Motions

Information about the 2009 Motions process:

The 2009 process is now complete. Read the final Motions Paper 2009 to find out about the Motions submitted, including any amendments suggested by other groups and the staff response to each Motion.

The results of the Motions debate at Conference were:

1. National Transport Campaign

Result: Passed (For: 68 votes / Against: 7 votes / Abstained: 8 votes)

2. Biofuels

Result: Passed (For: 70 votes / Against: 3 votes / Abstained: 11 votes)

3. Government Climate Change Campaign

Result: Passed (For: 63 votes / Against: 6 votes / Abstained: 14 votes)

4. Population

Result: Passed (For: 40 votes / Against: 17 votes / Abstained: 26 votes)

5. Local Group Information and Support

Result: Passed (For: 68 votes / Against: 2 votes / Abstained: 14 votes)

6. Strategic Plan and Organisational Direction

Result: Passed (For: 46 votes / Against: 15 votes / Abstained: 22 votes)

7. Geo-engineering

Result: Passed (For: 62 votes / Against: 5 votes / Abstained: 16 votes)

8. International Carbon Emissions Trading

Result: Passed (For: 44 votes / Against: 13 votes / Abstained: 25 votes)

Motions were prioritised for debate by local groups via the Prioritisation Ballot and are listed in this order.

For further information, please see:

Please contact the Returning Officer on 020 7566 1677 or via email if you have any queries.

Why do we have Motions?

The annual Motions process is an important, formal opportunity for local groups to put forward their views and suggestions for the work and direction of Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a whole. There are, of course, other formal and informal opportunities throughout the year, and we hope groups will also take those up.

What are the 'rules'?

Friends of the Earth's Motions process is set out in the Standing Orders, which can only be amended by a Motion to Conference. Motions cannot commit Friends of the Earth to expenditure, and there is a prescribed form of wording that must be used. This is explained in the Motions Guidance and on the Motions submissions form.

Who can propose Motions?

Motions can be proposed by all licensed local groups which will have been in existence for more than a year by Conference. Motions need seconding by a (different) licensed local group, which must also be more than one year old by Conference. Motions cannot be proposed by a Board or Staff Member.

How are Motions voted on?

Once submitted, Motions pass through several stages:

Amendments - other groups get an opportunity to view all the Motions and submit suggestions to improve the content of the Motion;
Prioritisation - we usually get more Motions submitted than we have space to debate at Conference, so groups choose their top Motions, with the most popular making it through to the debate;
Debate - the prioritised Motions are discussed by local group members during a debate held at the annual Conference;
Voting - once each Motion has been debated, each local group is entitled to vote in favour or against the Motion.

What happens if a Motion is passed?

If a Motion has more groups voting in favour than against, it is deemed as passed and it becomes a Conference Resolution. Resolutions are not binding on Friends of the Earth Ltd - they are addressed to the Board of Directors, who ultimately decide about whether and how to act upon them. Resolutions are looked at closely by staff, the Organisational Management Team and the Board after Conference.

Once Resolutions are agreed by the Board, a Resolutions paper is circulated to local groups detailing how (or whether) each Resolution will be enacted; this will normally be in the Spring following Conference. An Implementation Report showing action that has been taken on each Resolution will then be circulated approximately one month prior to the next Conference (i.e. 11 months after the Resolution was passed).

Read the Board's Motions Resolutions Paper and Implementation Paper for Motions passed at Conference 2008.

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