Home
The 40% study
The Big Ask around Europe
About the Big Ask
FAQ
Climate Justice
History of The Big Ask
On tour with Radiohead
Photographs
insite
info@thebigask.eu

Map

Voices from Europe

Climate Law Database
The Environmental Law Service has launched a website that collects relevant legal texts and materials relating to climate change legislation. The Climate Law Database provides information about climate change legislation, both existing and proposed, and gives access to a wide range of related materials.

http://www.climatedatabase.eu/

Voices from Europe
Following the movie „Add your voice“ Friends of the Earth Europe has now made a longer video showing some of the problems and solutions we’re campaigning on, and the demands we have for climate justice.

Watch the film with english or spanish subtitles.

Add your voice

Add your voice
Friends of the Earth Europe has put together a small film to encourage people to join the movement for climate justice, and more specifically to attend the climate justice activities which will take place in Brussels before and during the climate negotiations in Cancún.

Watch the film

offsetting

Justice not done at climate talks
Weak Cancún package lacks substance
UN climate negotiations have ended after two weeks of negotiations in Cancún, Mexico with a weak adopted package that leaves the world further away from a just and strong agreement on tackling dangerous climate change.

It is a package that has prevented collapse but has failed on the most important essential part – the substance.

The Cancun Agreement: Not worth cheering

Cancún final press release | Friends of the Earth International in Cancún

EU-ETS

Time to end Europe’s reliance on emissions trading
As the EU prepares for the next round of international climate talks in Mexico, Friends of the Earth Europe believes it’s time to recognise that its principal policy mechanism for reducing emissions – the Emissions Trading System – is failing. The ETS is not delivering the CO2 cuts required by science and historical responsibility, is not financially sound, and is obstructing real action.

Read more | Cancún press releases
Download the report | Cyber-action

40pc

Study shows 40% emission cuts possible in Europe
A study released by Stockholm Environment Institute in partnership with Friends of the Earth Europe proves for the first time that Europe could double its greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2020. The research shows how Europe can cut domestic emissions by 40% in 2020, and by 90% in 2050, compared to 1990 levels.

This is the minimum scale and speed of reductions science says is likely to be needed from rich countries to avert a climate catastrophe and would enable the European Union to live up to its historical responsibility for causing climate change.

Read more | Download the study | The 40% seminar in the European Parliament

Energy Union

Energy Union
Climate Change, Environmental Protection, Renewable Energy, Intelligent Energy… All media buzzwords. We hear them all the time, and generally forget about them. Our Mission: to explain & inform, to get people thinking and acting. Energy Union is a campaign, a touring show, a party, and arts event and a discussion forum rolled into one, direct and to the point, giving you information, entertainment and top tips to save the planet!

Energy Union website | Sign the petition

The Big Ask

The Big Ask
The Big Ask campaign brings together people from 18 countries, all with the same big ask – That their governments commit to reduce carbon emissions, year on year. Every year.

These cuts should lead to at least a 40% reduction of emissions within Europe by 2020.

We also demand that European countries provide their fair share of the finances needed for developing countries to tackle climate change and to adapt to its consequences.

About the Big Ask

The Big Ask film clip
A short film made by Friends of the Earth in Belgium, with the help of award winning film director Nic Balthazar and 6,000 extras is helping spread the message that politicians must ‚Act Now‘ to tackle climate change.

Watch the clip | The Big Ask again

Map

The Big Ask around Europe
An overview of progress that is being made towards climate change legislation in the 18 countries where the Big Ask campaign is running, and a clickable map with links to campaign websites.

Overview of campaigns around Europe | Clickable map

The flood for climate justice

Demanding Climate Justice in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has been an abject failure. Justice has not been done. By delaying action, rich countries have condemned millions of the world’s poorest people to hunger, suffering and loss of life as climate change accelerates. The blame for this disastrous outcome is squarely on the developed nations.

Friends of the Earth will continue to demand climate justice. The „Big Ask“ campaign is running in 18 countries across Europe, demanding strong and fair climate laws which will introduce binding annual cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

News from Copenhagen | The Big Ask campaign in your country

Scotland’s climate bill sets precedent for Europe

Scotland’s climate bill sets a precedent for Europe
Brussels, 24 June- Friends of the Earth Europe has warmly welcomed the groundbreaking Climate Change Bill passed in Scotland today.
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) today voted for a target to reduce greenhouse gases by 42 per cent by 2020 – the most ambitious statutory target in the world.

Read more

Thom Yorke at the Big Ask launch

Climate law in the UK
In November 2008, the UK adopted a climate law – committing the government to achieve cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

The campaign for this groundbreaking new legislation was led by Friends of the Earth through The Big Ask campaign, which was launched in 2005 with Radiohead front man Thom Yorke and supported by 200,000 people.

Read more about the victory | The Big Ask in your country
ClientEarth report: The UK Climate Change Act 2008

The Age of Stupid

The Age of Stupid
The Age of Stupid is a 90-minute film about climate change, which had its world premiere in London on March 15th 2009, and is currently being screened in UK cinemas. It will be released in other countires in the coming months.

Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devasted world of 2055, looking back at “archive” footage from 2007 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

The Age of Stupid website | View the trailer