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New year, new director for friends of the earth
6 January 2003
International environmental campaigner and conservation expert, Tony Juniper will start 2003 in a new post as director of Friends of the Earth. He takes over the lead role after eight years heading up policy and campaigns for the organisation, and two years as vice chair of Friends of the Earth's international network.
The 42-year-old father-of-three joined Friends of the Earth as rainforest campaigner in 1990. He replaces Charles Secrett, who has led the organisation for 10 years. Tony previously worked for Birdlife International and recently wrote an internationally acclaimed book on the Spix macaw - the world's rarest bird.
The handover comes at a key time for the environmental movement, with a number of crucial decisions due to be taken in coming months that will affect the planet in future years. In Britain, Government decisions are being made on future energy policy, GM crops and corporate responsibility. Internationally crucial sustainable development issues will be discussed by the G8 and World Trade Organisation later this year.
Speaking before taking up his new post, Tony Juniper said:
"There is no better job for an environmentalist than being director of Friends of the Earth and it is a very exciting time to be taking it on. But it is also a very challenging position when you consider the scale of the environmental problems we face. Climate change, the exploitation of our natural resources and the imbalance in power across the world are all having a huge impact on our natural world and on communities. All of Friends of the Earth's current campaigns are basically about taking on environmentally unfriendly economics. The world economy is based on false assumptions about how value should be measured. We live in a finite planet and limits to resources must be recognized and respected."
Tony Juniper takes over as director of Friends of the Earth England Wales and Northern Ireland on Monday 6th January 2003.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
