting their role within the environmentalist galaxy of associations, movements and committees and at studying their political strategy, the peculiarities of their cultural and political contribution to the Green movement, but also their clashes with the other components. The paper analyses the Radical Party and Amici della Terra's support for anti-nuclear mobilizations in the late 1970s, especially against the construction of a nuclear plant in Montalto di Castro; how they provided a political outlet for many animal-rights movements and contributed to bringing conservationist associations closer to politics; and how they tried to build international links with other Green parties and associations. The paper highlights some political and ideological clashes between Radical environmentalism and the so-called ‘Red ecology’ around the referendum against nuclear power plants, the anti-hunting referendum and the mobilization for peace and the Amici della Terra's proposal to create local Green Lists. Thus it aims at adding a political interpretation to the cultural one – suggested by scholars – of the delay in the development of a Green party in Italy compared to other Western European countries.

965 INTEGRATED CARE HOME OWNERSHIP AND FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY

Abstract Introduction Lack of home ownership is associated higher rates of mental and physical ill-health and death1. According to longitudinal data in Ireland, 92% of persons aged 75 and over own their homes outright with approximately 8% living in rented accommodation2. We sought to compare characteristics of a cohort of patients open to our Integrated Care for Older Persons (ICOP) team with this national Irish dataset. Method A convenience sample of 50 patients reviewed by the ICOP team in a University Teaching Hospital was analysed. Data was anonymised and stored via encrypted key. Analysis was performed using SPSS v.27. Results The average age was 82.5 (±8.1) with 70% women in the sample. There was a lower prevalence of home ownership in this group of patients than the national norm (66% vs 92%) ie 34% were living in rental accommodation, majority Local Authorities. Those living in Local Authority accommodation had lower overall time spent in full time education than those who owned their own home (9.3 ± 3.1 vs 11.5 ± 3.3 p = 0.013), they were more likely to require external assistance with finances (54.5% v 88.2% p = 0.026) and less likely to have a Will (63.6% vs 35.2% p = NS) or EPOA (33.3% vs 23.5% p = 0.053) established. There was no significant difference in age, CFS, MMSE, Waterlow or polypharmacy rates between these groups. Discussion This report highlights a divergence between community dwelling older adults referred to ICOP teams and national standard data. Targeted social work interventions should be operationalised to assist financially vulnerable older adults. 1: Marmot M, Geddes I, Bloomer E, Allen J, Goldblatt P. The health impacts of cold homes and fuel poverty. London: Friends of the Earth. 2011. 2: Orr, J, Scarlett S, Donoghue, O, McGarrigle, C. Housing conditions of Ireland’s older population. Implications for physical and mental health, 2016. Available from https://tilda.tcd.ie/publications/reports/pdf/Report_HousingConditions.pdf

Türk GDO Karşıtı Hareketinde Çok Katmanlı Çerçeveleme

Studies on framing between local and global contexts mostly focus on the ways in which local actors draw upon universalizing claims. Political and economic processes within which the GMOs are produced, traded and regulated invite an exploration of different scales – from local to national, from regional to global. This study aims to analyze the multilayered framing activities of Turkish anti-GM mobilization. In October 2004, ‘No to GMOs Platform’ (GDO’ya Hayır Platformu) in Turkey organized the Monster Tomato Tour which was the continuation of Friends of the Earth’s Bite Back Campaign against the World Trade Organization ruling on GMOs. Platform activists defined their strategy by linking GMOs with environmental, agricultural, and economic issues that are relevant to Turkish political and economic realities and resonate with a larger frame in relation to global aspects of the controversy. Based on interviews with key national and local anti-GM activists in 12 cities conducted between 2007 and 2009, this paper probes how and why core tasks of framing process – diagnostic, prognostic, motivational – relate to local, national, and global scales. The Turkish anti-GM movement developed i) diagnostic frames, identifying a problem and attribute blame at global scale ii) prognostic frames, offering actions and plans at national scale iii) motivational frames being a rationale for action mainly at the local scale. The movement bridged a vast political space by framing the GM issue in a multilayered way by interpreting the grievances and claims locally, nationally, and globally. The movement represents a broad coalition of environmental and health concerns, agriculture issues and consumer rights. Activists were able to create a coherent narrative by connecting different scales towards a nation-wide ban on GMOs.

Climate Change, Emissions Liability, and Multinational Corporations: Notes from Friends of the Earth v. Royal Dutch Shell

Climate Change, Emissions Liability, and Multinational Corporations: Notes from Friends of the Earth v. Royal Dutch Shell

Unlikely conservation policy making in a polarized Congress: A multiple streams analysis of “America's most successful conservation program”

AbstractThe Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), nicknamed “America's most successful conservation program,” was permanently reauthorized during the polarized Trump administration period in 2019. This victory for conservation came during an unlikely moment. How did bipartisan conservation policy pass despite the polarization of Congress during the Trump years? In this article, I use the Multiple Streams Framework to provide insights into the LWCF's reauthorization. Focusing on the problem stream, this research identifies messaging that transcends the partisan divide and appeals to broad American values. Analysis of the messages of policy entrepreneurs found that, regardless of political party, shared messages focus on the enduring legacy of the LWCF, its economic impacts, its symbolic weight, and its use of private dollars. The wider significance of this research is better understanding decision‐making contexts with surprising common messaging in the problem stream between otherwise opposing sides of the partisan divide.Related ArticlesAngervil, Gilvert. 2021. “A Comprehensive Application of Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework: An Analysis of the Obama Administration's No Child Left Behind Waiver Policy.” Politics & Policy 49(5): 980–1020. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12432Gershtenson, Joseph, Brian W. Smith, and William R. Mangun. 2006. “Friends of the Earth? Partisanship, Party Control of Congress, and Environmental Legislation in Congress.” Politics & Policy 34(1): 66–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2006.00004.xRawat, Pragati, and John Charles Morris. 2016. “Kingdon's ‘Streams’ Model at Thirty: Still Relevant in the 21st Century?” Politics & Policy 44(4): 608–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12168

Impact of Colonialism on Environment: A Socio-Ecological Study of Twilight in Delhi

Massive devastation of indigenous social ecology was envisaged during the colonial expansion in almost all parts of the world since the 16th century. This colonial craze resulted in the exploitation of the natural resources of the colonial territories, which leads to environmental degradation. The alarming consequences of economic expansion including depletion of the ozone layer, air pollution, loss of forests and biodiversity, extinction of animal and plant species, loss of marine life, water and soil pollution have occurred at an alarming rate. Substantial destruction has greatly affected the global environment in the shape of global warming, urbanization, and massive industrialization among other grave issues. Modern intelligentsia and academia give rise to environmental consciousness through multiple campaigns including the celebration of “Earth Day”, the emergence of environmental activist organizations like “Friends of the Earth”, “Earth First”, “Sea Shepherd” and the formation of “Association for the Study of Literature and Environment ASLE” in America, the vis-à-vis start of Environmental studies and Ecocriticism at universities all over the world. Soon it prospered into further interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary fields of studies, in addition to the environmental campaigns activated across the world.

Gatt, Caroline. An ethnography of global environmentalism: becoming Friends of the Earth. xiv, 254 pp., illus., bibliogr. London: Routledge, 2018. £120.00 (cloth)

Gatt, Caroline. An ethnography of global environmentalism: becoming Friends of the Earth. xiv, 254 pp., illus., bibliogr. London: Routledge, 2018. £120.00 (cloth)

Friends of the Earth: At the Intersection of Environmental and Administrative Law?

The judgment in R (Friends of the Earth Ltd) v Heathrow Airport Ltd,1 adds to the important picture of the relationship between administrative law doctrine in general, and the application of power under specific statutory regimes. This analysis will draw out three main elements of this picture: first, the understanding of the place of policy in a legal framework; secondly, the use of administrative law principles to determine matters of statutory interpretation, and thirdly resolving cases through the use of administrative law doctrines. Ultimately, the decision of the Supreme Court in this case suggests that ‘administrative law’ still has an important place to play, independent from constitutional principle and the specific legislative regime at play. There is a range of views as to the utility, significance or coherence of an independent doctrine of administrative law. Sir Clive Lewis refers to ‘a body of...

Friends of the Earth & Legal Interdisciplinarity: Introduction by the Analysis Editors

<i>Friends of the Earth</i> &amp; Legal Interdisciplinarity: Introduction by the Analysis Editors

The Strategies of Transnational Advocacy Networks: A Support to Anti-Fracking Movement In The United Kingdom (2013-2019)

The implementation of fracking activities in the United Kingdom that involves the pumping of water, chemicals, and sand underground to explore shale gas has caused several hazardous impacts. This situation has sparked protests from various kinds of demonstrators, both individuals and organizations. In response to the public objection to fracking activities, the British Government tended to fight back against the action. The detention of demonstrators ultimately created a pattern of limited advocacy among the public against the British Government. It has prompted an NGO called Friends of the Earth to start mobilizing these issues to the international realm by promoting principled ideas or norms to form a transnational network, aiming to influence national policy. The authors explain the transnational advocacy network's role in influencing British policy by applying the concept of Transnational Advocacy Network (TAN) from Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink. Specifically, the role is analysed based on TAN’s strategies, namely Information Politics, Symbolic Politics, Leverage Politics, and Accountability Politics. The authors also use Constructivism Theory to explain how norms and ideas can influence national policy. This research uses qualitative methods with secondary data collection techniques to describe and interpret some relevant phenomena to become an integrated explanation.

The Strategies of Transnational Advocacy Networks: A Support to Anti-Fracking Movement In The United Kingdom (2013-2019)

The implementation of fracking activities in the United Kingdom that involves the pumping of water, chemicals, and sand underground to explore shale gas has caused several hazardous impacts. This situation has sparked protests from various kinds of demonstrators, both individuals and organizations. In response to the public objection to fracking activities, the British Government tended to fight back against the action. The detention of demonstrators ultimately created a pattern of limited advocacy among the public against the British Government. It has prompted an NGO called Friends of the Earth to start mobilizing these issues to the international realm by promoting principled ideas or norms to form a transnational network, aiming to influence national policy. The authors explain the transnational advocacy network's role in influencing British policy by applying the concept of Transnational Advocacy Network (TAN) from Margaret E. Keck and Kathryn Sikkink. Specifically, the role is analysed based on TAN’s strategies, namely Information Politics, Symbolic Politics, Leverage Politics, and Accountability Politics. The authors also use Constructivism Theory to explain how norms and ideas can influence national policy. This research uses qualitative methods with secondary data collection techniques to describe and interpret some relevant phenomena to become an integrated explanation.

Energy from food waste

Energy from food waste

Informal and Nonformal Adult Learning in the Coal Seam Gas Protests: Mobilizing Practices and Building an Environmental Justice Movement for Change

This case study research examines informal adult learning in the Lock the Gate Alliance, a campaign against mining for coal seam gas in Central Gippsland, Australia. In the field of the campaign, circumstantial activists learn to think critically about the environment, they learn informally and incidentally, through socialization with experienced activists from and through nonformal workshops provided by the Environmental Nongovernment Organization Friends of the Earth. This article uses Bourdieu’s “theory of practice,” to explore the mobilization of activists within the Lock the Gate Alliance field and the practices which generate knowledge and facilitate adult learning. These practices have enabled a diverse movement to educate the public and citizenry about the serious threat fracking poses to the environment, to their land and water supply. The movements successful practices have won a landmark moratorium on fracking for coal seam gas in the State of Victoria.

Bringing Shell and Friends of the Earth on stage: A one-act spectacle of oil spills in the Niger Delta

• Oil spills in the Niger Delta are an exploitative and controversial phenomenon. • CSR practices are theatrical productions for an audience of spectators. • CSOs highlight inconsistencies in corporate disclosures as a political act. • Dialogic engagement demonstrates how CSR practices conceal a neoliberal agenda. This paper explores the spectacle of oil spills in the Niger Delta as a controversial dialogue between Royal Dutch Shell plc and the civil-society organization Friends of the Earth International (FoE). Using the theater metaphor, we create a one-act play as a spectacular production of dialogic engagement between Shell’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports and an FoE shadow account. The paper reveals CSR practices as a contemporary manifestation of a disclosure spectacle, and shadow accounts as resistance in the form of parody. The study contributes to the theorizing of spectacle and adds to the discussion of resistance as a political act.

Adult learning, circumstantial activism and ecological habitus in the coal seam gas protests

AbstractThis paper outlines adult learning in the space of an important campaign against mining for coal seam gas (CSG). Recently, the government of Victoria became the first state to banfrackingfor CSG in Australia. This significant legislative outcome could not have been achieved without the concerted campaigning of activists through the Lock the Gate Alliance (LTGA), in Central Gippsland. The campaign is mainly composed ofcircumstantial activistswho have come together due to the serious threat from fracking to the quality of their land and water supply. This case study research examines adult learning in the field of a campaign. The findings from this research make clear activists learn to think critically about the environment and the impact of fracking for CSG. They learn communication skills, group work and networking skills. They develop afeel for the gameof activism bylearning informallythrough socialisation with experienced activists from the LTGA and the Environmental Non-Government Organisation Friends of the Earth (FOE). In turn, FOE resource the coalition and provide opportunities for both informal learning and nonformal learning to the protestors. Drawing on Bourdieu’s writing onpractice, this paper outlines practices within the LTGA field that are influential in the knowledge and skill development of the activists.

A Conversation

A Conversation