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243 results
Aligning fossil fuel production with the Paris Agreement
The document advocates for a managed decline in global fossil fuel production to meet Paris Agreement goals, suggesting that supply-side policies complement demand-side efforts to reduce emissions and carbon lock-in. It proposes using NDCs, long-term strategies, and a global stocktake to track production phase-downs while ensuring a just transition for affected workers and economies.
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Document type: Policy brief
A blueprint for an effective watchdog
ClientEarth proposes a blueprint for a UK environmental watchdog with binding legal powers, independent funding from parliament, and a UK-wide mandate to ensure government accountability for environmental obligations.
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Document type: Statement
Annex II Joint NGO recommendations for 2018 total allowable catches For selected Northeast Atlantic and North Sea stocks
The document presents a series of TAC recommendations for 2018 for selected fish stocks in the Northeast Atlantic and North Sea. The NGOs argue for limits that align with scientific advice from ICES, often recommending lower catches than the European Commission's proposals to prevent overexploitation, particularly for stocks not meeting Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) objectives.
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Document type: Briefing
Transitioning beyond coal: Lessons from the structural renewal of Europe’s old industrial regions
The research examines the capacity of 'old industrial regions' (OIRs) to transition from declining mature industries to new growth paths. It utilizes the Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) framework to analyze 'lock-in'—functional, cognitive, and political—that hinders diversification. Using examples like Germany's Ruhr region, the paper argues that successful renewal requires 'regional branching' based on existing capabilities and a shift from top-down mandates to inclusive, bottom-up 'regional development coalitions'. It provides a typology of innovation support and warns against the 'regional resource curse' where renewable energy transitions may fail to create localized value.
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Document type: Research paper
Por qué es necesaria nuestra unidad a nivel mundial para combatir el cambio climático
Friends of the Earth International asserts that the current global energy model, dominated by fossil fuels and corporate-led 'false solutions', is driving a planetary emergency. The statement criticizes the Paris Agreement as insufficient and legally unenforceable, calling for urgent emission reductions by wealthy nations and a shift toward decentralized, community-led energy systems.
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Document type: Statement
Why we need to stand as one globally to combat climate change
The statement by Friends of the Earth International characterizes the current climate situation as a 'planetary emergency' and criticizes the Paris Agreement for lacking legal enforcement and science-based cuts. It calls for the immediate end of fossil fuels—noting that over 1600 new coal plants are planned in 62 countries—and warns against 'false solutions' such as nuclear power and large-scale hydroelectric projects. The document advocates for a just transition where developed countries, whose 10% population is responsible for 50% of emissions, lead deep cuts and fund sustainable development in the global South. It promotes decentralized, people-centered community energy, agroecology, and community forest management as the only viable future.
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Document type: Statement
Pourquoi nous devons être unis pour combattre le changement climatique
Friends of the Earth International calls for a global movement to replace the centralized fossil fuel industry and other harmful energy sources—including nuclear power and large hydroelectric dams—with community-centered, sustainable energy. The statement asserts that the Paris Agreement is insufficient to limit warming to 1.5 degrees and demands that developed nations, responsible for the majority of emissions, lead emission reductions and provide financial support to the Global South.
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Document type: Statement
The Withdrawal Bill: Destination and Journey
The report argues that the draft European Union (Withdrawal) Bill jeopardises the UK's environment and legal system by transferring excessive power to Government Ministers and failing to guarantee the retention of all EU environmental laws and governance functions. It identifies three primary risks: a democratic deficit caused by broad ministerial powers and inadequate scrutiny; a reduction in environmental protection due to the loss of overarching principles and incomplete transposition of Directives; and a governance gap resulting from the absence of independent replacements for EU institutions. The authors recommend that retained EU law only be modified by Acts of Parliament, that environmental principles be explicitly retained, and that new, independent governance mechanisms be established through primary legislation.
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Document type: Report
Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx
Amory B. Lovins of RMI argues that subsidies for distressed nuclear plants are unjustified because closing high-cost nuclear units and reinvesting their operating expenses into energy efficiency can reduce more carbon than maintaining the plants. He contends that 'baseload' power is not a grid requirement and that variable renewables are more resilient and cost-effective than central thermal plants.
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Document type: Statement
To what extent are land resource managers preparing for high-end climate change in Scotland?
The research finds that land resource managers in Scotland do not directly account for high-end climate change (HECC) scenarios—defined as global temperature increases over 4°C—because they perceive these outcomes as having a low probability of occurrence. Instead, decision-makers prioritise incremental solutions driven by non-climate factors, which are often as or more important than climate change. While general climate uncertainty is not seen as a barrier, there is a stated need for more information regarding specific sectoral and cross-sectoral impacts under HECC scenarios.
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Document type: Research paper
ENERGY: ACCESS AND SUFFICIENCY
The document argues that energy sufficiency—defined as using 'enough—not more, and not less'—is essential for achieving a just energy transition. It distinguishes sufficiency from efficiency, noting that efficiency alone can lead to increased consumption via the 'rebound effect'. The briefing highlights global inequalities, where energy consumption in the US and Canada is roughly 30 times higher than in the poorest African countries. Practical applications are illustrated through community-led solar projects in Palestine and Cameroon, and a consumption-capped mini-grid on the Isle of Eigg in Scotland.
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Document type: Briefing
Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia
The document examines the global disparity in energy consumption, contrasting energy poverty in the Global South and parts of the North with excessive consumption in industrialized nations. It proposes 'energy sufficiency' as a paradigm shift away from orthodox economic growth and purely technocentric efficiency, which can lead to the 'Jevons paradox' (increased overall consumption). Through case studies in Gaza, Cameroon, and the Isle of Eigg, the report demonstrates how community-led, small-scale renewable energy projects can meet basic human needs and empower local populations while maintaining ecological limits.
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Document type: Report
Énergie : Accès et autosuffisance
The report by Friends of the Earth International examines the global disparities in energy consumption, distinguishing between energy exclusion in the Global South and energy poverty in the Global North. It proposes 'energy sufficiency'—defined as using neither more nor less energy than is sufficient for a dignified life—as an alternative to energy efficiency, which can lead to the 'Jevons paradox' or 'rebound effect' where efficiency increases overall consumption. The document illustrates this through case studies: solar PV projects in Gaza to counter electricity shortages; community solar lighting in rural Cameroon to bypass centralized, polluting grids; and a community-owned mini-grid on the Isle of Eigg in Scotland that uses consumption caps to maintain sustainability.
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Document type: Report
Storm Desmond: Who wants to talk about climate change at a time like this?
The document addresses the challenge of communicating climate change during the aftermath of Storm Desmond in the UK. It argues that while immediate human tragedy takes priority, it is scientifically appropriate and necessary to link extreme rainfall to climate change to avoid 'starting from scratch' after every disaster. Based on a workshop with experts from Cardiff University and the ESRC, the text suggests that 'trusted peers' are the most effective messengers for affected communities and emphasizes the need to invest in 'social infrastructure' and climate literacy before disasters occur to build long-term resilience.
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Document type: Statement
Connecting the Struggles
This collection of reports and interviews analyzes contemporary European resistance movements, focusing on struggles against extractive industries, infrastructure mega-projects, and economic austerity. It highlights specific cases in Romania, Greece, Scotland, France, and Turkey, while discussing the systemic role of the educated middle class in mobilization. The text argues that Green parties must reconnect with their radical roots and form transversal alliances with social movements to challenge the dominant neoliberal economic model and the 'sacredness of growth'.
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Document type: Report
Ecosystems and human health: towards a conceptual framework for assessing the co-benefits of climate change adaptation
The document argues that climate change adaptation measures involving green and blue areas provide significant co-benefits for human health, which are often overlooked in policy design. It develops a conceptual framework based on five pathways: prevention of climate and pollution effects, improvement of ecosystem quality, social environment benefits, economic activity development, and interaction with microorganisms. The authors review existing literature using objective, self-reported, and mixed methodologies, finding a generally positive but inconsistent correlation between natural environments and health outcomes, with green areas being more extensively studied than blue areas.
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Document type: Research paper
After Scotland Decides: Build Citizen-Centred Democracy Throughout Britain
The authors call for a comprehensive overhaul of the UK's constitutional and democratic framework to address a 'crisis of democracy' characterized by voter disillusionment and inadequate representation. Proposed reforms include the adoption of proportional representation for both houses of parliament and local elections, the creation of a written constitution with a citizens bill of rights, and the establishment of directly-elected regional assemblies. The text emphasizes the need to protect local governments from corporate influence and opposes the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on the grounds that it would undermine local democratic decision-making and public services.
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Document type: Statement
An attack on democracy: UK Greens excluded from election debates
The author contends that the exclusion of the Green Party from the 2015 UK televised election debates is an "attack on democracy," arguing that the party's electoral performance, membership growth, and policy positions justify its inclusion alongside other parties like UKIP and the Liberal Democrats.
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Document type: Statement
Catalonia wants to decide
The author contends that the Spanish government's refusal to negotiate decentralization or allow a referendum on self-determination necessitates a democratic process for Catalonia to decide its own future. The text highlights the failure of the 2005 renegotiation of competences and the subsequent 2010 Constitutional Court repeal as catalysts for the independence movement. It compares the situation to Scotland's referendum and asserts that a new Catalan state would be built on a pluralistic, participatory process with a strong welfare state. The document notes that over 80% of Catalans wish to be consulted and that the EU must respond democratically to any verdict.
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Document type: Statement
Cataluña quiere decidir
The text advocates for a citizen-led constituent process in Catalonia to determine its future status, citing the failure of negotiations with the Spanish state and the example of Scotland's referendum. It emphasizes that a majority of Catalans desire a consultation and that the resulting state should prioritize a strong welfare system and democratic pluralism while remaining within the European Union.
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Document type: Statement