Archived press release

More from less: FOE's new environmental summary

25 June 2001

Environmental issues are becoming more and more important every day.

• climate change
• toxic chemicals
• waste and recycling
• GM food
• roads, cars and public transport
• world trade, poverty and inequality.

These issues are already the subject of public debate, political conflict and social protest. As public concern grows, the arguments and solutions offered by environmentalists will become more and more influential. Friends of the Earth is widely regarded as one of the key groups in the environmental movement. With 68 national groups, in Europe, the US,South America, Asia and Africa, it is the largest environmental network in the world.

For the first time FOE has set out the key environmental issues, and its proposed solutions,in a simple, easy-to-read form.

In 1992, every Government on earth went to the Rio summit and signed up to the key green principle of “sustainable development” - balancing the needs of the present with the needs of the future. Already, Governments are bringing in pollution and fuel taxes, action to cut climate changing gas emissions and other radical policies straight from the green menu.
Green ideas are shaping the future of our society, and of the planet.

No-one in business, politics, or public affairs can afford to remain ignorant of what the greens are saying.

• “More from Less” is a signpost to a brighter future based on an economy which protects our natural resources, while promoting jobs, prosperity and economic justice.
• “More from Less” is an alternative to the destruction caused by a world economy based on conspicuous consumption and unplanned growth
• “More from Less” is also a guidebook for activists - and those who feel the effects of what activists do.

In an age when conventional party politics has never been more unpopular, it shows how green activists are trying to renew our democracy, offering individual citizens the opportunity to play a real and active part.

Friends of the Earth Director Charles Secrett comments:

“More from Less” is a route map for society. We can no longer to afford to live, work and play according to the gospel of unplanned economic growth and conspicuous throw-away consumption.

Our economy may appear to be booming. But each and every one of us is paying a price for financial prosperity - and many of the poorest people in Britain are paying a higher price than others, without getting the benefits. We need to build a healthier economy, which takes account of our limited resources, respects our natural assets and still meets our every day needs.”

The key principle behind “More from Less” is environmental space, a measure of the earth's environmental limits, in particular of the amount of scarce resources (energy,minerals, metals, land, wood, water) that the world can consume without sacrificing the principle of sustainable development. “More from Less” also shows how this environmental space can be shared between countries in a way that reduces inequality between North and South and within each society.

Charles Secrett adds:

“By calculating the limits of our resources, Governments can set targets which realistically reflect the share of the earth's resources that are available. In this way,the less-developed southern countries will be able to trade on more equitable terms.

More from Less sets out a radical but realistic approach to the problem of sustainable development - the single most important political, economic and social issue now facing the planet. We think that our solutions will be the future: whether you agree or not you need to know what the greens are saying and why.”

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust