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The president of Friends of the Earth U.S. advocates for a Robin Hood Tax to address the global climate crisis. The author contends that the trillions of dollars required for climate action cannot be met by current 'anemic' global funding efforts, which often repurpose existing aid for health and education or rely on private investors. The text highlights climate-driven disasters in Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, the Maldives, and Alaska as evidence of the urgent need for a dedicated, non-privatized funding mechanism to ensure global justice and a livable planet.

Friends of the Earth criticizes the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, asserting that the process is secretive and designed to benefit corporate CEOs and financiers. The organization warns that the agreement could lead to the rollback of environmental, food safety, and toxic chemical regulations, and calls for greater transparency and the release of draft negotiating texts to protect government authority to address the climate crisis and manage natural resources.

Friends of the Earth president Erich Pica alleges that the US State Department has displayed gross negligence and a pro-pipeline bias in the Keystone XL review process. The organization claims the State Department hired Environmental Resources Management (ERM), a firm with deep ties to the oil industry, to conduct a review that subsequently glossed over climate impacts. Pica calls for Secretary of State Kerry to investigate the awarding of the contract to ERM and to ensure that scientific concerns regarding tar sands development are incorporated into the environmental impact statement.

Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica criticizes Ernest J. Moniz's support for nuclear power and fracking, while praising Gina McCarthy's record at the EPA and calling for stronger White House support for climate regulations.

Erich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth, describes his arrest at the White House fence alongside 47 other leaders to protest the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. He argues that denying the pipeline is a moral obligation for the U.S. president to avoid a future of climate chaos and to support affected communities in Nebraska and Texas.

Friends of the Earth argues that significant cuts to non-defense discretionary spending and social safety nets would undermine the United States' ability to protect vulnerable populations and mobilize against catastrophic climate change. The organization calls for a shift away from austerity and budget deficit rhetoric, suggesting instead that the government increase revenue by requiring the wealthiest Americans and corporations to pay their fair share.

Following the 2012 re-election of President Barack Obama, Friends of the Earth calls for a shift away from 'all of the above' energy strategies toward a national plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The organization advocates for the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, the implementation of carbon pricing, and the prevention of new coal plant construction to mitigate the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy.

Friends of the Earth urges the public to support recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy and encourages voters in the upcoming general election to prioritize candidates with strong records on climate change and clean energy, arguing that the storm was exacerbated by fossil-fuel-driven climate change.

The Californians for Toxic-Free Fire Safety coalition applauds Governor Jerry Brown's decision to update California's outdated flammability standards, specifically Technical Bulletin 117 (TB 117). The coalition argues that toxic flame retardants are ineffective at stopping fires, contaminate the environment globally, and are linked to severe health issues including cancer, infertility, and lower IQ. They highlight that Californians, particularly children and pregnant women, exhibit some of the highest levels of these chemicals in their bodies.

Friends of the Earth U.S. aligns itself with the Occupy Wall Street movement, asserting that corporate influence and neoliberal ideology have captured political systems and driven environmental destruction. The organization argues that the environmental movement must move beyond parochial interests to support progressive tax and financial reforms, such as a Wall Street transactions tax and the end of polluter tax giveaways, to ensure economic and environmental justice.

The briefing proposes that the US congressional super committee avoid austerity cuts to social services and environmental enforcement by targeting "environmentally harmful spending" and generating revenue through a carbon tax and other levies. It highlights the "Green Scissors 2011" report, which identifies up to $380 billion in potential savings over five years from subsidies to the oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and biofuels industries. Additionally, the authors suggest a carbon tax could generate significant revenue, citing a proposal that could have yielded $600 billion over 10 years, alongside potential taxes on sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions and a currency transaction levy.

The Keystone XL pipeline, proposed by TransCanada to transport tar sands oil from Canada to Houston, faces significant opposition from U.S. lawmakers, grassroots organizers, and federal agencies. The EPA gave the State Department's draft Environmental Impact Statement a failing grade for omitting global warming impacts. Concerns include the potential contamination of the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska and the higher carbon emissions associated with tar sands oil compared to conventional oil. The document highlights controversies surrounding Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's perceived bias and her ties to TransCanada's lead lobbyist, Paul Elliott.

The document argues that the United States has lost its leverage in international climate negotiations due to its failure to enact domestic climate legislation and its opposition to the Kyoto Protocol. It highlights a growing divide between the U.S. and developing nations, particularly China, noting that China is investing more aggressively in clean energy despite U.S. pressure for mitigation commitments. The briefing also discusses a trade petition by the United Steelworkers against China's clean energy subsidies, suggesting this could trigger trade conflicts that undermine UNFCCC goals. It concludes by suggesting the U.S. should utilize the Bali Action Plan's carve-out to allow other developed nations to proceed with the Kyoto Protocol's second commitment period.

The document argues that media outlets have a duty to connect the dots between a warming climate and the devastating weather events of 2010, such as heatwaves in Russia and flooding in Pakistan. It asserts that climate change will increase the frequency of severe weather, decrease crop yields, and worsen air quality, providing a list of scientific and journalistic resources to support this coverage.

The document defines key terms in the biofuels sector, highlighting the dominance of corn ethanol in the US and sugar cane in Brazil. It details specific US financial mechanisms, such as the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), which provides a $0.45 cents/gallon credit to oil companies and costs over $5 billion annually, and the 'blend wall' currently set at 10 percent ethanol in gasoline.

Friends of the Earth criticizes the American Power Act of 2010, a cap and trade bill proposed by Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman. The organization asserts that the bill would roll back Clean Air Act protections, allow for expanded offshore drilling, and provide financial giveaways to industrial polluters. It advocates for the Obama administration to utilize existing Clean Air Act protections while pursuing a stronger climate bill focused on clean energy investment and rapid emission cuts.

The document asserts that biofuel production and transport lead to dangerous spills, leaks, and fires that pollute ecosystems and kill aquatic life. It highlights specific incidents in Missouri and Iowa and notes that cleanup procedures for water-soluble fuels like ethanol are underdeveloped. The text advocates for shifting taxpayer funding from corn ethanol toward energy conservation, public transportation, electric cars, and sustainable solar and wind technologies.

Friends of the Earth criticizes the US Congress for attempting to retroactively reauthorize tax credits for fossil fuels and bioenergy that expired in 2009, asserting that such subsidies incur high economic and environmental costs and contradict President Obama's goals.

A global coalition of civil society organizations, including Friends of the Earth International, issued a statement on December 7, 2009, condemning the Danish government's conduct as President of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties. The groups argue that the Danish Prime Minister undermined democratic UN processes by convening exclusive groups of countries and drafting "Copenhagen Accords" before the meeting began, effectively excluding most nations and ignoring the demands of developing countries. The statement asserts that these actions shift the burden of climate change from developed to developing nations and threaten the potential for a fair and effective agreement in Copenhagen.

Friends of the Earth criticizes the Obama administration for stifling global cooperation by encouraging wealthy nations to adopt voluntary rather than mandatory emission commitments ahead of the Copenhagen climate negotiations.