Democracy

Friends of the Earth is working to create stronger and more effective environmental policies by fostering representative and responsive democratic institutions across the United States. Friends of the Earth is expanding its role in the movement to reform our shared democracy. Working closely with local partners on the ground, we are building the grassroots leadership, capacity and broad-based political power necessary to drive meaningful long-term democracy reforms across the United States

Environmental progress, on arguably every issue Friends of the Earth works on - from curbing climate change to ensuring the safety of the food we eat and the water we drink - is hampered by threats to our democratic system. In particular, gerrymandering and voter suppression block necessary environmental change while forcing environmental battles onto defensive terrain. Addressing our broken political system is the task of this generation, key to ensuring social and environmental justice.

We believe that the environmental community is a critical partner in the movement advancing democracy reform from the bottom up. Since establishing a dedicated Democracy Program, Friends of the Earth demonstrated the critical role environmentalists play in pushing local and state victories over the finish line. To protect the environment, we need politicians that are accountable to the people, and not polluters. Working with local and national partners, we develop and implement innovative campaigns mobilizing environmental constituencies to drive practical solutions addressing our democratic deficits.