Forests and Biodiversity
The
world’s biological diversity is a vast and undervalued resource. It
comprises every form of life, from the smallest microbe to the largest
animal, and the ecosystems of which they are part.
Campaign Areas
Campaigns
With so many issues affecting forests globally, FERN has
decided to focus on the underlying causes that in many cases lead to
forest loss. These include financial flows, the international
trade in timber and other forest products, and government policies.
Within this framework, FERN’s main campaign areas are climate change,
export credit agencies (ECAs), illegal logging and certification, aid
and development co-operation, EU forest and biodiversity policies and
forest peoples.
Forest Peoples
Rural communities and indigenous peoples are successfully asserting control over forestland, now owning or officially administering at least 25 per cent of the forests in the South, nearly 300 million hectares.
Rural communities and indigenous peoples are successfully asserting control over forestland, now owning or officially administering at least 25 per cent of the forests in the South, nearly 300 million hectares.
Trade and Investment
Reforming European Export Credit Agencies is now one of FERN's largest campaigns. ECAs provide US$ 65 billion of insurance for new foreign direct investment and are thereby collectively the largest source of taxpayer support for foreign direct investment in infrastructure projects in the South and in Eastern Europe.
Reforming European Export Credit Agencies is now one of FERN's largest campaigns. ECAs provide US$ 65 billion of insurance for new foreign direct investment and are thereby collectively the largest source of taxpayer support for foreign direct investment in infrastructure projects in the South and in Eastern Europe.
Development Aid
The European Union as a whole is the world’s largest donor, providing for 55% of all global development assistance. The European Community’s (EC) development assistance, managed by the European Commission, makes up to one-fifth of the EU’s total aid budget. The EC development programme provided over 7 billion euro in 2003.
The European Union as a whole is the world’s largest donor, providing for 55% of all global development assistance. The European Community’s (EC) development assistance, managed by the European Commission, makes up to one-fifth of the EU’s total aid budget. The EC development programme provided over 7 billion euro in 2003.
Climate Change
The atmosphere today contains about 40% more carbon dioxide than
at the start of the industrial revolution. As a result, global climate
patterns are beginning to change at an unprecedented
rate, threatening life on Earth as
we know it. Drastically cutting fossil fuel use is unavoidable
and fake solutions such as planting trees as 'carbon sinks' won't
do.