FoE Japan is an international environmental NGO working on global environmental issues. As a member of Friends of the Earth International, which has 2 million supporters in 73 countries, it has been active in Japan since 1980. The future it wants to see is "a peaceful and sustainable society in which all life on Earth can coexist and live with dignity."
Its work covers many areas, including climate change, Fukushima support and nuclear phase-out, fossil fuel phase-out, biomass, forest conservation, and development and human rights. Guided by the thought, "Because these problems arise from the involvement of Japan's government, companies and our own lives, we want to solve them with our own power," it investigates and analyzes situations from the viewpoint of local people, makes proposals to decision-makers, and works with groups in Japan and abroad.
There are many ways for citizens to take part: online seminars and webinars, a newsletter for members, and seminars on legacy giving. It holds regular activities in the Utsugi Forest, a satoyama woodland, and also organizes FoE hiking trips to various places.
Key points
- Active since 1980 as a member of Friends of the Earth International
- Four approaches: investigate, propose, create momentum and change the flow
- Opportunities to experience nature, such as regular satoyama activities and hiking trips
Why this organization deserves attention
It examines environmental problems from the viewpoint of local people and looks again at their links to Japan. From climate change to energy, forests, and development and human rights, it offers a way of thinking that crosses topics.
Another appeal is that there is more than one way to take part: learning at seminars and webinars, working outdoors in a satoyama woodland, or enjoying a hike. It can be a chance to connect environmental issues with your own daily life.
Editor's comment
Environmental problems are huge subjects, but FoE Japan's introduction takes the familiar view that "these problems arise from our own lives," and reading it made me sit up and think.
Why not start by dropping in on an event or a hike? Please look through the official website for a theme that interests you.