Friends of the Earth CorporateAction: A raw deal for Africa

Here's a couple of the latest campaigns from Friends of the Earth:

			13th November 2008
Call time on global greed Tell Gordon Brown we want a global economic system that works for everyone.		A raw deal for Africa New European trade deals pose a serious threat to forests, biodiversity and livelihoods. Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) will threaten the ability of African governments to protect their environment and achieve sustainable development. In Africa these deals will hand rights to European businesses to exploit natural resources and cause massive problems for local industry. Join the growing resistance around the world. Take action to change the way Europe trades. Email EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso and demand that he stops Europe's destructive trade deals.

Environment E-campaigns

It's a busy week for email campaigns. Here's some that I've taken action on and would urge you to do the same:

Scraplife: E-waste in Pakistan

Related action: Tell Philips to simply take back and recycle

www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/toxics/electronics/philips/write-to-philips

Make illegal logging illegal

Illegal logging is still a massive problem facing the world's forests.

20% of the total timber imports into the EU are illegal or of suspected illegal origin.

Much of this timber is then sold on to manufacturers and businesses legally under current EU laws.

The European Commission has proposed new legislation to combat illegal logging and address the trade in illegally sourced timber.

But it's too weak to meet the challenge.

Ask your MEP to strengthen this much needed EU law and tackle the trade in illegal timber.

www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/press_for_change/illegal_timber_15818.html

Crunch time for climate change

With the recent turmoil in the financial markets grabbing the headlines and causing so much worry for all of us, it's been hard to think about anything else. And yet, the climate change threat hasn't gone away, and a key set of EU proposals - called the Climate and Energy Package - is currently progressing through the European Parliament.

We need to keep the pressure on our political leaders...

This week the UK's new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband and the Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, will be part of the final round of climate negotiations between EU member states.

They must adopt a strong position and we need to show that we are watching them closely - we expect to see strong leadership.

Mr Miliband has recently committed to delivering an effective UK Climate Change Bill. Now he must lead Europe towards an effective EU Climate and Energy Package deal.

This week is crunch time for the European response to climate change.

Keep the pressure on Miliband and Benn

www.timetolead.eu