Media

The resources here are specifically designed for the press and media.

Briefings
Press Releases
Reports

Briefings

Eating the Planet? How we can feed the world without trashing it - media briefing
(PDF† 3.2MB) November 2009
This report shows how we can feed a population of 9 billion and still eat meat up to three times a week.

Eating the Planet? How we can feed the world without trashing it - Q&A
(PDF† 200KB) November 2009
This report shows how we can feed a population of 9 billion and still eat meat up to three times a week.

Eating the Planet? How we can feed the world without trashing it - full report
(PDF† 2MB) November 2009
This report shows how we can feed a population of 9 billion and still eat meat up to three times a week.

Feeding the beast - media briefing
(PDF† 84KB) April 2009
How public money is propping up factory farms.

Feeding the beast - full version
(PDF† 377KB) April 2009
How public money is propping up factory farms.

Slash Not Burn
(PDF† 82KB) March 2008
Why UK biofuel targets should be stopped.

What's feeding our food?
(PDF† format - 2.2MB) Dec 2008
This report highlights the environmental and social impacts of the intensive livestock sector.

What's feeding our food? A summary
(PDF† format - 1.1MB) Dec 2008
This report highlights the environmental and social impacts of the intensive livestock sector.

Malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash?
(PDF† 1.6MB) October 2008
This report reveals that Malaysian palm oil exported for use in food, biofuels and cosmetics is far from 'green' - contrary to claims by Malaysian palm oil producers.

Solving the global food crisis
(PDF† format - 160K) May 2008
This briefing highlights some of the potential solutions to the global food crisis.

Hoofprints: Livestock and its environmental impacts
(PDF† format - 320K) Feb 2008
This briefing highlights the impact that the livestock system has on the environment and communities both here and overseas.

Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use
(PDF† format - 898K) Feb 2008

Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use: executive summary
(PDF† format - 956K) Feb 2008

Who benefits from GM crops? The rise in pesticide use: Q&A
(PDF† format - 35K) Feb 2008

An Effective Town Centre First Policy: what needs to be in the new PPS6
(PDF† format - 91K) Dec 2007
A joint statement from the Association of Convenience Stores, Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth, Food Access Network and the National Federation of Women's Institutes.

Planting prejudice - executive summary
(PDF† format - 523K) Nov 2007
How UK Government support for GM crops undermines sustainable farming policies.

Agrofuels: Fuelling or Fooling Europe?
(PDF† 174K) October 2007
Friends of the Earth Europe's position on agrofuels/biofuels.

Recycling: why its important and how to do it (PDF† format - 170K) September 2007
This briefing explains the benefits of recycling and the best practice which councils should implement to improve doorstep collection schemes and maximise recycling rates.

Recycling collections - source separated or commingled?
(PDF† format - 125K) September 2007
This briefing outilnes the advantages of separating recyclable materials at the kerbside in doorstep collection schemes.

Food waste collections
(PDF† format - 165K) September 2007
Separate food waste collections from households offer the biggest potential for improving recycling rates, meeting targets for reducing how much we landfill and reducing the pressure for new incinerators.

Anaerobic Digestion
(PDF† format - 101K) September 2007
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a treatment that composts biodegradable waste in the absence of oxygen, producing a biogas that can be used to generate 100% renewable electricity and heat.

Up in Smoke
(PDF† format - 164K) September 2007
This briefing outlines Friends of the Earth's concerns with incineration, and covers the waste of natural resources, the effect on recycling and climate change and the pollution from air emissions and toxic ash.

Shopping the Bullies
(PDF† format - 613K) Apr 2007
This report examines the tactics used by supermarkets to manipulate the planning system, and highlights why the planning system for retail needs to be strengthened, not weakened.

Farmer Survey 2006
(PDF† format - 54K) Dec 2006
Our survey of supermarket trading practices suggests that the big supermarkets are damaging the businesses of farmers across the country.

The use of palm oil for biofuel and as biomass for energy
(PDF† 67K) August 2006
Friends of the Earth's position on the use of palm oil for biofuel and as biomass for energy.

If Tesco really wants to be green...
(PDF† format - 88K) Jul 2006
This briefing examines the reality behind Tesco's environmental claims, and highlights what Friends of the Earth believes Tesco should be doing if it is serious about the claims it has made.

Could GM food cause allergies?
(PDF† format - 188K) Jun 2006
New research has brought into question the safety of both new and previously approved GM foods.

Palm oil, the survival or the orang-utan and UK company law reform
(PDF† 56K) May 2006
This briefing explains why the failure of hundreds of UK companies to ensure that they do not buy palm oil from destructive sources is a classic example of how the voluntary approach to corporate responsibility has failed, and why the Company Law Reform Bill must be strengthened.

Dirty truths: incineration and climate change (PDF† format - 755K) May 2006
This briefing investigates the climate impacts of energy from waste and residual waste treatment and shows that incinerators that produce electricity emit more greenhouse than gas fired power stations.

Who benefits from GM crops: Key Facts
(PDF† format - 46K) Jan 2006

Calling the shots
(PDF† format - 462K) Jan 2006
Through a series of case studies, this briefing exposes the strategies that supermarkets employ to ensure they get planning permission for new stores.

Britain's supermarkets still not supporting native apples
(PDF† format - 71K) Nov 2005
This briefing gives the results of our consumer survey of apple sourcing in a variety of retail outlets. For the fourth year running we found that the majority of apples sold in UK supermarkets during apple season were from outside the UK.

The Tesco Takeover
(PDF format - 194K) Jun 2005
Over the past 10 years Tesco has become a giant among the world's retailers. But the Tesco bonanza comes at a price for farmers, workers, town centres and the environment, as this briefing reveals.

The Tesco Takeover: Tesco's response
(PDF format - 128K) Jul 2005
Tesco have produced a response to the above report. Unfortunately they pay little serious attention to the issues raised, instead simply accusing us of inaccuracies. We discuss their response in this briefing and stand by our original report.

The Tesco Takeover - Leaflet
(PDF format - 153K) Jun 2005
Colour leaflet focusing on the impacts of Tesco's growth, covered in more detail in the briefing above.

Checking out the environment? Environmental impacts of supermarkets
(PDF format - 142K) Jun 2005
This briefing provides an outline of the environmental impacts of large supermarket chains at the local, national and global scale.

Good neighbours? Community impacts of supermarkets
(PDF format - 110K) Jun 2005
This briefing looks at the economic and social effects of the competitive policies of large supermarket chains, and the subsequent impacts on local communities in the UK.

From waste to resource: a new strategy for 2005
(PDF† format - 358K) June 2005
This statement provides a number of policy recommendations for the Government during the review of Waste Strategy 2000. The statement has been agreed by a coalition of non-governmental environmental groups. For more on Friends of the Earth's position also see Target recycling: aiming for 50 per cent and beyond (PDF† )

Summary of Legal Opinion in the matter of co-existence, traceability and labelling of GMOs
(PDF format - 18K) Mar 2005
One page summary of the new legal opinion below.

Legal Opinion in the matter of co-existence, traceability and labelling of GMOs
(PDF format - 181K) Mar 2005
New legal opinion criticising the European Commission and UK Government's approach on GM crop co-existence with other crops as "fundamentally flawed".

Government to publish final GM Farm Scale Trial results: Winter oilseed rape
(PDF format - 220K) Mar 2005
The Government publishes the results of its field scale trials of genetically modified (GM) winter oilseed rape on 21st March. These are the final results from the Government's Farm Scale Evaluations of GM herbicide tolerant crops. This short briefing, by Friends of the Earth, the GM Freeze Campaign and GeneWatch UK, covers many of the key questions the results are likely to raise.

Children's exposure to pesticides in apples and pears
(PDF format - 36K) Jul 2004
Peer reviewed and published research by Friends of the Earth shows that up to 220 young children per day could be exposed to residue levels in excess of internationally accepted safety levels just from eating a single apple or pear. This occurred even when the pesticide residue was below the legal limit and was a particular problem for imported produce.

Bayer's pesticides: why it is important that Bayer's pesticide safety data is freely available
(PDF format - 69K) Jun 2004
This briefing gives background information on Bayer's pesticide operations around the world and
looks at some of the available health and environmental safety information for three of their pesticides.

Access to information on pesticides
(PDF format - 89K) Jun 2004
The pesticide approval process remains one of the last strongholds of secrecy, where corporations still wield enormous financial muscle to try to minimise the public's "right to know". This briefing outlines Friends of the Earth's demands for greater transparency on pesticides approvals

Every Little Hurts: Why Tesco needs to be tamed
(PDF format - 60K) Jun 2004
Tesco's share of the grocery market gives it tremendous power over suppliers, but evidence suggests that the supermarket giant is abusing
that power. Evidence from small shops, consumers, farmers and overseas suppliers flags up the damage that Tesco is doing to communities and the environment.

GM fodder maize: why Chardon LL should not become the UK's first commercial GM crop
(PDF format - 159K) Mar 2004
This briefing outlines the problems associated with GM maize and why Friends of the Earth thinks it
would be a mistake for the Government to give it the commercial go-ahead.

Alliance calls for new supermarket Code and Watchdog
(PDF format - 123K) Jan 2004
A new alliance of environmental, farming and consumer organisations is calling for a new statutory code of practice to be imposed on the biggest supermarkets and for a ‘retail regulator' to be appointed to ensure that the new code is enforced and is working effectively.

Money to burn - perverse subsidies for incineration
(PDF† format - 173K) December 2003
This media briefing looks at the tax breaks and subsidies that incineration currently receives. Much of this investment is driven by energy policy, through exemptions in the Climate Change Levy and the Renewables Obligation, but these exemptions don't fit with current waste policy. We need joined up thinking to introduce incentives that deliver on both waste and energy policy goals.

Home grown apples in short supply...
(PDF format - 146K) Nov 2003
This briefing gives the results of our consumer survey of apple, potato and carrot sourcing and pricing in a variety of retail outlets. For the third year running we found that the biggest supermarkets are not supporting UK apple growers.

Unleashing a new pollution?
(PDF format - 636K) Jul 2003
One of the main concerns about the commercial growing of GM oilseed rape is that it could cross breed with closely related plant species that grow wild in the UK. Friends of the Earth has used the most recent botanical survey data to map the location of these plants. The results show that there is no "safe area" to grow GM oilseed rape.

Tesco: Exposed
(PDF format - 136K) Jun 2003
Friends of the Earth is attending AGMs to expose companies' records of putting profit before people and the environment. This briefing reveals how Tesco continues to make huge profits at the expense of farmers, communities and the environment.

Farmers and the supermarket Code of Practice
(PDF format - 108K) Mar 2003
The Supermarket Code of Practice has been
criticised for being too weak and there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence that it is not working
effectively. This briefing reveals the results of a survey of farmers in February 2003 to find out how farmers are faring under the Code and in general under current market conditions.

An anti-green myth: incineration beats recycling
(PDF† format - 108K) March 2003
This briefing explores the reasons why the best way to deal with our waste is to dramatically increase our recycling rates, in spite of recent claims by a handful of Swedish and British scientists that incineration is better for the environment.

War in Iraq - Why Friends of the Earth is opposed
(PDF† 110K) February 2003
Explains the rationale behind Friends of the Earth's opposition to a war in Iraq including the possible social and environmental impacts.

The way forward on waste
(PDF† format - 117K) January 2003
This is the new Friends of the Earth policy on municipal waste. It has been agreed following discussions between staff and local groups and gives our recommendations for the European Union, national government and local authorities.

Maximising recycling rates - tackling residuals
(PDF† format 175K) September 2002
This briefing outlines the key findings from research conducted for the Community Recycling Network on how we can maximise recycling rates from household waste and how we can best deal with the residuals, as we move towards zero waste in this sector.

Recycling: can local authorities afford it?
(PDF† format) February 2002
It costs money to provide households with a quality doorstep recycling and composting service. This factsheet outlines the costs and assesses whether the money already provided by the government is enough.

Genetically Modified Crops and Food
(PDF format) July 2001, updated Jan 2003
A comprehensive introduction to the GM debate:
- What is GM?
- Concerns about GM crops and food
- GM crops and food in the UK
- Government failures
- Feeding the world
- Alternatives

British Apples for Sale
(PDF†) November 2002
The results of our consumer survey of apple sourcing and pricing in supermarkets, greengrocers and markets.

Supermarkets and Great British Fruit
(PDF†) October 2002
The impossible conditions placed on British apple and pear growers by supermarkets.

Pesticides in Supermarket food
(PDF format 122K) Oct 2002, updated July 2004
This briefing shows how we rated supermarkets according to their current and future policy on pesticides.

The pesticides in our food
(PDF format - 155K) Sep 2002, updated Aug 2004
An overview of the types of pesticides that are found in our food and why they are of concern.

Climate change, Crisis and Southern Africa
(PDF†) August 2002
How the effects of climate change are likely to impact on Africa - including the production of food.

What did the Rio Earth Summit do for Indonesia's forests?
(PDF†) May 2002
Rainforest conservation was recognised a top priority at the last Earth Summit. Since then the destruction of Indonesia's rainforests has accelerated.

Into the mouths of babes
(PDF format - 54K) Mar 2002
Children are exposed to pesticides from the moment they are conceived yet very little is know about the long term effects of this exposure. The Government and supermarkets should do more to protect children from pesticides.

Greening the Red Tractor
(PDF format) Dec 2001
In June 2000, a new food mark - the British Farm Standard - was launched. The logo is a Red Tractor and is being heavily promoted as providing assurance that food bearing the mark has been produced to high environmental, animal welfare and safety standards. Friends of the Earth feels that the scheme, as it stands, fails to live up to its promises both to farmers and consumers.

Do we really know what pesticides are in our food?
(PDF format - 73K) Dec 2001
A review of the testing procedures used to assess the amounts of pesticide residues in food.

Endocrine Disrupting Pesticides - European Priority List
(PDF format) Feb 2000
Pesticides on the European Commission's Priority list should be banned or have their approval suspended. This is because the list identifies chemicals, including pesticides, which are believed to damage health by interfering with the way hormones work.

Farmers' Briefing: GM Crops and Animal Feed
July 2000
This briefing is intended to help farmers assess whether or not to grow genetically modified (GM) crops and to highlight the risks of GM animal feeds.

Contaminated GM Crops
(PDF format) May 2000
The accidental' release of GM oilseed rape into the UK countryside.

Endocrine disrupting pesticides
Oct 1999
Endocrine disrupting pesticide residues in food pose a significant health risk to humans. The scientific information currently available suggests a highly precautionary approach is needed to avoid serious health problems in the future.

Press releases

View all Friends of the Earth's press releases.

Reports

Sustainability as a smokescreen
(PDF† 1.4MB) May 2008
An assessment of the expected effectiveness of applying sustainability criteria to agrofuel and animal feedstock production in the Mercosur region.

Who benefits from GM crops? Monsanto and the corporate-driven genetically modified crop revolution
(PDF† format - 843K) Jan 2006

The oil for ape scandal: How palm oil is threatening the orang-utan
(PDF† 448K) Sept 2005
This summary report links the demand for palm oil, a vegetable oil found in 1 in 10 supermarket products, to the impending extinction of the orang-utan, rainforest destruction and human rights abuses.

An analysis of the findings of the BRIGHT trials with GM herbicide tolerant crops
(PDF format 352K) March 2005
This report considers the findings of the BRIGHT project (Botanical and Rotational Implications of Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerance in winter oilseed rape and sugar beet), a four year study, jointly funded by Government and industry, which was intended to consider the agronomic and environmental issues of growing genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops.

Target recycling: aiming for 50 per cent and beyond
(PDF† format 450K) January 2005
This report looks at the impact of setting statutory recycling targets and puts forward Friends of the Earth recommendations for future targets and other policy measures to support high rates of recycling in the UK.

Breaking the pesticide chain
(PDF format - 699K) Jul 2003
From July 2003, 320 pesticide active ingredients are being withdrawn from the European market as a result of an ongoing safety review of all pesticides by the European Commission. This report examines the reasons behind the withdrawal of so many pesticides, and the extent to which this will benefit human health and the environment. It addresses the question of why existing alternatives to pesticides have not been made available to UK farmers.

Maximising recycling rates - tackling residuals
(PDF† format 572K) November 2002
This summary report of the research carried out by CRN and partly funded by FOE looks at how we can how we can maximise our current recycling rates and which treatments are most favourable for dealing with the residual waste.

Communities speak out on waste
(PDF† format 981K) June 2002
In this research report over fifty community groups, working on local waste issues around the UK, share their experiences and their recommendations for the Government.

Science as a smokescreen?
(PDF format 793K) March 2002
It seems likely that the conclusions of the Farm Scale Evaluations of GM herbicide tolerant crops will be uncertain and may simply raise further questions. It is vital that this is acknowledged, and that equivocal results are not used as a smokescreen for Government decisions that are motivated by a political desire to proceed with the commercialisation of GM crops.

Get real about food and farming - Friends of the Earth's vision for the future of farming in the UK
(PDF format) October 2001
Farming is in crisis. For half a century, food and farming policy has put production ahead of food quality and environmental protection. Get real about food and farming is a clear blueprint with practical policy recommendations for improving every step of the food chain.

The great food gamble
(PDF format) May 2001
GM food and feed safety are a matter of hot debate. This report outlines the methods that are used to assess the safety of these new foods before they go on the market. It suggests that the current systems fall short of what is expected by the public.

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