Friends of the Earth Europe
@foeeurope
FoEE folk in Brussels, campaigning for resilient & just societies in harmony with the planet. Follow for stories, actions & insights on social & environmental justice - from the 💚 of the EU to communities across Europe friendsoftheearth.eu
Today we took time to commemorate the victims of climate change. At the site of the world’s first permanent climate monument. Heartbreaking but necessary! 1/3
📍 Italy In Schivenoglia, Biopig (of Cascone Group) more than doubled an old pig farm's capacity - from 1,973 to 4,107 pigs - without an Environmental Impact Assessment and despite its proximity to homes, including Maura's. The original 1960s farm was never reviewed because it predated EIA laws.
📍France In 2024, residents of Vaugeton discovered plans to convert a former goat farm next to their homes into an industrial facility housing 150,000 laying hens. Felix’ region has become a testing ground for factory farming, harming the environment, the climate, public health & rural communities.
📍 Denmark Ziff lives in a small village in mid-Zealand, where she grew up. Throughout her life, Ziff has seen the countryside changed dramatically. From a varied landscape with smaller farms, her childhood home has now turned into an industrialised site with animal factories & vast monocultures.
📍 France Nearly 40% of EU farms disappeared between 2005–2020, mostly small farms. Meanwhile, animal factories now dominate the landscape in several European regions, rearing over 72% of all animals. A corporate take-over witnessed by Mathieu, dairy farmer in Vendée.
📍Spain For over a decade, pollution from hundreds of industrial livestock 'farms' has contaminated the As Conchas reservoir, while authorities failed to act. A landmark court ruling ordered them to protect Merche's & her neighbours' rights & clean up the reservoir.
🐷 The EU’s new strategy for the future of livestock doubles down on industrial animal production when Europe needs a transition to resilient, small-scale farming that works for local communities, animals and nature. The people living with factory farming know why. Their testimonies 👇
Nature for people not billionaires! We stand in solidarity with FoE Albania all Albanians who want to keep environmental protections in place. Read our full statement below 👇 friendsoftheearth.eu/news/stateme... 1/4
🎥 Screening of 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐔𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧 In Sainte-Pazanne 🇫🇷, pediatric cancer rates are 4× the national average. As authorities fail to act, parents, neighbours & experts organise to seek answers. 🔜 29 June, 19:00 🗣️ French (English subtitles tbc) Register: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
It has been a turbulent year with more fascism, attacks on civil society, and destruction of environmental and human rights protections BUT It has also been a great opportunity to come together and sow the seeds for a brighter future Full picture over here ⬇️ friendsoftheearth.eu/publication/...
🎉 Historic news from Denmark - and proof that change can happen when people organise 😉 After years of campaigning, the new government just committed to reshaping its farming system, away from its current intensive & polluting model. How? 🧵
Us frying under this heat dome causing record temperatures 12-16°C above seasonal averages. Shoutout to fossil fuel corporations for fueling the #climatecrisis while cashing the checks.
Ecuador must not pay Chevron ❌ For over 30 years, Ecuadorian communities have been fighting Chevron (formerly Texaco) for polluting and appropriating their land. On this Anti-Chevron Day, we stand together with our international community to demand justice for the victims of big polluters.
Why are environmental laws being attacked⁉️ 1. @ec.europa.eu has invited dirty industries to shape its plans 2. companies want to fast-track polluting projects ➕ public money to build them 🤯👀 Learn more in @corporateeurope.org's new report ⬇️ corporateeurope.org/en/2026/05/permission-pollute
🐔 Would you believe a chicken 'farm' can produce more waste than the entire city of London? 🚱 Well, that’s reality in Ukraine, where the largest factory farm in Europe produces over 411,000 tonnes of manure, endangering the health of local residents by polluting their water supplies. ▶️⤵️
It’s #OvershootDay again for Europe 🌍 We are in the red because industries are gobbling up more natural resources than we actually have. Yet, rather than reducing our dependency on raw materials, our economies remain founded on unsustainable extractivism.
Today is International Workers' Day. The day the 🇪🇺 Commission chose to provisionally apply #EUMercosur, a deal that undermines workers both in Europe & South America, violates labour rights, puts wages down and jobs at risk. It benefits big (polluting) business, not workers. A slap in their face.
With the global push to phase out fossil fuels gaining momentum, @milieudefensie.bsky.social & @wy4cj.bsky.social make the case: no just transition without corporate climate accountability. Read their important briefing 👉 en.milieudefensie.nl/news/buildin...
Our young friends have created a guide to the mystical world of EU policymaking 👏 Take a look to see what they have been working on over the past few months 👇 youngfoee.eu/how-is-eu-po...
As Danes head to the polls today, the “pig election” puts factory farming front & centre 🐖 It's about people vs pollution for profit, and backing small, caring farmers over big agri. People are pushing back & it’s being heard 👉 stopfactoryfarming.eu/news/why-hav... 📸Dyrenes Beskyttelse & @noah.dk
This week in Brussels made it clear: 🇿🇦 From South Africa, Women on Farms met with MEPs & EU Commission 🔦 A EU Parliament hearing put the issue in the spotlight 🎞️ "Toxic Harvest: The Hidden Truth about Pesticides” was screened for the public Many event, one message: stop exporting banned pesticides.
🛢️ Too toxic for Europeans but shipped abroad? UN expert on toxics & human rights called it what it is: the EU’s failure to end exports of banned pesticides is a “blatant violation” of people’s right to health. From across the world, we call on the EU Commission to stop this double standard 👇
Do you also believe politicians should protect the water we drink, the food we eat, the farmers who feed us, the nature we live in? Help us make it clear to the EU Commission: no to forever pesticides! Sign now 👉 friendsoftheearth.eu/news/for-hea...
But the ton is not going anywhere, and we will not take this snub lightly ⬇️ #AntwerpCounterSummit #LadyWhistledown #Bridgerton #EUCO
Scandal alert! 🖋️ VDL has officially declined to meet the people. While she’s busy with the industry, she has declined the 270+ groups waiting for her. We’re withholding our ball because we don't talk to empty chairs. 1/2
The tea is brewing, the guests are seated, but the guest is... missing? ☕️ 270+ organisations are still waiting for @vonderleyen to RSVP to the #AntwerpCounterSummit. Is the President avoiding the dance floor of civil society? bit.ly/AntwerpCount...
On the @ec.europa.eu's Citizens energy package: The aim is good but it misses the mark on providing ⚡ tangible support for clean, affordable and citizen-owned energy ⚡ a regulatory and legal environment to foster citizen-owned, renewable energy ⬇️ friendsoftheearth.eu/press-releas...
The season is upon us, but it appears not everyone has been invited to the ball. While industry leaders enjoyed red carpets in Antwerp, 270+ civil society groups are demanding their own ball ahead of #EUCO. Will @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu accept the dance? 🦢 #AntwerpCounterSummit #RulesToProtect
📽️ 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 "𝐓𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬" Join us to listen to powerful firsthand accounts from farm workers in 🇿🇦 & eye-opening interviews with experts on how toxic chemicals poison our soils, food, us. 📅 19/3, 18:30 📍 Cinéma Vendôme 🎟️ Register: tinyurl.com/3znsjs2e