In a surprise move today, Andy Atkins, Executive Director of Friends Of The Earth UK, announced that the former environmental pressure group are to become an agency of the UK Government, working within the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Although not explicitly giving details of the move, Atkins (47) speaking to The Guardian newspaper stated:
“You could argue about where it starts - people taking action or government taking action,” he said. “You need both. Friends of the Earth is putting its weight behind government taking the right action that then makes it easier for people to do the right thing.”
The merger with DEFRA was hinted at in a press release put out on the announcement of Atkins’ appointment at Executive Director,
"Under Andy’s leadership, Friends of the Earth will continue to push for political action to tackle global environmental challenges."
although no one outside of the charity’s leadership could have predicted such a radical change in structure.
This acceptance of the need for independent environmental charities to work in government in order to create policies that drive public activity makes a mockery of the ideas of more hard-core environmental campaigners, including existing members of FoE, that say governments ultimately work for the benefit of the economy and their corporate masters. With this single action, Friends Of The Earth have made it clear that the future should be defined by government policies rather than individual or community action that may, unfortunately, fall foul of the laws that have been put in place to protect the [economy] environment.
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