Friends of the Earth issues warning on land abuse following IPCC report on climate change

As the IPCC releases a special report (8th August 2019) on land usage and climate change, Friends of the Earth is calling for land to be put to better use in the fight against climate breakdown. The environmental group is calling for measures including doubling tree cover and moving away from intensive farming methods that devour land and are responsible for huge amounts of climate-wrecking emissions.

Today’s report backs up the findings of the world’s nature experts at IPBES that say the way we farm and use land is undermining the health of the natural ecosystems we all depend on.

Clare Oxborrow, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“The way land is being used and abused is rebounding on us. We’re undermining our ability to stop the climate crisis, keep soils healthy and produce food world-wide.

“The scientific evidence is clear: political leaders must transform the way land and resources are used, otherwise life on earth just won’t be possible. This should start with a shift from intensive farming to agroecology, scrapping large-scale bioenergy schemes, doubling tree cover and promoting healthy, sustainable diets with less and better meat and dairy”.