Friends of the Earth Europe

Introduction

Towards Systemic Change with the European Green Deal is a programme that contributes to the four LIFE objectives with work packages covering the specific thematic areas:

• Climate justice
• Energy
• Biodiversity
• Food and agriculture
• Resource justice
• Trade, investment, and corporate accountability

Additionally, it addresses cross-cutting and horizontal areas, including:

• Horizontal and emerging issues
• The European Green Deal implementation
• Towards a sustainable economy

This ensures a holistic and more integrated approach.

Background

The programme is based on FoEE’s problem analysis that there is great urgency to act to minimize climate change and biodiversity loss at this point in time. The world’s carbon budget is shrinking rapidly, and the transition to a low carbon fossil-free future needs to be much faster than any international agreement or policy plan currently in place foresees.

Europe and the world have so far failed to halt biodiversity loss, and there is a lack of understanding as to how profoundly that nature loss and the collapse of ecosystems will impact our lives. Nature is both the basis of our livelihoods and a central component of our well-being.

At the same time, we need to address the growing inequalities and engage the wider public and communities to co-create environmental policies and solutions.

Objectives

During the next three years, we will work towards systemic change with the European Green Deal, based on our principles for transformation. Our focus will be on:

1. Improvement of the European Green Deal
2. Buy-in from stakeholders
3. Implementation to support an environmentally and socially fair transition that benefits all European citizens

Engagement and Awareness

Based on our long-standing experience of successful campaigning, we will raise European citizens’ and decision makers’ awareness and build support regarding the opportunities afforded by the EGD for that transition.

We aim to mobilize and engage citizens to advocate for the actual implementation of the changes needed to achieve systemic change.