News Update

Edinburgh City Council Rainwater Management - from Garden News 20 Sept 2025 (Posted 28 September 2025)

Innovative plantings are being used to manage stormwater in Edinburgh with expertise from the city's botanical garden, the Royal Botanic Garden. The project is called 'Plants with Purpose' and was launched last year to evaluate how careful plant selection could be used to create rain gardens to help water drain slowly rather than form flash floods, as well as moderating temperatures in built-up areas and improving conditions for pollinators.  Residents have been offered water butts connected to planters designed to help slow the impact of heavy rainstorms.  PWP is also helping the City Council devise climate-resistant schemes for the pedestrianisation of historic George Street.  

Global Ocean Treaty comes into force - news from Greenpeace (Posted 27 September 2025)

History has just been made. The Global Ocean Treaty will officially enter into force, as the 60th country has just signed it into law. This is huge. After two decades of campaigning from people, alongside scientists and activists around the world, the world’s strongest tool to protect our oceans has been secured.

The Treaty makes it possible to create ocean sanctuaries – safe havens from destructive human activity – across 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. Meaning marine life will have the chance to recover and thrive again.

Oxfam's Secondhand September Campaign - this month we are encouraged to swap or buy secondhand by Oxfam. (Posted 7 September 2025)

They say on their website 'Did you know, each year, up to 40% of all clothing manufactured globally is never sold? In a world of overproduction and overconsumption, Second Hand September is all about challenging yourself to create more sustainable shopping habits for a fairer future – without compromising on style.

The production of clothes uses so much of our planet’s precious resources, when millions of people around the world don’t have access to the basics like clean water. What can also be added is the terrible environment impact in the production of textiles and the waste it creates that is destined for landfill.

But here’s the good news: small habits from all of us stack up and can make real change.

Every time you choose second hand – whether that’s buying a vintage tee or donating what you don't wear any more – you're making a statement. You’re dressing for the world you want'.

 

UK Government 'Prepare' Campaign (Posted 3 September 2025)

The government has recently updated its guidance on the internet re civil emergency preparedness. It gives examples of what we might do in advance of flooding, fires and power cuts. https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/

UK Resilience : How prepared are we for climate change? The Briefing Room (1 of 3 Radio 4 programmes) Posted 15 August 2025)

The UK is getting hotter. And wetter. Extreme weather events in the UK are happening more often. And that trend won’t stop any time soon. It all means more flooding and fire risk. Enter the R word - resilience - how well are we coping with what’s going on now, and how advanced is our planning for what’s coming? 

To hear the programmes go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002h0fl

Friends of the Earth & Greenpeace's Report on Labour : One Year On 

(posted 1 August 2025)

The two environmental campaigning groups have worked together to produce a report on how the Labour government has done in addressing the climate and environmental crises in their first year.

https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/news/labour-government-year-one-report-card

Identifying Greenwashing Polluters (noted in 'Positive News' July 2025) A tool has been developed 'Climate TRACE' that uses satellites and other means to track emissions of countries and sectors, as well as over 600 million individual sources which range from power plants to farms. There is a 60 day lag in the information being made available but it is a big change in emissions reporting.

Climate Change Mass Lobby of UK Parliament's MPs - 9 July (Posted 21 July 2025)

Nearly 5,000 people lobbied their MPs at Parliament on Wednesday 9 July, with Quaker Friends amongst them. There were lots of quiet conversations going on during the day in small circles.  In addition, there were interesting talks, organisations' stalls and guided nature walks hosted from the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre.

 

QUNO and the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn (Posted 21 July 2025)

QUNO Geneva’s Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC) team, Lindsey Fielder Cook and Johan Cavert, were intensely active at the UN Climate Change meetings in Bonn. These Subsidiary Body meetings (SB62) were held by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 16-26 June and are in preparation for the upcoming COP in Brazil.  

Read More

 

The UK Climate Change Committee's Update (Posted 7 June 2025)

Use this link to the website where you can choose to download any reports that interest you. https://www.theccc.org.uk/ 

And/or click on this link to access a Youtube presentation by Committee Members on how the UK is progressing against the Climate Act targets and budgets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iK5VwOvzRU

Latest News from Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) (Posted 28 May 2025)

This link takes you to the Timeline section of the QUNO website. There are a couple of news items of interest regarding the climate/environment. Scroll down the list of articles to read them. https://quno.org/timeline

Sharing the stories of Quaker environmental human rights defenders
QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change Programme recently compiled an official submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders profiling stories of Quaker Environmental Human Rights Defenders. Gathering testimony from Quaker individuals and organizations in Europe and Africa, the submission upholds actions of conscience that Quakers have engaged in as guided by their faith and commitment to the values of stewardship, sustainability, and integrity.

QUNO and the TAP Network react to the UN Financing for Development Process
 Through our membership of the Transparency, Accountability & Participation (TAP) Network, QUNO NY has been engaging in the process towards the United Nations (UN) Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FfD4). The FfD4 process aims to create a global policy agenda that will renew the international financing framework, unlock capital flows and build on previous financing agreements.

Black Earth Rising and Folk Tales for Health & Wellbeing (Posted 27 May 2025)

In the free magazine known as 'Booktime', the current May/June issue 152 offers two books that may be of interest to Quaker Friends. The first, Black Earth Rising is by Ekow Eshun and is described as '... a vibrant contemporary art anthology that explores the complex ties between race, climate crisis and colonialism by 100 leading artists of African diasporic, Latin American and Native American identity. The works are presented in three thematic sections: Reckoning, Reimagining and Reclaiming. The book explores forced migration and slavery, the environmental consequences of colonialism, the occupation of Native lands, and more.'

The second book, Folk Tales for Health & Wellbeing is by Adam Bushnell. 'A collection of traditional tales which promote wellbeing. These tales have a moral message at the core about how to resolve conflict and evoke peace. The theme of the book is interconnectedness, co-operation, spiritual strength, emotional wellbeing, remaining calm in adversity and the pursuit of happiness through the parables of folk tales. ...'

 

QUNO at Human Rights Council (shared from QUNO newsletter April 2025) Posted 14 May 2025

QUNO’s Human Impacts of Climate Change Program (HICC) participated in the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council, delivering two statements addressing climate justice and human rights. Both statements were given on behalf of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) and in collaboration with Soka Gakkai International (SGI).

Click on the link for the full report of QUNO's presence at the Human Rights Council. 

QUNO Human Impacts of Climate Change

Climate Museum UK (posted 2 April 2025) is a 'virtual museum' formed by a group of artists, designers and educators who help people make sense of environmental issues through creative conversations. A read of their current newsletter may provide inspiration and/or take a look at their work and what they can offer. https://climatemuseumuk.org/category/newsletter/

Bristol Central Quakers energy project - news from Faith in Action Newsletter 24 February (Posted 27 February 2025)

Friends from Bristol Central Quakers formed a charity called ResNet following on from a series of discussion groups.

ResNet is supporting organisations and residents in their efforts to not only plan for a fairer, less fossil fuel dependent future, but also a future that is likely to have new challenges arising from our climate changing.

In 2024, ResNet was awarded received £45,000 in grant funding from two Climate Action Funds, to explore providing solar power and energy storage to clusters of households in lower income areas in Bristol. This is an amazing example of how sustainability and equality can go hand in hand as we build alternatives to our current system.

An article about the project is available to read in the current Winter Issue of EarthQuaker

QUNO - Our Right to a Healthy Environment Resource (Posted 20 March 2025)

QUNO is pleased to share the publication of a new resource on the Right to a Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment (R2He).

In celebrating this newly recognized right, they hope that this easily shareable guide will empower each of us as individuals and members of our communities to advocate for our rights, participate in decision making, and hold governments to account. 

Over 85% of UN Member States recognize a right to a healthy environment in either constitutions, legislation, or regional treaties. Recognition of R2He means states have the obligation to uphold and protect this as enumerated. If and when they do not, advocates can and must push for its proper implementation. 

The guide details the history, importance, and context of R2He within the human rights system and its relation and intersection with other universal human rights. 

Our Right to a Healthy Environment

 

Northern Friends Peace Board (UK) links to resources which relate to peace and sustainability combined issues: (Posted 31 July 2024)

What would a sensible security policy look like for the UK? https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/sensible-defence-offering-uk-labour-conservatives-climate-crisis-security

Women, peace and security and the climate change agenda https://www.worldvision.ca/stories/climate-change/women-peace-and-security-climate-change-agenda

Counting the environmental toll of war - and why peace is a climate solution https://johnmenadue.com/counting-the-environmental-toll-of-war-and-why-peace-is-a-climate-solution

Environmental wartime protection is essential to the protection of civilians https://www.icrc.org/en/unsc-arria-environment-peace

The Northern Friends Peace Board produce a regular round-up every 4-6 weeks. PDF versions with clickable links are available for their website at: https://nfpb.org.uk/resources/publicity-information-outreach

Mailing List: contact nfpb@gn.apc.org if you would to receive the information via email.