The following projects and campaigns were made possible with your support. Thank You.

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action educated and mobilized thousands of US citizens and encouraged them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. 2020 Action just completed our 38th year!

Climate Change: EarthAction’s Climate Scorecard project tracks the ability of leading greenhouse gas emitting countries to commit to and develop plans for achieving short-term (by 2030) and long-term (by 2050) emission reduction targets. It provides regular Global Spotlight Reports on critical aspects of stabilizing our global climate. These include agriculture, power systems, water, and making and keeping greenhouse gas reduction pledges.

The American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: In 2024, EarthAction helped to raise over $190,000 to support the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) in Nablus, Palestine. Programs included: summer camps; a skate park; after school programs and e-learning for kids unable to go to school due to violence; Girl Scouts; older and younger women’s choruses; the Open Gate Music Studio; the Little Free Library in Nablus; a cultural folklore festival in Asira with music, dance, and hand-crafts, and, “The Green Hands Initiative,” where children learn to love the land and to plant vegetables and fruits. PHF also began a new forward-looking project, Building a New Democratic Society in Nablus, West Bank, Palestine.

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia continued to assist the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to Colombia in June and again in November and participated in the spiritual ceremonies of the four ‘brothers’: the arhuacos, koguis, wiwas, and kankuamos.  The strengthening unification of the 4 pueblos of the SNSM in performing the spiritual work has been a great help to the Elders in their efforts to comply with their Law of Origin to balance nature in ‘the heart of the world.’

The Indigenous Solidarity Fund continued to support elder wisdom keepers in Colombia and around the Americas. Through the generosity of donors, in November of 2024 the ISF was able to facilitate the participation of elders from various territories in Colombia in the Jornadas de Paz y Dignidad (Peace and Dignity Journeys), where they accompanied more than 100 representatives from diverse indigenous communities from around the Americas in their mission to promote peace, share mythologies, and develop mutual understanding for the benefit of future generations.

Other Campaigns With your support EarthAction engaged in many other global campaigns for peace, justice and the environment through our website and social media. We are grateful to all our donors, volunteers, and Board Members who helped to make these campaigns and projects successful. Thank you.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to EarthAction, PO Box 63, Amherst MA 01004

The following projects and campaigns were made possible with your support. Thank You.

2020 Action:  Every month, 2020 Action educated and mobilized thousands of US citizens and encouraged them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. 2020 Action just completed our 37th year!

Climate Change: EarthAction’s Climate Scorecard project tracks the ability of leading greenhouse gas emitting countries to commit to and develop plans for achieving short-term (by 2030) and long-term (by 2050) emission reduction targets. It provides regular Global Spotlight Reports on critical aspects of stabilizing our global climate. These include agriculture, power systems, water, and making and keeping greenhouse gas reduction pledges.

The American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: EarthAction helped to raise over $105,000 to support the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) in Nablus, Palestine. Programs include: summer camps; a skate park; after school programs and e-learning for kids unable to go to school due to violence; Girl Scouts; older and younger women’s choruses; the Open Gate Music Studio; the Little Free Library in Nablus; a cultural folklore festival in Asira with music, dance, and hand-crafts, and, “The Green Hands Initiative,” where children learn to love the land and to plant vegetables and fruits.

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia continued to assist the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. In 2023, Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to Colombia to help coordinate the Black Line Journey for the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamos pueblos. These activities are of great help to the Elders in their efforts to strengthen their spiritual traditional practices and will continue.

The Elders Project also worked with the Hopi Elders in the southwestern US states. Rick Harlow traveled to Arizona to assist the Hopi in working toward a 1,300-mile pilgrimage to 11 sacred sites that define their ancestral territorial boundaries. TEP will continue working with the Hopi in 2024.

The Indigenous Solidarity Fund continued to support elder wisdom keepers in Colombia and around the Americas. In 2023, the ISF helped to bring together Huitoto wisdom keepers from Araracuara, Amazonas with Lakota elders from North America for weekends of lectures and workshops. The lSF also continued its work helping elders receive needed medical consultations, materials to reconstruct ceremonial structures, and tools to replant their ancestral food crops and medicinal plant gardens. 

Other Campaigns With your support EarthAction engaged in many other global campaigns for peace, justice and the environment through our website and social media. We are grateful to all our donors, volunteers, and Board Members who helped to make these campaigns and projects successful. Thank you.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to EarthAction, PO Box 63, Amherst MA 01004

The following projects and campaigns were made possible with your support. Thank You.

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action educated and mobilized thousands of US citizens and encouraged them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. 2020 Action just completed our 36th year!

Climate Change: EarthAction sponsored and brought together a diverse group of NGOs from many countries to present a Side-Event—Keeping 1.5 C Alive—at the UN Conference of the Parties (COP) 27 held in Egypt in November 2022. The presentations feature practical and doable solutions to stabilize our global climate.

The American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: EarthAction helped to raise over $90,000 to support the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) in Nablus: Summer Camps; Skate Park; after school programs and e-learning for kids unable to go to school due to COVID; Girl Scouts; older and younger women’s choruses; the Open Gate Music Studio; the Little Free Library in Nablus; a cultural folklore festival in Asira with music, dance, and hand-crafts, and, “The Green Hands Initiative,” where children learn to love the land and to plant vegetables and fruits.

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia continued to provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to Colombia to distribute a new book of Kogui wisdom, published with TEP funding, to the pueblos of the SNSM. Rick returned to Colombia to coordinate the Black Line Journey for the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamos pueblos. These activities are of great help to the Elders in their efforts to strengthen their spiritual traditional practices.

The Elders Project also worked with the Hopi Elders in the southwestern US states. Rick Harlow traveled to Arizona to assist the Hopi in realizing a 1,300-mile pilgrimage to 11 sacred sites that define their ancestral territorial boundaries. Wildfires limited their travels and TEP will continue working with the Hopi in 2023.

The Indigenous Solidarity Fund continued to support elder wisdom keepers in Colombia and around the Americas. In 2022, the ISF helped to secure healthcare services for Berito Kuwaru'wa, the primary elder of the U'wa people, and to bring together Huitoto wisdom keepers from Araracuara, Amazonas with Lakota elders from North America for weekends of lectures and workshops. The lSF also continued its work helping elders receive needed medical consultations, materials to reconstruct ceremonial structures, and tools to replant their ancestral food crops and medicinal plant gardens. 

Other Campaigns: With your support EarthAction engaged in many other global campaigns for peace, justice and the environment through our website and social media. We are grateful to all our donors, volunteers, and Board Members who lent a helping hand to make these campaigns and projects successful. Thank you.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to EarthAction, PO Box 63, Amherst MA 01002

The following projects and campaigns were made possible with your support. Thank You.

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action educated and mobilized thousands of US citizens and encouraged them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. Each month, 2020 produced a timely Action Alert with meaningful actions for citizens to take to protect our environment and security—usually to contact a policymaker facing a critical decision. For details, read 2020’s 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org. 2020 Action just completed its 35th year!

Strategies to Boost Fair Climate Action in the 2020-2030 Decades: EarthAction sponsored a Side Event at COP 26 UN Climate Conference held in Glasgow, Scotland, November 2021. We collaborated with The Group of Governance on Climate Change - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. They presented an equity-based analysis of the current NDCs; Climate Scorecard reported on efforts to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030, and the Asociación Proteger described real cases of community driven improvement of housing and schools, based on local resources.

The American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: EarthAction helped to raise over $100,000 to support the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) in Nablus, Palestine and their programs including: Summer Camps; a Skate Park; after school programs and e-learning for kids who were unable to go to school due to COVID; Girl Scouts (160 members) who served elders, needy families, and orphans in the community; an older women’s chorus and the formation of a younger women’s chorus called Zunnar; the Open Gate Music Studio that produced recordings throughout the year; the creation of a Little Free Library in Nablus; a cultural folklore festival in Asira with music, dance, and hand-crafts displayed which more than 2,000 people attended; and a new program called, “The Green Hands Initiative,” where children learn to love the land and to plant vegetables and fruits.

Support for Indigenous Peoples: In 2021, in collaboration with the Save Our Spirits (S.O.S.) Fund, EarthAction provided over $60,000 in much-needed support for indigenous and ancestral communities around the world. These projects included the following:

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia: We continued to work with and to provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to Colombia in August to distribute a new book of Kogui wisdom, published with TEP funding, to the pueblos of the SNSM. Rick returns to Colombia in December to coordinate the next Black Line Journey for the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamos pueblos. These activities are of great help to the Elders in their efforts to strengthen their spiritual traditional practices.

TEP has also been working with the Hopi Elders.  In October Rick traveled to Arizona to assist the Hopi in realizing a 1,300 mile pilgrimage to 11 sacred sites that define their ancestral territorial boundaries. TEP will continue working with the Hopi in 2022 as they realize another pilgrimage next summer.

The Lalakea Foundation: We provided a grant to their Nā Wāhine ʻĀpapalani, Hawaiian women cultural practitioners who have been conducting ritual and ceremony on Maunakea for many years. They are dedicated to honoring the sacred Piko O Wākea through prayer, chant and ceremony that acknowledge Nā Kānaka o ka Mauna, Deities of the Mountain, and form connectivity with the sacred through space and time. Due to COVID, this project was extended into 2021.

Hopi Community: We provided support to several Hopi communities for their COVID-19 Emergency Response Hopi Contact Tracing Projects. They trained people within the community to carry out contact tracing in a number of Hopi villages that were being hard-hit by the pandemic.

Q’eros Ceremonial Terrace Project in Ecuador: Through the Wiraqocha Foundation, Fredy Flores Machaca & Hannah Rae, received a grant on February 1, 2021 to design and build a terrace as the first phase of creating a museum and center for the preservation of the Q’eros culture. The terrace will be a sacred place for the Q’eros to gather for communal ceremonies.

Restoring Ancestral Connection to the Environment— a Community-Led Project of the Moken People of Koh Surin. The Global Purpose Group, founded and directed by Bodhi Garrett, was the sponsor of this project. In February 2021 they received an S.O.S grant to provide cultural and ecological preservation, education for children, meaningful income for adults, and community empowerment for the Moken community at Koh Surin National Park. The islands are located in the Andaman Sea of Thailand.

Kaibeto Navajo COVID Relief: On the Dine' Nation, Sharon Claw-Watson organized a team of 12 volunteers (Kaibeto Covid Relief Team) that served the communities of Kaibeto, Inscription House, Shonto, Redlake (Tonalea), Navajo Mountain and Rocky Ridge on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Our S.O.S. grant helped these communities to receive needed supplies including fresh food, healing herbs, water, medicines, vitamins, and boxes of food to keep the people in these communities, especially the elderly, healthy and safe from exposures to infection. Many of the volunteers used their own vehicles, traveling long rough unpaved roads to deliver supplies. Our grant provided food and needed supplies to 50 to 100 families for one to two months and paid for gas for the delivery vehicles.

Panina Makahiki/Closing Makahiki Ceremony 2021 in Hawaii: the project sponsor, Kohe Mālamalama O Kanaloa-Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund (PKF), received a grant for a closing ceremony in a series of ceremonies called, Makahiki Kaho‘olawe, that brought together their kūpuna (elders), kamaliʻi (children), kumu (experts/teachers) and ʻohana (families) from each island of Hawaiʻi to aide in their re-greening on the island and to secure blessings for Kahoʻolawe for the new year.

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Philippines received a grant to assist them with their response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the distribution of food relief consisting of rice, sugar, salt and cooking oil to a total of 500 families of indigenous people among the Ayangan tribe in the province of Ifugao. They also shared information on COVID-19 and held discussions on food security during the relief distribution in communities and conducted psycho-social sessions among vulnerable groups such as farmers, elders, youth, and informal workers.

Grass-Roots Organization for Women (GROW) Ghana: We provided support for Community-based Initiatives to address the impact of the Corona-19 virus in rural indigenous and local communities. They strengthened their outreach to prevent the spread of infection and addressed emerging public health issues that impacted vulnerable populations in rural areas who lacked access to essential services. This project went from June 2020 through May 2021.

NEW PROJECT Indigenous Solidarity Fund (ISF) In May 2021, EarthAction became the sponsor of ISF whose mission is to support elders, leaders, and wisdom-keepers of indigenous groups in Colombia and the Americas in their efforts to preserve and share their cultures and traditional practices. Click here to view a video made in 2021 by ISF Project Director Jesse Stammel of an urgent message from the revered Grandfather, Wisdom Keeper, Land Protector and Goldman Environmental Prize winner Werjayo Berito Kuwaru'wa of the U'Wa people in Colombia

Other Campaigns: Throughout 2021, EarthAction engaged in many other global campaigns for peace, justice and the environment through our website and social media. These included: the global launch of the Green Grids Initiative at the Climate Summit in Glasgow; COVAX, the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines; the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; The launch of the Youth Elders Fusion Initiative; For details visit: www.earthaction.org.

THANK YOU

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, members, donors and Board members for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Whatcom Community Foundation and the Save Our Spirits Fund.

A Brief Overview of EarthAction’s Projects & Campaigns

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund, both projects of EarthAction, educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens encouraging them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. Each month, 2020 produces a timely Action Alert with meaningful actions for citizens to take to protect our environment and security—usually to contact a policymaker facing a critical decision. For details, read 2020’s 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org. This is 2020 Action’s 35th year!

Support for Indigenous Peoples—Save Our Spirits Fund: In 2020, we expanded our collaboration with the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund to provide increased support for indigenous and ancestral communities around the world to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices and ceremonies and the wisdom of their elders.

This year, EarthAction made SOS grants to support the work of the following groups:

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia: We continued to work with and provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, made trips to Colombia to work directly with the traditional authorities to help strengthen their spiritual and traditional practices.

Indigenous Peoples Healing Fire at Assonet in Massachusetts was held on Saturday, November 28th. It was organized by members of the Wampanoag Tribe. We hope this will help to lay the foundation for a permanent Indigenous Healing Ceremony Circle in the greater Boston area.

The Lalakea Foundation for their Nā Wāhine ʻĀpapalani, Hawaiian women cultural practitioners who have been conducting ritual and ceremony on Maunakea for many years and who are dedicated to honoring the sacred Piko O Wākea through prayer, chant and ceremony that acknowledge Nā Kānaka o ka Mauna, Deities of the Mountain, and form connectivity with the sacred through space and time. This project will extend into 2021.

Several Villages in the Hopi Community for their COVID-19 Emergency Response: Hopi Contact Tracing Project. This project will extend into 2021 and train people within the community to carry out contact tracing in a number of Hopi villages that are being hard-hit by the pandemic.

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Philippines to assist them with their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the distribution of food relief consisting of rice, sugar, salt and cooking oil to a total of 500 families of indigenous people among the Ayangan tribe in the province of Ifugao. They also shared information on COVID-19 and held discussions on food security during the relief distribution in communities and conducted psycho-social sessions among vulnerable groups such as farmers, elders, youth, and informal workers.

Grass-Roots Organization for Women (GROW) in Ghana, for support of their project: Community-based Initiatives to Address the Impact of Corona-19 Virus Pandemic in Rural Indigenous and Local Communities. They are strengthening outreach to prevent the spread of infection and addressing emerging public health issues that impact vulnerable populations in rural areas who lack access to essential services.

Kitanglad Integrated NGOs Inc. (KIN), in Philippines for support of their program: Indigenous Womens Relief Against COVID-19 by Nurturing Culture and Nature. From May through August, KIN provided food and other support to community members, especially women, mothers and youths and their families belonging to the Daraghuyan-Bukidnon Tribe of Dalwangan in Malaybalay City, and the Talaandig Tribe of Songco, Lantapan, and Mt. Nebo, Valencia City. These tribal beneficiaries are partners in forest protection, biodiversity conservation and cultural survival of the tribes of Mts. Kitanglad Range Natural Park and the Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park.

Samdhana Institute, Philippines to assist with a response to the COVID pandemic to provide food relief to Erumanen ne Menuvu tribe (Manobo) in Southern Bukidnon, Philippines. Four hundred selected Menuvu families received food relief, to help them survive through the difficult period of the pandemic until they are able to plant for their own food.

Other Campaigns: Throughout the year, EarthAction engaged in many global campaigns for peace, justice and protection of the environment through our website and social media. For example, working with others, we helped to end the construction of hundreds of dangerous dams in Bosnia & Herzegovina, thus protecting Europe’s last remaining wild rivers! For details visit: www.earthaction.org.

Thank You

A Brief Overview of EarthAction’s Projects & Campaigns EarthAction’s Spotlight Project Builds on Global Award

In 2018, EarthAction was awarded the International Best Climate Solutions award for our Spotlight Project on climate change. We were chosen for our “Effectiveness in Communicating Climate Change Threats and Opportunities”. In 2019 we continued our work on this project. Each of our Global Spotlight Reports focused on climate solutions for the top twenty greenhouse gas emitting countries. For more info visit: climatescorecard.org

Since 2015 EarthAction has collaborated with The Global Citizens’ Initiative (TGCI) on projects aimed at stabilizing our global climate. Together with TGCI, we created the Spotlight Project. Every month we invite our 20 Country Managers, one each from the top twenty greenhouse gas emitting countries, to research and write an Action Alert focused on one important climate change issue in their country. Each Action Alert provides brief background information on the selected issue, suggests an action for the reader to take—to contact a policymaker with a specific request—and provides the policymaker’s contact information. We compile these country reports into Global Spotlight Reports that we post online and circulate to our network of over 5,000 environmental organizations, policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens.

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens engaging them in communication with US policymakers on important peace and environmental issues. Each month, 2020 produces a timely Action Alert with meaningful actions for citizens to take to protect our environment and security—usually to contact a policymaker facing a critical decision. For details, read 2020’s 2019 Action Report at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project in Colombia: The Elders Project (TEP) continued with its mission to work with and provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. In 2019, Rick Harlow, the Project Director, made several trips to Colombia to work directly with the traditional authorities to help strengthen their spiritual and traditional practices. The Elders Project has been supported by grants from the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, and others.

Support for Indigenous Peoples—Save Our Spirits: In 2019, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction continued to support organizations that work directly with indigenous peoples in several countries to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders and communities.

American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: In December 2019, EarthAction’s Board of Directors voted unanimously for EarthAction to become the sponsor of the American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship (AFPHF). Lois Barber, EarthAction’s Founder and Executive Director has enthusiastically served on the Advisory Board of AFPHF for many years. AFPHF raises support for the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF), a non-profit, non-governmental, politically independent humanitarian organization in the West Bank city of Nablus, Palestine. PHF organizes a variety of activities ranging from civic education to programs in democracy and local culture. These activities include workshops, camps, lectures, seminars, concerts, a recording studio, a skate park and folkloric festivals.

Smiling Faces summer camp for girls and boys ages 6 to 14 is PHF’s crowning achievement. The summer camp targets children and youth who are very poor, from families with unemployed parents, families in which parents are separated, and families whose fathers are in Israeli prisons. The camp’s rationale is to give these children a taste of childhood pleasures, protect them from delinquency and give their families a sense of hope. Activities include painting, crafts, music, drama, dance, computer training, visiting local academic and civic institutions, and sports. Everything the children do is within the framework of conflict resolution and mediation, assisting the children and youth to build peace and self-respect within themselves and to address their differences productively.

EarthAction is pleased to be the home of this energetic and focused project that brings joy, hope, stability and friendship to many young people whose lives are more than challenged. PHF is dependent on the generous contributions of individual supporters, as it does not receive any funding from the Palestinian Authority.

EarthAction.org: Through our website, email and social media, we have consistently informed thousands of organizations and people worldwide providing them with information and tools to take action on many of the world’s most critical environment, development, peace and justice issues.

With Gratitude

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, donors and Board members for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, and the Save Our Spirits Fund.

A Brief Overview of EarthAction’s Projects & Campaigns

EarthAction’s Spotlight Project Wins Global Award: Best Climate Solutions, a global collaborative, awarded its 2018 Best Climate Solutions Award to EarthAction’s Spotlight Project. Best Climate Solutions is an international crowdsourcing platform that collects and showcases innovative projects and actionable ideas that provide solutions to targeted climate change challenges. It’s 2018 Award focuses on the challenge of “Communicating Climate Change Threats and Opportunities”.

Since 2015 EarthAction has collaborated with The Global Citizens’ Initiative (TGCI) on projects aimed at stabilizing our global climate. In 2018, together with TGCI, we created the Spotlight Project. Every month we invite our 20 Country Managers, one each from the top twenty greenhouse gas emitting countries, to research and write an Action Alert focused on one important climate change issue in their country. Each Action Alert provides brief background information on the selected issue, suggests an action for the reader to take—to contact a policymaker with a specific request—and provides the policymaker’s contact information. We compile these country reports into Global Spotlight Reports that we post online and circulate to our network of over 5,000 environmental organizations, policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens. In 2018, we produced 10 Global Spotlight Reports, each specifying climate solutions for the top twenty greenhouse gas emitting countries. For more info visit: climatescorecard.org

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens engaging them in communication with US policymakers on important peace and environmental issues. Each month, 2020 produces a timely Action Alert with meaningful actions for citizens to take to protect our environment and security—usually to contact a policymaker facing a critical decision. For details, read 2020’s 2018 Action Report at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project: The Elders Project (TEP) continued with its mission to work with and provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, made several trips to Colombia to work directly with the traditional authorities to help strengthen their spiritual and traditional practices. The Elders Project has been supported by grants from the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, and others.

Support for Indigenous Peoples—Save Our Spirits: Over the last few years, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction has awarded grants to organizations that work directly with indigenous peoples to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders. In 2018, EarthAction focused on one indigenous group in the Philippines, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA).

In March 2018 we gave CPA a $5,000 grant to support their campaign against the Philippine government’s attacks against CPA leaders and indigenous human rights defenders in the Cordillera region. A month earlier, the President of the Philippines issued a decree ‘tagging’ many indigenous peoples from the Cordillera region and elsewhere as ‘terrorists’ which put their lives in danger. With support from EarthAction and others, CPA was successful in pressing the government to remove many indigenous people from this list.

In September 2018, Super Typhoon Ompong hit the Cordillera region causing widespread destruction. EarthAction responded to a call for help with a $10,000 grant that CPA used to help set up a disaster response network that provided emergency relief and assistance to thousands whose lives were devastated. We look forward to ongoing support and collaboration with this vibrant group.

Building Understanding and Consensus on U.S. Immigration Policies: Since 2015, EarthAction has sponsored a project on U.S. immigration reform that Rick Swartz initiated and directed. Swartz’ team works to build non-partisan support among policymakers and immigration advocates for sound and reasoned policies that will yield benefits to millions while avoiding the acrimony that has poisoned past efforts. This timely and challenging effort has made steady progress. Working through the mainstream and social media, millions of individuals have been exposed to the project’s principles and goals. Our immigration project, most recently supported by a September 2017 $275,000 grant from the Gilder Foundation, ran through June, 2018.

Thank You

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, donors and Board members for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, and the Save Our Spirits Fund.

2018: Featured Campaigns & Topics on EathAction's Website

• Call on the UN Security Council to Support Nuclear Disarmament at January 18 Special Session (1/3/2018)

• The 99 Best Things That Happened in 2017 (1/8/2018)

• Doomsday Clock Moves Closer to Midnight UN High-Level Conference Becomes More Important (1/26/2018)

• Handcarts vs. Drudgery (2/1/2018)

• Protect WIld Salmon (3/7/2018)

• 7 Days in the Life of Avaaz (3/12/2018)

• Philippine President seeks to have 600 Indigenous leaders "tagged" as terrorists! Emergency Response Needed! (3/14/2018)

• Takoma Park Becomes First US City to Declare Its COmpliance with Nuclear Ban Treaty (3/21/2018)

• Top 3 Shocking Facts About Plastic Pollution (4/2/2018)

• Nuclear Abolition Campaigners Announce New Initiatives at UN Press Conference (4/6/2018)

• IPHRDs Are Not Terrorists (4/7/2018)

• Join Us to Count the Nuclear Weapons Money (4/16/2018)

• UN Secretary-General to release new disarmament initiative on Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament (5/24/2018)

• Strengthen local forests rights for best climate solutions (6/24/2018)

• The Bruges Whale (7/9/2018)

• Partnership Campaign to Save the Paris Agreement (7/30/2018)

• Retiring One Trident Missile Could Ensure UN Does Not Run Out of Cash (8/5/2018)

• What are you doing for Nuclear Abolition Day September 26, 2018? (9/1/2018)

• Children's Peace Prize Winner Selected to Address UN High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Disarmament (9/16/2018)

• The Status of Climate Finance in Leading Greenhouse Gas Emitting Countries (10/29/2018)

• Will We See the Trial of the Century? (11/1/2018)

• A Divided UN General Assembly Votes on Nuclear Disarmament Resolutions (11/7/2018)

• Mapping the Connections Between Oil, Power, and War (11/12/2018)

2018: 2020 Action Monthly Action Alerts

• North Korea - YES to Dialogue, the Only Alternatives to War (Jan-1)

• Achieving Security and Nuclear Stability with North Korea (Feb-1)

• The Astonishingly Good News on Renewable Energy (Mar-1)

• Help the North Korea Summit Succeed (Apr-1)

• Keep the Iran Deal Alive (May-1)

• Stop Hurting Innocents as a Policy Tool: Protect Palestinian and Refugee Children (Jun-1)

• Stop the Bailout of Coal and Nuclear (Jul-1)

• Extend the New START Treaty: A Possible Good to Come from the Trump-Putin Summit (Aug-1)

• Tell EPA to Block Proposed Trump Regulations That Will Lower MPG & Reverse Clean Air Regulations (Sep-1)

• How to Elect Peace & Environment Candidates Nov. 6 (Oct-1)

• Call to Action! Dire Predictions on Climate Change! (Nov-1)

• Stop Supporting the Saudi War in Yemen & Killing of Civilians (Dec-1)

2020 Action: EarthAction continued to sponsor 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund, projects that educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens engaging them in monthly communication with policymakers on important peace and environmental issues. In these dark days and challenging times, we work hard to find meaningful actions every month for citizens to take in order to protect our environment and security. Please see 2020’s Action Report for 2017 at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project: Throughout 2017, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with its mission of working with and providing assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, made several trips to Colombia to work directly with the traditional authorities to help strengthen their spiritual and traditional practices. The Elders Project has been supported by grants from The Sacred Fire Foundation, the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, and others.

Support for Indigenous Peoples—Save Our Spirits: Over the last few years, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction has awarded grants of $50,000 to organizations that are working directly with indigenous peoples to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders. In 2017, EarthAction awarded grants to two local indigenous groups in the Philippines and one in Ghana.

Building Understanding and Consensus on U.S. Immigration Policies: Since 2015, EarthAction has served as the fiscal sponsor for a project on U.S. immigration reform that was initiated and directed by Rick Swartz. Swartz’ team is working to build non-partisan support among policymakers and immigration advocates for sound and reasoned policies that will yield benefits to millions while avoiding the acrimony that has poisoned past efforts. This is an extremely timely and challenging effort that is making steady progress. With support from the Gilder Foundation, working through the mainstream and social media, millions of individuals have been exposed to the project’s principles and goals.

Climate Scorecard: Since 2015 EarthAction has collaborated with The Global Citizens’ Initiative on two significant projects aimed at stabilizing our global climate. Our 2015 campaign led up to the UN sponsored climate meeting (COP21) held in Paris in December of that year. Through monthly reports we informed and engaged citizens, NGOs, policymakers, thought leaders, and the media worldwide about national pledges to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GGEs) and related climate policy issues. Funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and other foundations supported this work.

In 2016 and 2017, we initiated and implemented Climate Scorecard a global project to track and share information about how each of the top greenhouse-gas emitting countries met—or didn’t meet—its Paris Pledge. Through monthly reports, each focused on a key question, we informed the public, policymakers, researchers, organizations and the media about critical issues that need to be addressed if the Paris Agreement is to succeed in keeping global warming to a minimum.

We assembled a team of Climate Scorecard Country Managers, one for each of the top 20 greenhouse-gas-emitting countries. Every month, we develop a thematic question related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Our Country Managers research and answer each question as it relates to his or her nation. We then compile their answers into a monthly Climate Scorecard Report that we post online and circulate to our growing network of over 10,000 environmental organizations, policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens. To date, we have completed and distributed 15 Climate Scorecard Reports. For more info visit: climatescorecard.org

Other Global Outreach & Action

Featured Campaigns & Issues on EarthAction’s Website in 2017

Glass Cleaner: Reflecting the Inspiration We Find in the World  •  China Hosts First Global Environmental Summit on Desertification  •  110 Organisations from 44 Countries Call for Diplomacy on Korea Nuke Issue  •  A new form of protest  •  How to Make Fun of Nazis  •  Basel Declaration on Trans-Generational Crimes of Nuclear Weapons & Nuclear Energy  •   September 26th: Reach High for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World  •  Win! The UN Acts to End Slavery in Conflict  •  International Campaign To Abolish Nuclear Weapons Wins 2017 Nobel Peace Prize  •  Climate Change Public Opinion Surveys Show Growing Concern

Thank You—Thank You—Thank You

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, and donors for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Louise Hoffman, and Hal Litoff.

2020 Action: EarthAction continues to sponsor 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund, projects that educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens engaging them in communication with policymakers on important peace and environmental issues. In 2016, through its monthly action postcards, 2020 Action reached thousands of Americans. See our 2016 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project: Throughout 2016, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with its mission to work with and provide assistance and support to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia for projects aimed at strengthening their spiritual and traditional practices. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, has made many trips to Colombia to spend time with the traditional authorities to assist them and provide support for their work. The Elders Project is supported by grants from The Sacred Fire Foundation, Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, and others.

Save Our Spirits: Over the last few years, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction has awarded grants of over $22,000 to organizations that are working directly with indigenous peoples to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders. Grants have been awarded to local groups in the Philippines, Ghana, and Nepal. This project will continue into 2017 when a new round of grants will be awarded.

Building Understanding and Consensus on U.S. Immigration Policies: In 2015 and 2016, EarthAction served as the fiscal sponsor for a project on U.S. immigration reform that was initiated and directed by Rick Swartz. Swartz’ team is working to build non-partisan support in Congress and among immigration advocates for sound and reasoned policies that will yield benefits to millions while avoiding the acrimony that has poisoned past efforts, This timely effort moved toward its goal of promoting an affirmative immigration strategy and has gained significant traction since its launch. Through the mainstream and social media, millions of individuals were exposed to the strategy's principles and goals. This project has been supported with generous grants from the Gilder Foundation.

Citizens’ Campaign for a Global Climate Agreement & Climate Scorecard: In 2015, EarthAction joined with The Global Citizens’ Initiative in a campaign in the lead up to the UN sponsored climate meeting (COP21) held in Paris in December of that year. Our campaign, which wrapped up in early 2016, informed and engaged citizens, NGOs, policymakers, thought leaders, and the media worldwide about national pledges to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GGEs) and related climate policy issues. Funding from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund supported this campaign.

In 2016, to build upon this success, we launched Climate Scorecard aimed at tracking and sharing key information about how each of the top 25 greenhouse-gas emitting countries is or isn’t meeting its Paris Pledge. Our mission is to facilitate informed public discourse on climate change and provide information to environmental leaders and decision-makers around the world about key issues that need to be addressed if the Paris Agreement is to succeed.

We have assembled a team of Climate Scorecard Country Managers, one each for the top 25 GGE countries. Every month, we develop a thematic question related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Our Country Managers research and answer each question as it relates to his or her nation. We then compile their answers into a monthly Climate Scorecard Report that we post online and circulate to our growing network of environmental organizations, policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens.

Global Outreach & Action

Featured Campaigns on EarthAction’s Website in 2016

An Open Letter from Mayors for Peace Toward a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World  •  World Radio Day  •  Global Day of Action on Military Spending  •  International Women’s Day  •  100% Renewable Energy: What We Can Do in 10 Years  •  Marshall Islands' Nuclear Disarmament Cases at the International Court of Justice  •  Victory in Landmark Climate Case  •  Film4Climate Global Competitions  •  Ban the Burning of PVC Plastics in South Africa & Everywhere  •  Take Part in Chain Reaction to Rid the World of Nuclear Weapons  •  Protect Refugee Women  • 
Stop Palm Oil Plantations & Protect Cambodian Forest

Thank You—Thank You—Thank You

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, and donors for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Louise Hoffman, and Hal Litoff.

2020 Action: EarthAction continues to sponsor 2020 Action and the 2020 Action Education Fund, projects that educate and mobilize thousands of US citizens and encourages them to communicate with policymakers about important peace and environmental issues. In 2015, 2020 produced twelve monthly Action postcards on US military policy and environment issues that each month reached thousands of Americans. Please see the 2015 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project: Throughout 2015, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with it’s mission to work with and provide assistance and support to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia for projects aimed at strengthening their spiritual and traditional practices. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, made several trips to Colombia and spent time with the traditional authorities to assist them and support their work. In August 2015, The Elders Project brought three representatives from the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta region in Colombia to the Blue Deer Retreat Center in New York to contribute to and participate in ‘Ancient Wisdom Rising’, a gathering of spiritual and traditional leaders from around the world. Rick Harlow, Laurie Rabut, and Lois Barber also attended this event as representatives of The Elders Project. Click here to learn more about The Elders Project.

Save Our Spirits: In 2014 and 2015, with funds provided by the Save Our Spirits (SOS) Fund, EarthAction awarded grants of over $22,000 to organizations that are working directly with indigenous peoples to help them preserve, strengthen, and pass on the spiritual practices of their elders. Grants were awarded to groups in the Philippines and other South East Asian countries, Ghana, and Nepal. This project will continue into 2016 when a new round of grants will be awarded.

International NGO Network for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 2015 Review Conference: Lois Barber, EarthAction’s Co-founder and Executive Director, was invited to serve on the Coordinating Committee to organize global events leading up to the April 2015 NPT Review conference that was held at the UN in New York City. Barber chaired the sub-committee that produced, “89 Facts about Nuclear Weapons.”  These hard-hitting facts were released and posted one each day in the 89 days leading up to the April NPT conference. The conference, march, and rally brought many thousands of participants to NYC—over 1,000 from Japan alone. Open, a design studio in NYC, donated their time and expertise to this effort.

Building Understanding and Consensus on U.S. Immigration Policies: In 2015, EarthAction served as the fiscal sponsor for a project on U.S. immigration reform that was initiated and directed by Rick Swartz. Swartz’ team worked to build non-partisan support in Congress and among immigration advocates for sound and reasoned policies that would yield benefits to millions while avoiding the acrimony that poisoned past efforts, This timely effort moved toward its goal of promoting an affirmative immigration strategy and gained significant traction since its launch early in the year. Through the mainstream and social media—notably a Wall Street Journal Editorial and a Roll Call Op-Ed—millions of individuals were exposed to the strategy's principles and goals. This project was supported with a generous grant of  $150,000 from the Gilder Foundation.

Citizens’ 2015 Campaign for a Global Climate Agreement: EarthAction joined with The Global Citizens’ Initiative in a ten-month campaign in the lead up to the UN sponsored climate meeting (COP21) held in Paris in December 2015. Our campaign informed and engaged citizens, NGOs, policymakers, thought leaders, and the media about national pledges to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and related climate policy issues. We built a global network of over 25 partner NGOs, research institutions, media groups and foundations and sent Action Kits and monthly national pledge updates and analysis that reached thousands around the globe. In addition, we wrote directly to over 160 Heads of State and Ministers of the Environment on behalf of the Campaign Partners & participants urging leaders to strengthen their emission reduction pledges. Our unique materials presented a lot of complicated information and data about the pledges of over 165 countries in an easy-to-read and easy-to-use format. They were very well received. We are grateful for the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund for this campaign. Read more here.

The Prey Lang Forest & Community Network: EarthAction was delighted when the Prey Lang Community Network in Cambodia was awarded the 2015 Equator Prize by the United Nations Development Program. EarthAction has worked for many years bringing global attention and support to the Prey Lang Community Network and their efforts to protect and preserve the Prey Lang forest that is their home, their source of livelihood, and the center of their spiritual practice. We congratulate our friends and colleagues in the Prey Lang Community Network for winning this award that came with a $10,000 grant from UNDP. Read more.

Thank You—Thank You—Thank You

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, and donors for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Louise Hoffman, and Hal Litoff.

In 2014, EarthAction educated and mobilized our global network of over 2,500 organizations and other groups and individuals through campaigns and social media including our websites, email, Facebook, and Twitter. Highlights follow. 

Action Alerts Sent to our Partner Organizations & other Contacts

1. S.O.S.—Save Our Spirits Request for Proposals to Strengthen the Spiritual Practices of Indigenous Peoples. Many groups responded. We chose to provide support for 3 organizations doing excellent work in Nepal, Ghana, and Indonesia.

2. Urgent Action Needed in the U.S. Senate re Nuclear Agreement with Iran

3. Invitation to a presentation on Transforming the United Nations System based on the recent book by Joseph Schwartzberg

4. Fukushima Crisis!

5. Global Day of Action on Military Spending

6. What do Pearl Jam and the UN have in common? Support for the Global Zero petition to President Obama calling for zero nuclear weapons.

7. Protect the Cameroon Rainforest

8. Will You UNFOLD ZERO on September 26: International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons?

9. What is ISIS?

10. Let the U.S. Congress and the President Know: More Violence is Not the Solution with Iran!

11. Join the International Mobilization for the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to be held in April 2015

12. Help Villagers Protect their home—the Prey Lang Forest in Cambodia

EarthAction’s Website: Throughout the year, EarthAction’s homepage featured information and provided links to many important global environment, development, peace and justice issues. These included: 

• Child Deaths from Malaria Fall 51% since 2000

• "What a Wonderful World" by Sir David Attenborough

• Peru—Gas Expansion in Amazon 'Indigenous Reserve'—Call to Action

• Martin Luther King: Practicing Non-violence when Sitting on a Bus

• Long Way to go on Iran Nuclear Deal

• World Future Council's Peace & Disarmament Program—Call to Action

• The World Future Council's Future Policy Award

• Week of Action to Support Russian environmentalist Evgenij Vitishko—Call to Action

• Three Years after Fukushima: 100% Renewable Energy is Only a Matter of Political Will

• Chernobyl: 27 Years Later

• Global Day of Action on Military Spending—Call to Action

• ‘Reynaldo - Rainforest Hero’ won Best short film at the UN Forest Short Film Festival, the UK Green Film festival and Inkafest in Peru!

• New Hopes for Getting the Lead out of Solar

• Preventing Child Marriage

• Stop the “Carbon Cowboys” from Turning the Amazon Rainforest into their Private Palm Oil Plantation—Call to Action

• World Refugee Crisis Continues

• Choose Life Without Weapons

• Migrant Women Document Their Journeys

• Larry Merculieff’s Talk on "Native Knowing"

• Article in Foreign Policy on Herakles Farms in Cameroon—Call to Action

• 'Licence to Launder' Report Shows Wider Problem in African Logging—Call to Action

• Is Cameroon Becoming the New Indonesia? Palm Oil Plantations Accelerating Deforestation—Call to Action

• Corruption and Impunity Rife in Cameroon's Forestry Sector—Call to Action

• What’s Possible: The U.N. Climate Summit Film—Call to Action

• Spring 2015 Mobilization for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Five-year Review Conference

• Tower of London Moat: Visual presentation of the lives lost in World War I

• Twenty Things you Can Do to Address the Climate Crisis!—Call to Action

• Climate Politics at a Dead End: How to Build a New Road

• Protect the Prey Lang Forest in Cambodia from Illegal Logging

In 2013, EarthAction focused on educating and mobilizing our global network of over 2,000 organizations and other groups and individuals through our use of social media including our websites, email, Facebook, and Twitter. Highlights follow.

EarthAction’s Website—www.earthaction.org

Throughout the year, EarthAction’s homepage featured information on 57 important global environment, development, peace and justice issues. These included:

1. Stop the Illegal Logging in the Prey Lang Forest of Cambodia

2. Is this Tibet's big chance?

3. The Next Big Thing in the Energy Sector: photovoltaic (PV) method of converting solar energy directly into electrical energy.

4. Creating Art From a Plastic Ocean

5. Researching the Benefits of Climate Action

6. Obesity Rate For Poor U.S. Children Falls Significantly For The First Time

7. Indigenous Peoples Fight for Inclusion in Development

8. Israel/Palestine Peace Talks to Set a Precedent?

9. Arctic Permafrost Melts at Extreme Speed

10. Let's Talk About Malnutrition: The Case of Cameroon

11. Standing With Malala is Standing With Education

12. Every Day is World Refugee Day

13. Parliament Raises the Roof for Tar Sands Protesters

14. The Next Steps Towards a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World

15. Germany Sets Bar High for Renewable Energy

16. Millennium Development Goals: Progress and Further Development

17. An Open Letter to the CEO of Herakles Farms

18. Global Action on Military Spending

19. UN Adopts Landmark Treaty Regulating Global Arms Trade

20. Muslim States Agree to ‘Historic’ UN Statement on Women

21. California, Fracking and Tomorrow’s Energy

22. Oil Execs Fail to See the Big Picture: Stand in Solidarity - Stop the Tar Sands!

23. One Billion Rising against violence against women

24. Sustainable Development in China

Calls to Action

Eight posts on our homepage called for action in support of campaigns organized by other organizations including: the Prey Lang Network, A World at School, 350.org, Global Day of Action on Military Spending, Control Arms, and Global Solutions. Targets included: the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources, the Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Chinese Government, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In addition, EarthAction emailed and posted 4 unique EarthAction Action Alerts on the following topics to our global network throughout the world:

• Reduce Global Military Spending

• Support the Indigenous Spiritual Leaders in Colombia—the Heart of the World

• Stop the Illegal Logging in the Prey Lang Forest of Cambodia

• Reduce Spending on Nuclear Weapons

Facebook and Twitter: Through our use of Facebook and Twitter we shared our blog posts and action alerts with a broader global audience. Facebook and Twitter were also used to bring attention to many additional pressing issues. We shared content from other organizations we ‘follow’ on Twitter and ‘like’ on Facebook. We shared posts from: TreeHugger, 350.org, Sacred Fire Foundation, UNEP, Greenpeace, Union of Concerned Scientists, Prey Lang Network, Conservation International, Global Solutions, Devex.

We also used our social media pages to promote Valley Gives Day and, working with the Sacred Fire Foundation, we helped to raise $20,000 for The Elders Project, a project of the EarthAction Network.

Persistent Focus on Renewable Energy: Since EarthAction’s start in 1992, we have campaigned in the U.S. and worldwide to replace the burning of fossil fuels with clean, renewable, sources of energy. Year by year, renewables are playing an increasingly important role in power generation. 2013 will be a record-breaking year for solar with the U.S. installing more capacity than world leader Germany. Last year, wind power was dominant in the U.S.—comprising the top source of new electrical energy generation. Distributed renewables, in particular, are proving transformative. A new solar project was installed about every four minutes on average this year; distributed wind turbines now generate more than 800 megawatts (MW) nationwide.

2020 Action: EarthAction continues to be the sponsor of 2020 Action, a project that educates and mobilizes US citizens and encourages them to communicate with policymakers about important peace and environmental issues. Please see 2020 Action Report for 2013 at 2020Action.org.

The Elders Project: In 2013, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with it’s mission to work with and provide assistance and support to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia for projects aimed at strengthening their traditional practices.

In February 2013, Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to the SNSM to help coordinate and oversee the expenditure of funds for this year’s Black Line Journey (BLJ). He met TEP team member Nora Diaz in Valledupar and they traveled to Nabusimake (Arhuaco territory) to meet with Mamo Seukukwi and the rest of the Arhuaco delegation to finalize plans and set the date for the beginning of the BLJ. A delegation of Arhuacos then traveled with Nora to Kogui territory to coordinate with the Kogui participants. 

The BLJ began on February 24 with 19 indigenous participants from the Arhuaco Kogui and Wiwa pueblos, including members of the Central directive of Arhuaco Mamos. The Journey was successfully completed in 8 days.

Nora stayed on to go back to Nabusimake with the Arhuacos. There she met with the Central Directive who expressed their gratitude for the assistance TEP is providing for the BLJ.  They said that TEP’s assistance has helped greatly with the internal unification process of the Arhuaco pueblo.  They also had high praise for the book “Ordenamiento Ancestral y Permanencia Cultural” (published by TEP in 2010). They plan to use the book as a guide for the traditional ordering of the Arhuaco pueblo. They also expressed gratitude for our efforts to bring awareness of the destructive mining operations in the SNSM by showing video and photographic documentation to the people. This has helped motivate many to give greater support to the traditional elders’ efforts to mount a “spiritual” defense of their homelands. Some years ago the work of the Central Directive had the support of about 150 people.  Today they have the support of about 5,000 Arhuacos. The total Arahuaco population of the SNSM is approximately 40,000.

In July and August TEP team members Jesús Ortiz and Nora Diaz traveled to the SNSM to work with the mamos on the next book, “Our Leader, The High Mamo Juan Marcos Pérez”, which TEP hopes to publish in 2014. Nora and Jesús met with the Arhuaco Central Directive of Mamos. They also traveled to Wiwa territory to discuss future involvement with TEP activities including the BLJ and historical archives. They traveled to the remote village of Donachui to visit with the grand Mamo Donkin who was very ill. He passed away at the age of 101 the following day. They stayed for his funeral a few days later and recorded the ceremony. They also made plans to return in 2014 to record the memories of the people of the life of Mamo Donkin for their historical archives. 

At the end of October TEP applied for a grant from the Sacred Fire Foundation. They accepted the proposal and made TEP the focus of their year-end fund drive. They were able to raise $20,000 for the next Black Line Journey set to take place in February 2014.

Click here to learn more about The Elders Project.

Thank You

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, individual members, staff, and donors for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, and to Louise Hoffman.

100,000 Acres Protected in Old-growth Cambodian Forest: In a great victory for activists, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen cancelled four economic land concessions in August 2012, thus protecting 100,000 acres in the heart of Cambodia’s Prey Lang forest, the largest low-land contiguous evergreen forest in Southeast Asia.

For eighteen months prior to Hun Sen’s announcement, EarthAction worked closely with the Prey Lang Community Network, an activist group of mostly indigenous villagers who live and work in the Prey Lang area.

Through its international campaign, EarthAction brought global attention to this issue and mobilized international action to defend this forest and the rights of its local villagers. The Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia’s largest newspaper, described Hun Sen’s turn-about as “a rare and great victory for activists.”

Goldman Environmental Prize awarded to Evginia Chirikova: In April 2012, the Goldman Prize for Environmental Leadership presented its prestigious award to Evginia Chirikova, one of EarthAction’s ‘Save Khimki Forest’ campaign advisors in Moscow. As part of its Khimki Forest campaign, EarthAction played an important role in getting two major European Banks to withdraw their financial support from the proposed highway through the heart of this beloved Moscow forest. In awarding the prize to Ms. Chirikova, the Goldman Foundation noted that getting the banks to withdraw their financial support was "the most significant victory" in this campaign.

World Community Forum on Desertification and Citizen Action—Saving the Life-Giving Soils of the World: In the Spring of 2012, working in collaboration with The Global Citizens Initiative and the secretariat to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, EarthAction hosted a one week online World Community Forum on Desertification and Citizen Action—Saving the Life-Giving Soils of the World. The Forum led to the publication of A Primer on Citizen Advocacy and Desertification designed to help governments, NGOs, businesses, and other groups reverse the loss of soil and soil fertility in the dryland regions of the world.

Ancient Cameroon Forest on the Chopping Block: In the Fall of 2012, EarthAction began our work with villagers in Cameroon whose forest is on the chopping block. They are bravely standing up to a big U.S. based corporation that has promised jobs, schools, and ‘environmental stewardship’ to the government of Cameroon in exchange for a 99-year lease on the land. The corporation plans to destroy this ancient rainforest and turn it into an oil palm tree plantation and an oil refinery. This forest is home to 45,000 villagers, and many species of animals and plants including endangered primates and elephants. EarthAction initiated a global campaign to mobilize international support on behalf of the local people to save this forest. We will continue our campaign into 2013.

Elephants, Military Spending & Nuclear Weapons: Throughout the year, EarthAction also addressed a wide-variety of other global issues. We sent Action Alerts to our network encouraging action to protect endangered elephants, end human trafficking, reduce global military spending, and reduce the threat to the world from nuclear weapons. We also invited our Partner Organizations to sign and implement the Amherst Declaration and become active participants in building a better world.

In 2012 EarthAction was home to the following projects

In every month of 2012, 2020 Action produced and sent out over 3,000 Action Postcards. Each month’s card focused on a current and critical U.S. environment or peace issue. Victories included:

• President Obama continued to use diplomacy instead of bombs for U.S. foreign policy with Iran. 

• The Department of the Interior rejected a permit for a massive expansion of an open-pit coal mine close to Bryce Canyon National Park.

• The EPA finalized the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and toxic air pollution from power plants. These standards are expected to cut mercury emissions by 90%.

• The EPA approved new standards to regulate CO2 emissions from power plants. The new regulations will significantly reduce our CO2 emissions.

• The EPA approved new standards that will reduce the "fine particulate matter” or “soot” in the atmosphere. These new regulations are expected to prevent thousands of premature deaths every year in the U.S. 

The Elders Project: In 2012, The Elders Project (TEP) continued with it’s mission to work with and provide assistance and support to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia for projects aimed at strengthening their traditional practices. We collected video and photographic documentation of the destructive mining operations in the SNSM and traveled to many communities in Kogui and Arhuaco territory to present this data to the people. This helped motivate many people to give greater support to the traditional elders’ efforts to mount a “spiritual” defense of their homelands. During our visits to these communities we distributed hundreds of copies of the book “Ordenamiento Ancestral y Permanencia Cultural” (published by TEP in 2010).  TEP also provided critical support to the Arhuacos’ efforts to revive the Tani dance, a fundamental part of their tradition. We also provided support for the traditional education of young Arhuaco boys and girls under the tutelage of 98 year old Mamo Isael. 

TEP made great progress in the process of publishing the wisdom of Mamo Mayor Zareymaku (Juan Marcos Pérez), who passed away in 2007 at the age of 94. He was the last great cacique (traditional leader) of the Arhuaco people. Between 1995 and 2006, Jesus Ortiz and Nora Diaz recorded more than 20 hours of conversations with Mamo Zareymaku who wanted his knowledge to be written down and published for the benefit of his people. His desire was to safeguard and preserve the pueblos' history and wisdom and to guarantee that this information would be available for future generations. These recordings have now been transcribed in Arhuaco and translated into Spanish.

This will be the third book of an ongoing process to transmit traditional knowledge previously unavailable in written format. The Mamos say that publishing this book; “Our Leader, The High Mamo Juan Marcos Pérez”, will provide the four pueblos with an even more powerful tool for the strengthening of the traditional practices and the unification of the four pueblos in defense of their homelands: la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, “The Heart of the World”.

Note: The Colombian Constitutional Court (Auto 004/2009) has declared the four indigenous communities of the SNSM, (Arhuacos, Koguis, Wiwas and Kanquamos), to be at risk of cultural extinction. This reality, coupled with economic development plans (mining, dams, tourism, etc.), threatens the very existence of these rich cultural traditions that have endured for millennia.

Social Media Outreach: In 2012 EarthAction ramped up its use of blogging, Facebook, and Twitter in order to educate and mobilize more people around the world. We increased our blogging from the previous year by 34%, our Facebook posts by 44%, and our Tweets by 67%.

The following issues were featured on EarthAction’s homepage, and blogged and tweeted about throughout the year:

1.    United Nations Humans Right Day: December 10, 2012 Dec 10, 2012 by Ariel

2.    An Animated History of the Middle East, with Music Dec 5, 2012 by Ariel

3.    From Illegal Logging to Timber Laundering: Organized Crime Trade Worth over US$30 Billion Responsible for up to 90% of Tropical Deforestation Dec 4, 2012 by Christine (UN Press Release)

4.    Build a Better World and Sign the Amherst Declaration Dec 3, 2012 by Ariel

5.    Give Back on #GivingTuesday Nov 27, 2012 by Christine

6.    Women's Health and Climate Change Nov 21, 2012 by Ariel

7.    Ocean Gyres Nov 14, 2012 by Chris

8.    Happy World Vegan Month! Nov 14, 2012 by Chris

9.    Great Ape Personhood: What and Why? Nov 9, 2012 by Xavier

10. Berdaulat secara politik. Mandiri secara ekonomi. Bermartabat secara budaya. Nov 7, 2012 by Ariel

11. Women, Water, Life Nov 5, 2012 by Chris

12. Extinction, Biodiversity Loss and Us Oct 21, 2012 by Ariel

13. "There will not be global security without food security." Oct 16, 2012 by Christine

14. UN Report Warns Ecological Foundations that Support Food Security, Including Biodiversity, Are Being Undermined Oct 16, 2012 by Christine (UN Press Release)

15. Welcoming the New Interns! Oct 15, 2012 by Chris

16. Don't miss "Too Young to Wed" tonight in the UN Headquarters in Observance of the International Day of the Girl Child Oct 11, 2012 by Christine

17. Two Birds with One Awesome Stone: Comic Books and Environmentalism Oct 11, 2012 by Christine

18. Syria Versus the World – Should others intervene? Oct 4, 2012 by Xavier

19. Open Letter to President Obama and Former Governor Romney: Defend America Against Keystone XL Oct 2, 2012 by Christine

20. Child Brides: Too Young to Wed Sep 18, 2012 by Ariel

2020 Action also increased its use of social media in 2012. Our number of blog posts increased 35%, Facebook posts by 11%, and Tweets by 67%.

2020 posted, blogged and tweeted about the following topics throughout the year

1.    Sequestration, Defense, and the EPA Nov 27, 2012 by Ken (Postcard)

2.    Give Back on #GivingTuesday Nov 27, 2012 by Christine

3.    Democracy is More Than Voting Nov 27, 2012 by Pete

4.    Climate Change’s Effects on New England Nov 5, 2012 by Christine

5.    Obama vs. Romney Oct 24, 2012 by Ken (Postcard)

6.    Global Warming's Terrifying New Math Oct 24, 2012 by Pete

7.    Nobel Conference: Our Global Ocean Oct 22, 2012 by Pete

8.    Iron Jawed Angels: The True Story Behind of the 19th Amendment Oct 20, 2012 by Pete

9.    EarthAction Members Published! Oct 15, 2012 by Pete

10. Where is Matt? (Video) Oct 8, 2012 by Christine

11. 2,053 Nuclear Explosions in One Video Oct 5, 2012 by Pete

12. Declining Arctic Sea Ice and the Race to Drill Oct 4, 2012 by Pete

With gratitude to EarthAction Staff, Interns, Volunteers, Donors, Board of Directors, and Advisors

Lois Barber, Co-creator and Executive Director of EarthAction & 2020 Action.

Christine Chung, project and campaign coordinator. Christine graduated from the University of Massachusetts in December 2012 and won a Fulbright-Hays scholarship to study in China for eight months starting in January 2013.

Viviane Castro, Latin American Coordinator based in Chile. Viviane has been with EarthAction since our founding in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Chris Daly, Promotions Intern and a student at Hampshire College. Chris’ focus is on Latin American studies, anthropology, and human rights work.

Jonathan Lobsien, web and tech administrator. John is a recent graduate from the University of Massahcusetts with a degree in Linguistics and German.

Ariel Stickles, Research Intern and a Junior at the University of Massachusetts studying Spanish and a Bachelor Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC) focused on Civic Engagement and Human Rights Advocacy. Ariel will study in Spain for the Spring semester in 2013.

Peter Suechting, Research Intern and sophomore attending Amherst College. Pete is pursuing an Environmental Studies degree and possibly a Geology degree. Peter’s goal is to “serve the environment as well as it has served me.”

Xavier A. Torres de Janon, Research Intern focused on social media and fundraising. Xavier was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and is now in his first year at Hampshire College where he plans to focus his studies in international relations and affairs, global conflicts, peace and security, and human rights.

Other interns and volunteers in 2012: Kim Finch, Yelena Kobilaya, Lazora Jordan, Gabe Katz.

Special thanks to the foundations and individuals who contributed to EarthAction’s Core Work and to our Projects in 2012. These include:

The Thomas. D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Peace Development Fund, the Samdhana Institute—Global Green Grants, the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation, Louise Hoffman, Hal Litoff, Lucy Stroock, and numerous others.

EarthAction’s Board of Directors: Lois Barber, Tom Pelletier, Jan Roberts, Jackie Smith, Jakob von Uexkull (UK Board), Anne Zill

EarthAction’s Board of Advisors: Nicholas Dunlop, Robert Johansen, Ellen Miller, Michael Shuman, William Ury

Donations

General contributions to support EarthAction’s overall work, or specific donations to support one of EarthAction’s projects, are most welcomed.

The EarthAction Alerts Network is an educational and charitable organization. All contributions to it and to its projects, the 2020 Action Education Fund and The Elders Project, are tax-exempt.

EarthAction International and its project, 2020 Action, is a charitable organization that does lobbying in the United States. Contributions to EarthAction International and 2020 Action are not tax-deductible.

In 2011, EarthAction continued its work to help preserve the Khimki Forest in Moscow. Despite local and international campaign efforts, logging was resumed in April by a Russian company hired by the French construction firm Vinci. Attacks against opponents of the planned Moscow-St. Petersburg highway continued throughout 2011. On behalf of Save Khimki Forest, we requested our Partners to ask President Medvedev to route the path away from the woods to stop the socially, economically, and ecologically unsustainable road, and to end fabrication of criminal charges against grassroots activists. We also requested our Partners to ask Vinci to stop cutting the trees and to pursue an alternative route for the highway.

As a result of the Khimki Forest defenders’ struggle, the width of the highway has been cut to 4 traffic lanes. Nevertheless, this does not solve the issue of Khimki’s ecosystem destruction. Over 10 alternative routes were shown by the independent expertise to spare Khimki Forest. EarthAction will continue working with the local defenders to preserve the forest.

EarthAction also addressed the following issues in 2011:

• Saving sacred sites in Mexico from mining

• Requests to the King of Norway to stop farm fishing in British Columbia

• The Global Day of Action to Reduce Military Spending

• Stopping development of nuclear power in the wake of Japan’s earthquake

• Promoting Earth Day

• Stopping uranium mining in the Grand Canyon in the USA

• Saving the Mekong River in Southeast Asia

• Promoting the Dignity Movement and Ending Rankism

• Calling on the heads of government of the five major nuclear weapons nations to take steps “to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.”

• Ending human trafficking

• Promoting, ‘I AM the documentary’

• Saving the Prey Lang Forest in Cambodia

In 2011 EarthAction also sponsored the following projects 

2020 Action: 2020 grew to over 500 members. It produced 12 monthly action postcards in 2011, each one focused on a current U.S. environment or peace issue. Victories included:

• Increased funds in the U.S. budget for securing the world’s nuclear materials

• The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) instituted new national standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel efficiency of heavy-duty trucks and buses. Once implemented, these new standards will achieve 7-20% reductions in emissions from these vehicles and save up to 500 million barrels of oil over the lives of the vehicles produced in the first five years of the program.

• The U.S. Senate and the President successfully opposed most of the efforts to cripple the EPA and undermine the Clean Air and Water Acts.

• Cuts to military spending: The failure of the Super Committee to reduce the budget deficit requires additional automatic cuts to military spending equaling half of the $1.2 trillion that the committee failed to specify.

• President Obama announced he would postpone the decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline that would carry tar-sands oil from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico, until 2013.

In 2012 we will have a membership drive to increase 2020’s membership. We will need your help.

The Alliance for Renewable Energy: In 2011 EarthAction continued to provide leadership for the Alliance for Renewable Energy—ARE, a coalition of businesses, NGOs, academics, and others that promote the world’s most effective renewable energy policy: feed-in tariffs (FITs). Lois Barber, EA’s Executive Director, served as Co-chair of ARE, and organized and chaired monthly Steering Committee conference calls. EarthAction also regularly updated ARE’s website: AllianceForRenewableEnergy.org

It’s been slow, but steady progress. Feed-in tariff (FIT) policies have been adopted by several states, cities and provinces in the US and Canada and are being considered by several more.

Science and Spirituality in the Global Awakening: As part of an ongoing project with Amherst College, EarthAction provided the transcriptions for a series of interviews between the project coordinators and leading scientists throughout the world who are exploring the relationship between science and spirituality. The interviews will form the basis for an upcoming book by Arthur Zajonc, author, lecturer, and Amherst College Professor of Physics.

The Elders Project: In 2009 EarthAction launched The Elders Project to preserve and protect the indigenous culture of the peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. In 2010 and 2011, Rick Harlow, the Program Coordinator, accompanied groups of indigenous leaders and support staff on several journeys along The Black Line of the Sierra Nevada region. The Black Line, as the mamos or spiritual leaders call it, is the ancestral territorial boundary of the four Indigenous pueblos and is in great need of restoration. A written report and a 25-minute film were produced documenting the journeys.

Rick Harlow has also carried out work initiated by Saga Benerexa of the Arhuaco tribe to train and support the women's spiritual work that has been an integral aspect of the indigenous tradition. This transmission of knowledge is considered crucial for maintaining the harmony and balance of spiritual forces in “the Heart of the World.”

EarthAction played a leading role in halting the logging in the Khimki Forest in Moscow: In July, we sent an email Action Alert to our Partner Organizations worldwide asking them to take action to support local environmentalists in their efforts to protect the Khimki Forest in Moscow. As the trees were being felled by chainsaws to make way for a highway project between Moscow and St. Petersburg, the local environmentalists were being beaten by thugs and jailed by the police. Within a month of our campaign, the New York Times reported that Russian President Medvedev, “responding to the global public outcry,” reversed his decision and called for a moratorium on the logging. Following his announcement, Medvedev fired Moscow’s mayor over the Khimki issue. Soon after, the two European Banks that were funding the highway construction project withdraw their financial backing. We had also asked our Partners to write to the banks with exactly this request.

Sadly, in January 2011, President Medvedev announced that the building of the roadway from Moscow to St. Petersburg will proceed through the Khimki Forest. EarthAction will continue our work with the local environmentalists, who are being physically attacked and imprisoned, to preserve this land.

Other Environment, Development, Peace, and Human Rights Issues Addressed:

• The 10/10/10 Global Work Party that engaged millions of people taking local action to slow-down climate change.

• UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – August 9

• The Elders Project Black Line Journey in Colombia

• Call for proposals from the US Institute for Peace for peacebuilding projects managed by non-profit organizations throughout the world.

• A Report on the UN Millennium Development Goals

• Cultural Survival’s campaign to build support for Guatemala Communities Hit Hard by Tropical Storm Agatha

• The global movement to Free the Hikers who were detained in Iran (One was released, two are still held.)

• Human Rights Violations in Russia

• Creating a World Without Nuclear Weapons

• International Women’s Day – March 8

• Solar Workshop Project in New York City

• Maintaining the World-wide Ban on Ivory Trading as a means to Save the Elephants.

• The Charter for Compassion

• The Story of Stuff

In addition, EarthAction partnered with Solutions magazine to promote our work.

Launched 2020 Action and the 2020 Education Fund: In 2010, 2020 Vision and the 2020 Vision Education Fund, organizations that Lois Barber (EarthAction’s Co-founder) created in 1986, gave their assets to EarthAction with the intention that it would carry on the work of 2020.

In April, EarthAction updated the names or both groups to 2020 Action and the 2020 Education Fund and ‘went public.’

2020 Action, the advocacy branch, sends monthly action postcards to its members via email and mail, each focused on a critical environment or peace issue. Each postcard asks members to take one small action and provides all the information needed. The postcards feature photographs that celebrate the beauty and wonder of the natural world. By the end of 2010, 2020 Action had 200 members. A membership costs $20/year.

The 2020 Ed Fund works to promote active citizen participation in our democracy by educating Americans about how our government works and about critical environment and peace issues with a focus on climate change and nuclear weapons. It also produces monthly postcards that ask members to contact decision makers other than members of Congress.

The Alliance for Renewable Energy (ARE) & the ARE Education Fund: In 2010 EarthAction continued to provide leadership for the Alliance for Renewable Energy—ARE and the ARE Education Fund, a coalition of businesses, NGOs, academics, and others that promote the world’s most effective renewable energy policy: feed-in tariffs (FITs). Lois Barber, EA’s Executive Director, serves as co-chair of ARE and the ARE Ed Fund.

EAN maintains ARE’s website: AllianceForRenewableEnergy.org, and Lois organizes and chairs monthly Steering Committee conference calls and meetings.

In addition, in 2010 Lois gave many presentations on FITs in Colorado and elsewhere. In May, she represented ARE at a gathering focused on FIT policies convened by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund held at Pocantico, RBF’s conference center. She continues to work with the strategic planning group that emerged from that gathering.

Feed-in tariff policies have been adopted by several states, cities and provinces in the US and Canada and are being considered by many more.

“Science and Spirituality in the Global Awakening: An Exploration with The World Future Council": As part of an ongoing project funded by the Fetzer Institute (through Amherst College), EAN helped to organize a three-day meeting on sustainable and compassionate economics that was held at the United Nations, May 8-10, 2010 during the 18th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. The workshop was designed to be the first in a series of working meetings organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in the context of the preparation of the "United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development" (also called "Rio+20"), to be organized in Brazil in 2012.

The title of the meeting was: The Challenge of Sustainability: A Workshop in Preparation for Rio + 20. Participants included 20 of the world’s leading economists and thought leaders from North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Also participating were representatives of the World Future Council, EarthAction, and the Fetzer Institute. A paper summarizing the discussions of the meeting and written by meeting participants can be found on EarthAction’s website.

The Elders Project: In late 2009 EarthAction launched The Elders Project to preserve and protect the indigenous culture of the peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. In January 2010, Rick Harlow, the Program Coordinator, and a film crew organized and accompanied a group of 13 indigenous leaders and 4 support staff on a two-week long journey along The Black Line of the Sierra Nevada region. The Black Line, as the mamos or spiritual leaders call it, is the ancestral territorial boundary of the four Indigenous pueblos and is in great need of restoration. A written report and a 25-minute film were produced documenting the journey.

Later in 2010, Rick Harlow returned to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region to begin work initiated by Saga Benerexa of the Arhuaco tribe to train and support women's spiritual work that has been an integral aspect of the indigenous tradition and is considered crucial for maintaining the harmony and balance of spiritual forces in “the Heart of the World.”

The Endangered Languages Project: The Endangered Languages Program (ELP), sponsored by EAN, supports the preservation and restoration of Native languages and the Earth-honoring worldview at their core. Mariyam Medova, who lives in Alaska, is ELP’s Project Coordinator. One of the overarching goals of this program is to help revive indigenous traditions, ways of life, and continuity in knowledge transmission through preservation of the language. Small, effective teaching programs in languages that are endangered in North/Central America and Siberia are given priority. The projects are chosen primarily according to the level of urgency to protect the language and the likely effectiveness of the proposed projects. In 2010 ELP supported 6 projects in Siberia with grants totaling close to $14,000.

When you hear news about the International Criminal Court (ICC) bringing another tyrant to justice, you can know, as a supporter of EarthAction (EA), that you helped make this happen. Just last week, Laurent Gbagbo, ex-President of the Ivory Coast, became the first former head of state to be taken into custody by the ICC.  He is being investigated for the killings, rapes and other abuses committed during the four-month conflict triggered by his refusal to cede power after national elections when the UN and other international bodies recognized another Presidential candidate as the victor. The ICC is playing its part to show that even those at the highest levels of power cannot escape justice when implicated in grave crimes. Between 1993 and 1995, EarthAction carried out 4 global campaigns that helped create the International Criminal Court.

When you breathe easier because over 80% of the ozone-depleting substances listed in the international treaty called the Montreal Protocol have been phased out, you can know you helped make this happen. This was the focus of EarthAction’s first global campaign in 1992.

When you visit, read about, or see photos of the magnificent beauty and biodiversity in Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia,Canada, the Lope Forest Preserve in Gabon, or the Imataca Forest Reserve in Venezuaela, you can know you helped preserve these verdant forests. In 1993, 1996, and 1999, EarthAction’s campaigns generated the international life-saving attention that saved these forests that were slated for the chopping block.

When you hear about successful efforts to stabilize our global climate, you know you have helped. Since 1993, EarthAction has carried out 12 campaigns focusing global attention and action on this critically important issue.

In addition, with your support, EarthAction has provided the following leadership:

• From 2009 to the present, EarthAction has sponsored The Elders Project preserving and continuing the wisdom knowledge of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region of Colombia.

• In 2009 and 2010 EarthAction sponsored the Endangered Languages Project that supported local people, primarily in Siberia, to preserve their disappearing languages and cultures.

• From 2008 to the present, EarthAction has been home to and provided leadership for the Alliance for Renewable Energy promoting the world’s most effective renewable policies throughout North America.

• From 2003 to 2007 EarthAction was a Founding Partner and helped create the World Future Council, a global forum to protect the rights of future generations.

• In 2002 and 2003 EarthAction sent out over 100,000 Action Kits as part of our four-part global campaign in support of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Worldwide, as a result of these campaigns, more children, especially girls, stay in school longer, there are fewer child soldiers, and fewer child laborers, and there is less violence against street children.

• In 2001 and 2002, EarthAction laid the groundwork for the e-Parliament, now the Climate Parliament, a network of the world’s national legislators that implement solutions to climate change.

EarthAction wouldn’t have existed and couldn’t have accomplished anything without the generous support of people and organizations worldwide. We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to and taken part in our work and campaigns.

“Participation, that’s what’s going to save the human race.” — Pete Seeger

Since EarthAction was launched at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in May 1992, our Network has grown to include over 1,600 organizations in more than 140 countries and thousands of legislators, journalists, and concerned individuals worldwide. In the past seven years we have produced and distributed over a quarter of a million Action Kits focused on some of the world’s most serious environment, development, peace and human rights problems. Each of our Kits has linked accurate information with recommendations for timely, meaningful action.

What follows is a report on many of the issues upon which we have campaigned. On these and other issues, we will continue to press for meaningful action from policy-makers. We believe it will take clear communication, creativity, persistence and vigilance on the part of many people around the world to move us toward positive solutions to these global problems. To that end, we will continue our efforts to expand the EarthAction Network.

This can feel like a difficult, challenging time to be working for peace, justice and protection of the global environment. But it is the only time we have.

We want to thank again all the organizations and individuals who have used our Action Kits, and who, by working together, are helping to create a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. 

Protect Our Ozone Shield: In 1992, we targeted a meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on protection of the ozone layer. We asked Partners to press their governments to take a firm stand to ban all ozone-depleting chemicals and to increase their financial contributions to the Multilateral Ozone Fund (MOF) set up to help developing countries phase out these chemicals.

Over the last several years the Montreal Protocol has been strengthened and throughout the world the production and the use of ozone-depleting chemicals are being steadily phased out. Many such chemicals, however, are still in existence, particularly in developing nations and the former USSR, and illegal production and smuggling of CFCs has become a growing problem. Scientists estimate that if production levels continue at their current pace, well over one million tons of CFCs will be manufactured over the next decade. Since CFCs made today can enter and react with stratospheric ozone for over one hundred years, continued production will contribute to significant levels of ozone depletion, affecting living systems the world over, until well into the next century. Financial contributions to the MOF are still much slower than hoped for.

While the phasing out process is going all too slowly, the World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that the 1998 ozone hole above the Antarctic was the largest and strongest ever recorded. It lasted over 100 days. They reported that the ozone layer deficiency for 1998 over latitudes at least 60 degrees south was 25% greater than the overall average for the 1990s. As the amount of ozone in our atmosphere decreases, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun that reaches our planet increases. Scientists are documenting the many harmful effects this is having to life on earth.

Protect Clayoquot Sound: One of Canada's Last Unspoiled Temperate Rainforests: EarthAction campaigned to garner worldwide support for the local and indigenous peoples of Clayoquot Sound, calling for protection of their forest and an end to clearcut logging. After years of work, the campaign has paid off—MacMillan Bloedel, the largest logging corporation in the area, are currently in the process of transferring their tree-farm license to a new company that is majority owned by First Nations (indigenous) peoples. This new company is dedicated to eco-certified logging and limiting future logging to areas already partially logged. Pristine areas will be used for eco-tourism and other uses that leave the forests intact. The local people, with the support of the British Columbian and Canadian governments, have applied to have Clayoquot Sound designated a ‘UN Biosphere Reserve.’  A decision is expected in November. The campaign to protect Clayoquot is close to being a resounding success, in which EarthAction played a significant part.

Change the World Bank: We joined widespread international calls for the World Bank, often a promoter of environmental destruction and social disintegration since its creation in 1944, to radically alter its work. We asked EarthAction Partners to contact their Finance Ministers, urging them to demand at the World Bank’s 50th Anniversary meeting, that the Bank: 1. Stop funding destructive megaprojects like dams, 2. Massively increase its lending for basic health care, education, clean water and family planning, and 3. Use its funds to lend directly to the poor for small-scale community-based projects.

Over the five years since this campaign, the World Bank has continued funding large-scale infrastructure projects including dams, roads, fossil fuel based energy development and mining. They are, however, engaged in several reviews of their lending policies and are including input from the public.

Overall, the Bank has increased its lending for health and education. In 1998, the International Development Association, the branch of the Bank that lends to the poorest countries, increased their loans for educational projects to US$1.1 billion, up from $255 million in 1997. Year by year, they are also increasing their “micro-credit” or small-scale loans for community-based projects. 

Rwanda and Burundi: In the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which over half a million people died, we called on governments to support the work of the International Tribunal set up to prosecute those responsible, to increase aid to Rwanda and Burundi, and to enforce the UN arms embargo on the former Rwandan government and other extremist groups. Since then, constrained partly by lack of resources and political support, the Tribunal’s work has gone on painfully slowly—over 300 people await trial, and only one has been convicted. The Rwandan government is also conducting its own trials. Over 300 people have been tried so far, and some executed, though human rights groups have called some of these trials unfair. Meanwhile, 130,000 people still await trial in Rwandan jails. Although international aid to Rwanda and Burundi has increased since EarthAction’s campaign, much money that was promised has not yet materialized, partly due to the caution of donors since the Rwandan army’s involvement in the invasion of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo in 1998. Rwanda itself continues slowly to recover from the genocide, but in general the situation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa remains violent and volatile, with international efforts to contain and resolve the conflicts there still too meager.

Stop the Poisoning of Our Seas: In May 1996, world leaders attended a meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to review the state of the world’s oceans. EarthAction’s Partners called on them to negotiate a treaty to ban production of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and to draw up national plans to prevent disposal of sewage and industrial waste in the world’s oceans.

Last year in Montreal nearly 100 countries agreed in theory to restrict the use of the “dirty Dozen”—12 of the most toxic pesticides and industrial chemicals and byproducts that linger in the environment. Now these countries are deciding just how strict the ban will be on these Persistent Organic Pollutants. They are set to come up with a treaty by the end of next year, with hopes that each country will ratify it by 2005. Environmentalists want the POPs to be banned now, while the chemical manufacturers are arguing that they need not be totally eliminated, but rather should be properly “managed.”

In addition, most governments have still not produced comprehensive national plans to prevent land-based ocean pollution, despite promising to do so.

Save Africa's Last Rainforests: This Action Kit sought support for campaigners in Gabon who were fighting to protect the internationally-important Lopé Forest Reserve from destruction by government-supported multinational logging firms. EarthAction asked for letters to be sent to the President of Gabon urging him to refuse permission for any further logging in the reserve, and to work to ensure that no logging was allowed in any of Gabon’s protected areas.

In 1997, in response to increasing international pressure, in which EarthAction played a significant role, the Gabonese government reversed its decision to allow logging in the Lopé Reserve and instead strengthened legislation to protect this important area. This was a significant success for EarthAction and other networks working on the issue.

Death of an Island: EarthAction called for international support for the people of Yamdena Island, Indonesia, who had been fighting a six-year battle to save their forests and their local economy from destruction by government-supported logging companies. EarthAction recommended letters to the Indonesian Forestry Minister, urging him to cancel the logging concession on Yamdena and recognize the peoples’ traditional land rights. In mid-1998, following the forced resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, a new Forestry Minister told the islanders that logging on the island would stop, following the recommendation of the area’s Regional Governor.  This is a promising development. So far, however, this promise has not been kept—the logging continues and Yamdena’s people are still waiting for their land rights to be recognised.

Justice for Alexander Nikitin: Former Russian naval captain Alexandr Nikitin was arrested in 1997 by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB – formerly the KGB) for passing information about pollution from Russia’s aging and dangerous nuclear submarines, none of which was classified, to the Norwegian environmental group Bellona. This is a key test case for the right to expose and protest against environmental destruction in the former Soviet Union.  EarthAction asked people to write to the Russian government expressing concern about the treatment of Nikitin, and urging them to transfer his case to the High Court to ensure him a fair trial. Nikitin’s case was not transferred. In October 1998 a St Petersburg Court ruled that the case against him for ‘treason and espionage’ was not proven. But they ordered the FSB to investigate Nikitin’s case further. Nikitin appealed to the Russian Supreme Court, which upheld the earlier verdict. Although Nikitin was finally released from FSB isolation in December 1998, he remains under house arrest in St Petersburg, awaiting a retrial, which could take months or even years. He is currently appealing to the European Court of Human Rights. International support for his case is still needed.

Save Imataca: Protect a Pristine Venezuelan Rainforest: EarthAction supported the campaign by Venezuelan indigenous groups and environmentalists to repeal Presidential Decree 1850, issued in May 1997, which gave almost half of the protected Imataca rainforest reserve over to mining interests, and left less than 4% of the reserve fully protected. We urged the Venezuelan government to repeal the Decree, to recognize the land rights of Imataca’s indigenous peoples, and to ensure that the reserve was protected from logging and mining.

Even as our Action Kit went out, the situation in Imataca went from bad to worse, as the government began building an electricity power line through the reserve, mainly to provide power to the mining firms which are destroying much of the nation’s rainforest cover. Direct action protests by thousands of indigenous Indians led to stand-offs with the army, arrests and even deaths.

In February 1999, Hugo Chávez, the newly elected President of Venezuela, took office. During his campaign, he promised to repeal Decree 1850. He has not yet kept this campaign promise, and, unfortunately, just recently announced that the power-line project would continue. Since his election, however, he has taken the important step of appointing an indigenous woman as Venezuela’s Environment Minister, who is committed to repealing the decree.

A special National Constituent Assembly will be convened this year to rewrite Venezuela’s Constitution. More than 400 indigenous delegates participated in the National Council of Indigenous Peoples of Venezuela to prepare their proposal for the new constitution which among other issues, presents their position on their rights to their traditional lands and resources. For more information contact the Indigenous Federation of Bolivar State at <fieb@telcel.net.ve>.

Supporting Nigerian Democracy: EarthAction supported Nigerian democrats’ calls for an international oil embargo on Nigeria as the best way to encourage its brutal, repressive and corrupt military regime to restore democracy. Unfortunately, the world’s governments resisted this call, preferring instead to take symbolic action against the regime, suspending it from the Commonwealth following the execution of environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. In late 1998 and early 1999, following the death of Nigeria’s dictator, General Abacha, local and national elections were held in Nigeria. In February, Nigeria’s former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, was elected as the new President. He is scheduled to take office on May 29, 1999. Whether President Obasanjo will tackle Nigeria’s important issues of stable democracy, poverty, corruption, environmental destruction and the abuses of the oil companies remains to be seen.

Nigerian activists and their supporters elsewhere are calling on President Obasanjo to: 1. Repeal all oppressive and unjust laws, 2. Establish a transparent process to write a democratic constitution that will ensure minority group rights and protect all human rights, and 3. Withdraw military forces from the Niger Delta, and work with the people of the Delta and the oil companies to bring an end to pollution and oppression throughout the region and to make restitution to the citizens of the Delta for loss of life, livelihoods, and destruction of their environment.

Improving the United Nations: Ever since our launch at the Earth Summit, members of the EarthAction Network have been campaigning for a more democratic and effective United Nations. A recent survey of EarthAction Partner Organizations shows that more than 90% favor a fully independent International Criminal Court, a UN Volunteer Force for rapid deployment to conflict zones, a strong Environment Council, and a democratic People's Assembly, among other improvements in the UN system. 

Achieving these goals is a long-term task and will require persistent public pressure, but one major development in July 1998 showed that progress is possible. An agreement was reached to create an International Criminal Court, which will come into force once 60 nations have ratified it. Countries that voted against the creation of a permanent International Criminal Court include China, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, Yemen and the USA. The Court will have jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity (including rape and forced prostitution) if national courts aren't taking action. It will have an independent prosecutor, which means that NGOs and others can bring crimes to its attention. 

A potential source of weakness for the Court will be that either the state where the crime was committed or the state of nationality of the accused have to give their consent before the Court can act. (The only case where a government cannot block an investigation of its own crimes is if the UN Security Council brings the case to the Court.) This means that reigning dictators will often be able to avoid prosecution so long as they hang onto power. Nonetheless, the creation of the Court is a major step forward for international law. The next step is to ensure that the treaty establishing the Court is ratified by as many nations as possible.

The recent crisis in Kosovo highlights again the urgent need to strengthen the UN's capacity to keep the peace and protect human rights.  In late 1998, EarthAction sent a letter to the world's heads of government and foreign ministers warning that without far-reaching improvements in the UN system the world would find itself powerless yet again to prevent the next Rwandas and Bosnias.  Within a few months, our warning had come true with a vengeance.

Once again we have witnessed the horrors of "ethnic cleansing," which (regardless of the eventual outcome) national governments elsewhere were unwilling or unable to prevent, and international preventive diplomacy happening too late to forestall disaster. We have seen the NATO powers deliberately avoiding the UN Security Council, because the big power veto is sure to paralyze it.  We have seen indicted war criminals from Bosnia who should have been arrested by international forces there, but who were allowed to go free by Western governments unwilling to take the political risks to arrest them, moving on to Kosovo to continue their murderous work.

Until we have a more democratic UN with the authority and the means to confront mass murderers, we are all too likely to see more such atrocities in the future. On this issue as on others summarized in this report, EarthAction will continue its efforts in the years to come.

Ending the Nuclear Threat: EarthAction has run several campaigns calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons from the world, and has urged governments to begin negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention as a way to achieve this. Twice since our campaigns began—in both 1996 and 1997—the UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions calling for just such a Convention, and in 1997 a model Convention, drafted by the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, was circulated in the UN. In May ’97, after India and Pakistan both tested nuclear weapons, the Indian Prime Minister called for negotiations to begin on such a Convention.

In a related campaign, EarthAction supported a call for the UN General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the World Court on the legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under international law. This campaign, led by major peace organizations, was successful. In 1996, the World Court issued its decision that the use, or threat of use of nuclear weapons is generally illegal under international law.

Despite wide demand for the abolition of nuclear weapons, there remain 36,000 nuclear weapons in the world, five thousand of which are on alert, ready to be launched at a few minutes' notice.  

Population and Development: EarthAction’s population and development campaign has run through the Cairo Population Summit of 1994, the Social Summit of 1995 and the Women’s Summit of the same year. We have always pressed for governments to increase spending on basic healthcare, education and family planning programmes—especially for women and girls—either as a percentage of national spending, for developing countries, or as a percentage of aid, for developed countries. We have also urged governments to support the principle of the ’20:20 initiative’, under which northern governments would commit 20% of their development aid, and southern governments 20% of their national budgets, to meeting basic human needs. Over the years, a growing number of countries have committed themselves to the 20:20 principle.

In general, however, overseas aid from northern countries is actually lower now than it was in 1993, and even within the amounts that are spent, the proportion given for population programmes has decreased. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that aid donors need to be giving annually a total of $5.7 billion for population assistance to meet the goals agreed in Cairo—in fact, the current total is $1.9 billion. Regrettably, most developing nations have not significantly increased their spending on basic healthcare programmes either.

Preventing Disastrous Climate Change: EarthAction has campaigned for seven years for firm government action to prevent disastrous climate change. We have consistently called for large and rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, the development and promotion of sustainable energy sources, and the adoption of a system of ‘contraction and convergence,’ which over a period of time would equitably share carbon dioxide emissions rights among the people of the world, within a safe global limit.

The seven years since the Earth Summit have seen massive government inaction on climate change—despite mounting evidence that global warming is already affecting the planet. We have also seen a concerted effort by oil producing nations and corporations against any meaningful action aimed at reducing consumption of fossil fuels. Scientists consistently say that emissions of greenhouse gases need to be cut by between 50% and 70% just to stabilize the levels of gases in the atmosphere. Yet at Kyoto in 1997, industrialised country governments agreed to a total cut of just 5% below 1990 levels by the year 2012—and it looks possible that the Senate of the United States, the world’s biggest polluter, will not even accept that cut.  Even if the Kyoto target is met, it will be cancelled out by growth in emissions in the developing world, leading to an estimated 30% increase in global emissions by 2012. Though a number of developing country governments are promoting the ‘contraction and convergence’ concept, it is still a long way from being accepted as policy. There remains much work to be done to get governments to agree to substantial cuts in carbon dioxide emissions and to begin a global energy transition to renewable, sustainable sources of energy for the new millennium.

EarthAction’s next campaign will focus on climate change.

Preserving Biodiversity: Some scientists estimate that as many as one species every twelve minutes may be currently becoming extinct across the world as a result of human activity. At the 1992 Earth Summit, 157 governments signed the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which they promised to take steps to maintain and protect the biological diversity of their own nations. EarthAction ran two campaigns, in which we pressed governments to ratify the Convention, to take steps to collect information on their country’s species and to ensure their protection.

Since then, over 140 countries have ratified the Convention, which has now become legally binding. In 1998, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, launched a project designed to help governments inventory their nation’s biodiversity and draw up action plans to help preserve it. This initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility, and is a useful step forward. However, the wider picture is still deeply worrying. Despite the ratification of the Convention, the world’s rainforests are still disappearing fast, coral reefs are threatened by overfishing, ozone depletion and climate change, and many other habitats continue to fall victim to the expansion of agriculture and urbanization. Many governments—including those responsible for rainforest destruction—continue to pay lip-service to the idea of species preservation, but very few have spent serious money on it or made it of central importance in their national policies.

Supporting the Amazon Indians: EarthAction's Partners have engaged in several campaigns calling for the land rights of Brazil’s indigenous peoples to be fully recognised by the state, and pressing for demarcation of all Indian territories as soon as possible. In 1996, we joined with other campaigners to press for the repeal of Decree 1775, which allowed commercial interests to challenge proposed demarcations of Indian land, which had been guaranteed by the 1988 constitution. Indians fear a flood of challenges, and a change in status for many of their lands, which could leave them open to invasion by loggers, miners and ranchers.

Despite widespread international pressure, Decree 1775 was not repealed, and challenges to demarcations are still being made. However, the flood of revisions to Indian land titles, which was feared, has not materialized. Perhaps mindful of the controversy, the government has only altered or overturned 8 demarcations since 1996. Nevertheless, significant areas of land have been lost for the Indians. Furthermore, the demarcation process, which was supposed to be finished by 1993, is still only half-complete, and the Brazilian government—now without a parliamentary majority, and under pressure from commercial interests—is dragging its heels over the process.

Ending the Toxic Waste Trade: EarthAction has twice campaigned to end the dangerous trade in toxic wastes between rich and poor countries. In 1994 we called for the trade in such wastes from the North to the South to be outlawed. The following year, despite opposition from some rich nations and corporations, these calls met with partial success. The Basel Convention on toxic waste exports was amended to ban the export of wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries. In 1996, we called again for countries to swiftly ratify this amendment in order to bring it into force. So far, though, the ratification process has gone painfully slowly. Of the 62 nations needed to ratify the amendment to make it law, only 13 have so far done so. On the positive side, toxic waste producers have failed in their attempts to shorten the list of illegal wastes and to reduce the number of countries where toxic wastes could be dumped.

Preventing Desertification: EarthAction has run many campaigns on land degradation, urging governments to first negotiate and then ratify the UN Convention on Desertification, and to fund and support the creation of national action plans to tackle the problem as required by the Convention. Since 1993, the Convention has become legally binding, with over 140 countries having now ratified it. And though desertification is still a major global problem, there are encouraging signs of government action—particularly in Africa, where the problem is extremely serious. In 1998, EarthAction, in co-operation with UNEP and the Environmental Monitoring Group in South Africa, produced an awareness-raising Action Kit designed for use at the grassroots in South Africa, to help engage civil society in the government’s national action plan to combat desertification. Other sub-Saharan African nations, including Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, are drawing up national action plans.

Funding from Northern nations to support this process has increased since 1993, but more money and attention is needed to protect the Earth’s fertility and capacity to produce food. In the US, EarthAction has been collaborating with the Natural Heritage Institute to create a coalition of NGOs, businesses and others to raise awareness of the issue and to press for ratification of the Convention by the US Senate.  The Desertification Coalition has succeeded in getting the Convention "upgraded" to be one of the Administration's priority treaties for Senate ratification in 1999.

We want once again to thank everyone who has contributed their time and resources to help mobilize world-wide political will on some of the most important issues facing the human race.

Since EarthAction was launched at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in May 1992, our Network has grown to include over 1,600 organizations in more than 140 countries and thousands of legislators, journalists, and concerned individuals worldwide. In the past seven years we have produced and distributed over a quarter of a million Action Kits focused on some of the world’s most serious environment, development, peace and human rights problems. Each of our Kits has linked accurate information with recommendations for timely, meaningful action.

What follows is a report on many of the issues upon which we have campaigned. On these and other issues, we will continue to press for meaningful action from policy-makers. We believe it will take clear communication, creativity, persistence and vigilance on the part of many people around the world to move us toward positive solutions to these global problems. To that end, we will continue our efforts to expand the EarthAction Network.

This can feel like a difficult, challenging time to be working for peace, justice and protection of the global environment. But it is the only time we have.

We want to thank again all the organizations and individuals who have used our Action Kits, and who, by working together, are helping to create a more just, peaceful and sustainable world. 

PROTECT OUR OZONE SHIELD

In 1992, we targeted a meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on protection of the ozone layer. We asked Partners to press their governments to take a firm stand to ban all ozone-depleting chemicals and to increase their financial contributions to the Multilateral Ozone Fund (MOF) set up to help developing countries phase out these chemicals.

Over the last several years the Montreal Protocol has been strengthened and throughout the world the production and the use of ozone-depleting chemicals are being steadily phased out. Many such chemicals, however, are still in existence, particularly in developing nations and the former USSR, and illegal production and smuggling of CFCs has become a growing problem. Scientists estimate that if production levels continue at their current pace, well over one million tons of CFCs will be manufactured over the next decade. Since CFCs made today can enter and react with stratospheric ozone for over one hundred years, continued production will contribute to significant levels of ozone depletion, affecting living systems the world over, until well into the next century. Financial contributions to the MOF are still much slower than hoped for.

While the phasing out process is going all too slowly, the World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that the 1998 ozone hole above the Antarctic was the largest and strongest ever recorded. It lasted over 100 days. They reported that the ozone layer deficiency for 1998 over latitudes at least 60 degrees south was 25% greater than the overall average for the 1990s. As the amount of ozone in our atmosphere decreases, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun that reaches our planet increases. Scientists are documenting the many harmful effects this is having to life on earth.

PROTECT CLAYOQUOT SOUND: ONE OF CANADA’S LAST UNSPOILED TEMPERATE RAINFORESTS

EarthAction campaigned to garner worldwide support for the local and indigenous peoples of Clayoquot Sound, calling for protection of their forest and an end to clearcut logging. After years of work, the campaign has paid off—MacMillan Bloedel, the largest logging corporation in the area, are currently in the process of transferring their tree-farm license to a new company that is majority owned by First Nations (indigenous) peoples. This new company is dedicated to eco-certified logging and limiting future logging to areas already partially logged. Pristine areas will be used for eco-tourism and other uses that leave the forests intact. The local people, with the support of the British Columbian and Canadian governments, have applied to have Clayoquot Sound designated a ‘UN Biosphere Reserve.’  A decision is expected in November. The campaign to protect Clayoquot is close to being a resounding success, in which EarthAction played a significant part.

CHANGE THE WORLD BANK

We joined widespread international calls for the World Bank, often a promoter of environmental destruction and social disintegration since its creation in 1944, to radically alter its work. We asked EarthAction Partners to contact their Finance Ministers, urging them to demand at the World Bank’s 50th Anniversary meeting, that the Bank: 1. Stop funding destructive megaprojects like dams, 2. Massively increase its lending for basic health care, education, clean water and family planning, and 3. Use its funds to lend directly to the poor for small-scale community-based projects.

Over the five years since this campaign, the World Bank has continued funding large-scale infrastructure projects including dams, roads, fossil fuel based energy development and mining. They are, however, engaged in several reviews of their lending policies and are including input from the public.

Overall, the Bank has increased its lending for health and education. In 1998, the International Development Association, the branch of the Bank that lends to the poorest countries, increased their loans for educational projects to US$1.1 billion, up from $255 million in 1997. Year by year, they are also increasing their “micro-credit” or small-scale loans for community-based projects. 

RWANDA AND BURUNDI

In the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which over half a million people died, we called on governments to support the work of the International Tribunal set up to prosecute those responsible, to increase aid to Rwanda and Burundi, and to enforce the UN arms embargo on the former Rwandan government and other extremist groups. Since then, constrained partly by lack of resources and political support, the Tribunal’s work has gone on painfully slowly—over 300 people await trial, and only one has been convicted. The Rwandan government is also conducting its own trials. Over 300 people have been tried so far, and some executed, though human rights groups have called some of these trials unfair. Meanwhile, 130,000 people still await trial in Rwandan jails. Although international aid to Rwanda and Burundi has increased since EarthAction’s campaign, much money that was promised has not yet materialized, partly due to the caution of donors since the Rwandan army’s involvement in the invasion of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo in 1998. Rwanda itself continues slowly to recover from the genocide, but in general the situation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa remains violent and volatile, with international efforts to contain and resolve the conflicts there still too meager.

STOP THE POISONING OF OUR SEAS

In May 1996, world leaders attended a meeting of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to review the state of the world’s oceans. EarthAction’s Partners called on them to negotiate a treaty to ban production of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and to draw up national plans to prevent disposal of sewage and industrial waste in the world’s oceans.

Last year in Montreal nearly 100 countries agreed in theory to restrict the use of the “dirty Dozen”—12 of the most toxic pesticides and industrial chemicals and byproducts that linger in the environment. Now these countries are deciding just how strict the ban will be on these Persistent Organic Pollutants. They are set to come up with a treaty by the end of next year, with hopes that each country will ratify it by 2005. Environmentalists want the POPs to be banned now, while the chemical manufacturers are arguing that they need not be totally eliminated, but rather should be properly “managed.”

In addition, most governments have still not produced comprehensive national plans to prevent land-based ocean pollution, despite promising to do so.

SAVE AFRICA’S LAST RAINFORESTS

This Action Kit sought support for campaigners in Gabon who were fighting to protect the internationally-important Lopé Forest Reserve from destruction by government-supported multinational logging firms. EarthAction asked for letters to be sent to the President of Gabon urging him to refuse permission for any further logging in the reserve, and to work to ensure that no logging was allowed in any of Gabon’s protected areas.

In 1997, in response to increasing international pressure, in which EarthAction played a significant role, the Gabonese government reversed its decision to allow logging in the Lopé Reserve and instead strengthened legislation to protect this important area. This was a significant success for EarthAction and other networks working on the issue.

DEATH OF AN ISLAND

EarthAction called for international support for the people of Yamdena Island, Indonesia, who had been fighting a six-year battle to save their forests and their local economy from destruction by government-supported logging companies. EarthAction recommended letters to the Indonesian Forestry Minister, urging him to cancel the logging concession on Yamdena and recognize the peoples’ traditional land rights. In mid-1998, following the forced resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, a new Forestry Minister told the islanders that logging on the island would stop, following the recommendation of the area’s Regional Governor.  This is a promising development. So far, however, this promise has not been kept—the logging continues and Yamdena’s people are still waiting for their land rights to be recognised.

JUSTICE FOR ALEXANDR NIKITIN

Former Russian naval captain Alexandr Nikitin was arrested in 1997 by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB – formerly the KGB) for passing information about pollution from Russia’s aging and dangerous nuclear submarines, none of which was classified, to the Norwegian environmental group Bellona. This is a key test case for the right to expose and protest against environmental destruction in the former Soviet Union.  EarthAction asked people to write to the Russian government expressing concern about the treatment of Nikitin, and urging them to transfer his case to the High Court to ensure him a fair trial. Nikitin’s case was not transferred. In October 1998 a St Petersburg Court ruled that the case against him for ‘treason and espionage’ was not proven. But they ordered the FSB to investigate Nikitin’s case further. Nikitin appealed to the Russian Supreme Court, which upheld the earlier verdict. Although Nikitin was finally released from FSB isolation in December 1998, he remains under house arrest in St Petersburg, awaiting a retrial, which could take months or even years. He is currently appealing to the European Court of Human Rights. International support for his case is still needed.

SAVE IMATACA: PROTECT A PRISTINE VENEZUELAN RAINFOREST

EarthAction supported the campaign by Venezuelan indigenous groups and environmentalists to repeal Presidential Decree 1850, issued in May 1997, which gave almost half of the protected Imataca rainforest reserve over to mining interests, and left less than 4% of the reserve fully protected. We urged the Venezuelan government to repeal the Decree, to recognize the land rights of Imataca’s indigenous peoples, and to ensure that the reserve was protected from logging and mining.

Even as our Action Kit went out, the situation in Imataca went from bad to worse, as the government began building an electricity power line through the reserve, mainly to provide power to the mining firms which are destroying much of the nation’s rainforest cover. Direct action protests by thousands of indigenous Indians led to stand-offs with the army, arrests and even deaths.

In February 1999, Hugo Chávez, the newly elected President of Venezuela, took office. During his campaign, he promised to repeal Decree 1850. He has not yet kept this campaign promise, and, unfortunately, just recently announced that the power-line project would continue. Since his election, however, he has taken the important step of appointing an indigenous woman as Venezuela’s Environment Minister, who is committed to repealing the decree.

A special National Constituent Assembly will be convened this year to rewrite Venezuela’s Constitution. More than 400 indigenous delegates participated in the National Council of Indigenous Peoples of Venezuela to prepare their proposal for the new constitution which among other issues, presents their position on their rights to their traditional lands and resources.

SUPPORTING NIGERIAN DEMOCRACY

EarthAction supported Nigerian democrats’ calls for an international oil embargo on Nigeria as the best way to encourage its brutal, repressive and corrupt military regime to restore democracy. Unfortunately, the world’s governments resisted this call, preferring instead to take symbolic action against the regime, suspending it from the Commonwealth following the execution of environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995. In late 1998 and early 1999, following the death of Nigeria’s dictator, General Abacha, local and national elections were held in Nigeria. In February, Nigeria’s former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, was elected as the new President. He is scheduled to take office on May 29, 1999. Whether President Obasanjo will tackle Nigeria’s important issues of stable democracy, poverty, corruption, environmental destruction and the abuses of the oil companies remains to be seen.

Nigerian activists and their supporters elsewhere are calling on President Obasanjo to: 1. Repeal all oppressive and unjust laws, 2. Establish a transparent process to write a democratic constitution that will ensure minority group rights and protect all human rights, and 3. Withdraw military forces from the Niger Delta, and work with the people of the Delta and the oil companies to bring an end to pollution and oppression throughout the region and to make restitution to the citizens of the Delta for loss of life, livelihoods, and destruction of their environment.

IMPROVING THE UNITED NATIONS

Ever since our launch at the Earth Summit, members of the EarthAction Network have been campaigning for a more democratic and effective United Nations. A recent survey of EarthAction Partner Organizations shows that more than 90% favor a fully independent International Criminal Court, a UN Volunteer Force for rapid deployment to conflict zones, a strong Environment Council, and a democratic People's Assembly, among other improvements in the UN system. 

Achieving these goals is a long-term task and will require persistent public pressure, but one major development in July 1998 showed that progress is possible. An agreement was reached to create an International Criminal Court, which will come into force once 60 nations have ratified it. Countries that voted against the creation of a permanent International Criminal Court include China, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Qatar, Yemen and the USA. The Court will have jurisdiction over war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity (including rape and forced prostitution) if national courts aren't taking action. It will have an independent prosecutor, which means that NGOs and others can bring crimes to its attention. 

A potential source of weakness for the Court will be that either the state where the crime was committed or the state of nationality of the accused have to give their consent before the Court can act. (The only case where a government cannot block an investigation of its own crimes is if the UN Security Council brings the case to the Court.) This means that reigning dictators will often be able to avoid prosecution so long as they hang onto power. Nonetheless, the creation of the Court is a major step forward for international law. The next step is to ensure that the treaty establishing the Court is ratified by as many nations as possible.

The recent crisis in Kosovo highlights again the urgent need to strengthen the UN's capacity to keep the peace and protect human rights.  In late 1998, EarthAction sent a letter to the world's heads of government and foreign ministers warning that without far-reaching improvements in the UN system the world would find itself powerless yet again to prevent the next Rwandas and Bosnias.  Within a few months, our warning had come true with a vengeance.

Once again we have witnessed the horrors of "ethnic cleansing," which (regardless of the eventual outcome) national governments elsewhere were unwilling or unable to prevent, and international preventive diplomacy happening too late to forestall disaster. We have seen the NATO powers deliberately avoiding the UN Security Council, because the big power veto is sure to paralyze it.  We have seen indicted war criminals from Bosnia who should have been arrested by international forces there, but who were allowed to go free by Western governments unwilling to take the political risks to arrest them, moving on to Kosovo to continue their murderous work.

Until we have a more democratic UN with the authority and the means to confront mass murderers, we are all too likely to see more such atrocities in the future. On this issue as on others summarized in this report, EarthAction will continue its efforts in the years to come.

ENDING THE NUCLEAR THREAT

EarthAction has run several campaigns calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons from the world, and has urged governments to begin negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention as a way to achieve this. Twice since our campaigns began—in both 1996 and 1997—the UN General Assembly has adopted resolutions calling for just such a Convention, and in 1997 a model Convention, drafted by the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, was circulated in the UN. In May ’97, after India and Pakistan both tested nuclear weapons, the Indian Prime Minister called for negotiations to begin on such a Convention.

In a related campaign, EarthAction supported a call for the UN General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the World Court on the legality of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under international law. This campaign, led by major peace organizations, was successful. In 1996, the World Court issued its decision that the use, or threat of use of nuclear weapons is generally illegal under international law.

Despite wide demand for the abolition of nuclear weapons, there remain 36,000 nuclear weapons in the world, five thousand of which are on alert, ready to be launched at a few minutes' notice.  

POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT

EarthAction’s population and development campaign has run through the Cairo Population Summit of 1994, the Social Summit of 1995 and the Women’s Summit of the same year. We have always pressed for governments to increase spending on basic healthcare, education and family planning programmes—especially for women and girls—either as a percentage of national spending, for developing countries, or as a percentage of aid, for developed countries. We have also urged governments to support the principle of the ’20:20 initiative’, under which northern governments would commit 20% of their development aid, and southern governments 20% of their national budgets, to meeting basic human needs. Over the years, a growing number of countries have committed themselves to the 20:20 principle.

In general, however, overseas aid from northern countries is actually lower now than it was in 1993, and even within the amounts that are spent, the proportion given for population programmes has decreased. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that aid donors need to be giving annually a total of $5.7 billion for population assistance to meet the goals agreed in Cairo—in fact, the current total is $1.9 billion. Regrettably, most developing nations have not significantly increased their spending on basic healthcare programmes either.

PREVENTING DISASTROUS CLIMATE CHANGE

EarthAction has campaigned for seven years for firm government action to prevent disastrous climate change. We have consistently called for large and rapid cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, the development and promotion of sustainable energy sources, and the adoption of a system of ‘contraction and convergence,’ which over a period of time would equitably share carbon dioxide emissions rights among the people of the world, within a safe global limit.

The seven years since the Earth Summit have seen massive government inaction on climate change—despite mounting evidence that global warming is already affecting the planet. We have also seen a concerted effort by oil producing nations and corporations against any meaningful action aimed at reducing consumption of fossil fuels. Scientists consistently say that emissions of greenhouse gases need to be cut by between 50% and 70% just to stabilize the levels of gases in the atmosphere. Yet at Kyoto in 1997, industrialised country governments agreed to a total cut of just 5% below 1990 levels by the year 2012—and it looks possible that the Senate of the United States, the world’s biggest polluter, will not even accept that cut.  Even if the Kyoto target is met, it will be cancelled out by growth in emissions in the developing world, leading to an estimated 30% increase in global emissions by 2012. Though a number of developing country governments are promoting the ‘contraction and convergence’ concept, it is still a long way from being accepted as policy. There remains much work to be done to get governments to agree to substantial cuts in carbon dioxide emissions and to begin a global energy transition to renewable, sustainable sources of energy for the new millennium.

PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY

Some scientists estimate that as many as one species every twelve minutes may be currently becoming extinct across the world as a result of human activity. At the 1992 Earth Summit, 157 governments signed the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which they promised to take steps to maintain and protect the biological diversity of their own nations. EarthAction ran two campaigns, in which we pressed governments to ratify the Convention, to take steps to collect information on their country’s species and to ensure their protection.

Since then, over 140 countries have ratified the Convention, which has now become legally binding. In 1998, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, launched a project designed to help governments inventory their nation’s biodiversity and draw up action plans to help preserve it. This initiative is funded by the Global Environment Facility, and is a useful step forward. However, the wider picture is still deeply worrying. Despite the ratification of the Convention, the world’s rainforests are still disappearing fast, coral reefs are threatened by overfishing, ozone depletion and climate change, and many other habitats continue to fall victim to the expansion of agriculture and urbanization. Many governments—including those responsible for rainforest destruction—continue to pay lip-service to the idea of species preservation, but very few have spent serious money on it or made it of central importance in their national policies.

SUPPORTING THE AMAZON INDIANS

EarthAction's Partners have engaged in several campaigns calling for the land rights of Brazil’s indigenous peoples to be fully recognised by the state, and pressing for demarcation of all Indian territories as soon as possible. In 1996, we joined with other campaigners to press for the repeal of Decree 1775, which allowed commercial interests to challenge proposed demarcations of Indian land, which had been guaranteed by the 1988 constitution. Indians fear a flood of challenges, and a change in status for many of their lands, which could leave them open to invasion by loggers, miners and ranchers.

Despite widespread international pressure, Decree 1775 was not repealed, and challenges to demarcations are still being made. However, the flood of revisions to Indian land titles, which was feared, has not materialized. Perhaps mindful of the controversy, the government has only altered or overturned 8 demarcations since 1996. Nevertheless, significant areas of land have been lost for the Indians. Furthermore, the demarcation process, which was supposed to be finished by 1993, is still only half-complete, and the Brazilian government—now without a parliamentary majority, and under pressure from commercial interests—is dragging its heels over the process.

ENDING THE TOXIC WASTE TRADE

EarthAction has twice campaigned to end the dangerous trade in toxic wastes between rich and poor countries. In 1994 we called for the trade in such wastes from the North to the South to be outlawed. The following year, despite opposition from some rich nations and corporations, these calls met with partial success. The Basel Convention on toxic waste exports was amended to ban the export of wastes from OECD to non-OECD countries. In 1996, we called again for countries to swiftly ratify this amendment in order to bring it into force. So far, though, the ratification process has gone painfully slowly. Of the 62 nations needed to ratify the amendment to make it law, only 13 have so far done so. On the positive side, toxic waste producers have failed in their attempts to shorten the list of illegal wastes and to reduce the number of countries where toxic wastes could be dumped.

PREVENTING DESERTIFICATION

EarthAction has run many campaigns on land degradation, urging governments to first negotiate and then ratify the UN Convention on Desertification, and to fund and support the creation of national action plans to tackle the problem as required by the Convention. Since 1993, the Convention has become legally binding, with over 140 countries having now ratified it. And though desertification is still a major global problem, there are encouraging signs of government action—particularly in Africa, where the problem is extremely serious. In 1998, EarthAction, in co-operation with UNEP and the Environmental Monitoring Group in South Africa, produced an awareness-raising Action Kit designed for use at the grassroots in South Africa, to help engage civil society in the government’s national action plan to combat desertification. Other sub-Saharan African nations, including Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, are drawing up national action plans.

Funding from Northern nations to support this process has increased since 1993, but more money and attention is needed to protect the Earth’s fertility and capacity to produce food. In the US, EarthAction has been collaborating with the Natural Heritage Institute to create a coalition of NGOs, businesses and others to raise awareness of the issue and to press for ratification of the Convention by the US Senate.  The Desertification Coalition has succeeded in getting the Convention "upgraded" to be one of the Administration's priority treaties for Senate ratification in 1999.

We want once again to thank everyone who has contributed their time and resources to help mobilize world-wide political will on some of the most important issues facing the human race.