Embedded Files
This is the new website for Ealing Friends of the Earth. Our previous website is backed up here should you wish to refer to an old post.
Who are Friends of the Earth?
Who are Friends of the Earth?
Ealing Friends of the Earth (EFoE) is part of the world’s largest grassroots environmental network. We campaign on both local Ealing concerns and on national & international environmental issues.
Friends of the Earth (FoE) is the world’s largest grassroots environmental network, with over 2 million members and supporters around the world. We campaign on urgent environmental and social issues, challenge the current model of economic and corporate globalization, and promote solutions that will help to create sustainable and just societies.
In the UK, FoE has a national office for England and Wales and another for Scotland. Across the UK there are local groups run by volunteers; Ealing Friends of the Earth 'EFoE' is the local group that covers the London Borough of Ealing. You can join EFoE for free: see our Join or Contact page for details. You can learn more about FoE's activities in the UK at www.friendsoftheearth.uk and can support FoE nationally for a small monthly subscription.
Ealing Friends of the Earth's campaigns include:
Climate change: raising awareness of the United Nation's Climate Conference Agreements and report.
Air pollution: Monitoring levels locally; anti-engine-idling demonstrations.
Nature & biodiversity: supporting retention of Ealing's green space.
Plastics: Explaining the harm caused by single-use plastics, e.g. via talks in schools.
News
News
Local Council Elections - Don't Forget to Vote on May 7th
What do Ealing residents want from their new councillors...
What do Ealing residents want from their new councillors...
Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments were the top three environmental issues chosen by people who took part in an unofficial poll organised by Ealing Friends of the Earth (see article below).
Visitors to Ealing Animals Fair on March 7 were asked which environmental policies they considered the most important in the run-up to local council elections on May 7. The results were brought together in a 'Charter of Hope' and will be forwarded to all local candidates.
'Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces' was given 28 votes out of a total of 134 while 'More Resilient Communities' and 'Say No to Harmful Developments' both received 26 votes.
Photo: Ealing Matters
...but what are the new councillors likely to give Ealing?
Ealing Friends of the Earth looked at the manifestos and promises of the different parties fielding candidates in Ealing and judged them against what people told us they wanted.
Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces
More Resilient Communities
Say No to Harmful Developments
Ealing Labour Party
www.ealinglabour.co.uk/our-plan/
Ealing's Labour party has a huge majority on Ealing Council and wrote an extensive manifesto for the previous council elections including many green issues. They appear to be using the same document this time.
In it they promised to create 10 new parks, plant 50,000 trees and give 800,000 sqm back to nature.
They announced in March that they had reached the goal of planting 50,000 trees – which is impressive. But does that mean they have now stopped planting or are they planning another 50,000 trees if they are returned with another majority on the council? And have most of those trees survived?
Work has started on the new parks with some of them near completion including Peartree Park; South Ealing Cemetry; Occupation Lane; Glade Lane Canalside Park; Acton Gardens; Southall's Green Quarter and Windmill Lane, Southall. The council has also finally backed the Warren Farm nature reserve after a local campaign to designate it as such.
However Ealing is experiencing significant development of tall tower blocks that have been opposed by vocal local campaigns. Highrise towers use more energy than low rise residential buildings that can provide just as many homes.
Labour candidates for Ealing Council score highly on the first ask (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Space) but low on More Resilient Communities and Oppose Harmful Developments.
Photo: Ealing Labour Party
Photo: Ealing Conservatives
Ealing Conservatives
www.ealingconservatives.org.uk/
Buried in Ealing Conservatives website are just four policies described as their 'positive vision for Ealing.' Only one could be called environmental – 'where our streets are clean and fly tipping tackled'. These are two important issues and we are sure Ealing residents fully back them.
But they do not go anywhere near the ambitious environmental plan for Ealing that Labour prepared in its manifesto four years ago and do not mention the topics chosen in our (admittedly small) survey.
Set against the policies residents told EFoE they wanted (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments) Ealing Conservatives score very poorly.
Ealing Liberal Democrats
www.ealinglibdems.org.uk/environmentleaflets
Interestingly, Ealing Lib Dems have an Environment Leaflet that exactly mirrors the top three policies in our residents' survey. They say they are responsible for the council reinstating the position of Conservation Officer for Ealing Council, Stopping tall towers on our local parks (by forcing the council to adhere to Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land designations) and Improving our local parks and leisure facilities.
On our chosen criteria (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments) Ealing Lib Dems score highly.
Photo: Ealing Liberal Democrats
Photo: Ealing Green Party
Ealing Green Party
Unsurprisingly, Ealing Green Party promises many environmental policies, but they don't have such a wide-ranging, ambitious, connected plan as Ealing Labour.
They mention their support for the Warren Farm Nature Reserve campaign, promoting public transport, car sharing and electric car charging. They are against airport expansion.
On our chosen criteria (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments) Ealing Greens score reasonably highly.
Ealing Community Independents
ealingindependents.org/what-we-stand-for/
Ealing Community Independents is a new party and has an extensive list of environmental policies covering Climate Justice and Inequality, Fair Green Transition, Protecting and Enhancing our Parks, Managing Open Spaces, Cleaning Up Ealing, Safer Active Transport, Improving Public Transport and Fair Parking and Enforcement.
On our chosen criteria (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments) Ealing Community Independents scores reasonably highly.
Photo: Ealing Community Independents
Photo: Reform Ealing
Ealing Reform UK
We cannot see a way of looking at the Ealing / Brent page of the Reform UK website without either joining or donating. So we don't know what they are planning for the environment in Ealing / Brent.
However Reform UK's national environmental policies are clear on their main website: Scrap Net Zero and Support Farmers and the Rural Economy.
On our chosen criteria (Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments) it is difficult to know where Ealing Reform UK scores. Scrap Net Zero will add even more carbon emissions into the air and destroy trees (and do significant harm to humans). Their policy of Supporting Farmers and the Rural Economy sounds positive and should include Plant More Trees and Improve Green Spaces.
Ealing Mayoress Maria Kelly choosing an environmental priority
May 2026 Elections - what should we campaign for?
May 2026 Elections - what should we campaign for?
Plant more trees and Improve green spaces, More Resilient Communities and Say No to Harmful Developments were the top three environmental issues chosen by people who took part in an unofficial poll organised by Ealing Friends of the Earth.
Visitors to Ealing Animals Fair on March 7 were asked which environmental policies they considered the most important in the run-up to local council elections on May 7. The results will be brought together in a 'Charter of Hope' and forwarded to all local candidates.
'Plant more trees and improve green spaces' was given 28 votes out of a total of 134 while 'More resilient Communities' and 'Say No to Harmful Ddevelopments' both received 26 votes.
The other policies were: Fund Solutions (Local climate solutions funded by wealthy polluters) received 12 votes; Homes (Lower energy bills and warmer homes) received 9 votes; Welcome (Welcome refugees and migrants and speak out against hatred and lies) had 9 votes; Adapt (Protect our community from extreme weather like flooding and heatwaves) had 7 votes; Green Jobs (More local green jobs and training for young people) also received 7 votes; Farming (Help local farmers adapt to extreme weather) got 6 votes; and Transport (Better public transport and cleaner air) had 5 votes. The categories were chosen by national Friends of the Earth.
A spokesman said: 'For the May 2026 local elections, you have the chance to decide what policies you’d like to campaign for. Together, your demands can tell a hopeful, justice-centred story about how climate action can improve people’s lives in your community'.
Donald Power and Nic Ferriday with the results
Coming Up - things to do
Coming Up - things to do
Pollution from Wood Burning Stoves - Consultation Deadline.
The government's consultation on wood burning closes on 19th March. Stoves in cities are completely inappropriate and are a growing source of air pollution. Please respond if you can.
Mums for Lungs has some information on their website on how to submit a response. If you want to submit a fuller response we have some tips here. Writing in your own words will be the most powerful. If you are tight on time, just answer Q1 and Q52, which will only take a minute or two.
Consultation on climate adaptation and resilience
Ealing council is developing a draft climate adaptation and resilience strategy for 2026 - 2038. From 2nd to 18th March, five workshops are taking place across the borough, where Ealing residents can learn about climate impacts and help shape solutions. Sessions are free, no sign‑up is needed, refreshments will be provided.
Alongside the workshops, there is a survey is open to everyone including residents, workers, students, and visitors. The survey is open from 16th February to 29th March. Click here for workshop details and a link to the survey.
Council Elections on Thursday 7th May: compare the different party policies!
Ealing Council elections are on Thursday 7th May. Who will best protect our children's health and the future environment they will live in. We shall be comparing the party policies.
Boston Manor Park annual Nature Festival on Saturday 23rd May
Ealing Friends of the Earth will have a STALL at the Boston Manor Park annual Nature Festival on Saturday 23rd May 2026, 12:00 - 16:00. Festival admission is FREE. Boston Manor Park, Boston Manor Rd, Brentford TW8 9JU.
Online Actions / Petitions
Push for stronger action on wood burning - deadline 19th March. The Government is opening a public consultation on measures to tackle domestic burning emissions. Wood burning is the most polluting way to heat your home and is one of the biggest sources of harmful air pollution in the UK. Even homes with newer “Ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without. People inside those homes are affected as well as neighbours.
Tell the government: stop extreme weather destroying lives. Climate breakdown isn’t a distant threat. It’s happening now. No one is safe from extreme weather, but those most at risk – disabled people, older people, those on low incomes – are hit hardest. Our politicians are failing us. Some drag their feet. Others deny the crisis entirely. Sign this Friends of the Earth petition to demand our government protects us from the impacts of extreme weather.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has backed airport expansion while we're in a climate emergency. Sign this FoE petition to tell Rachel Reeves: "don’t put plane profits before planet".
News
News
Letters from the Global South Exhibition
Letters from the Global South Exhibition
The Letters from the Global South exhibition is an illustrated introduction to key scientific principles behind the Climate and Nature Emergency. EFoE has brought it to Ealing.
It’s a project by Zero Hour, the campaign group behind the Climate and Nature Bill, and Muslims Declare, a young organisation that was born out of a friendship between a small group of Muslims who are concerned that the world leaders are putting communities at risk by failing to act swiftly on climate change.
Ealing Friends of the Earth have obtained a copy of the exhibition. It was recently on display at Ealing Central Library and we plan to tour it around a number of locations within the borough.
The exhibition has visited mosques, churches, universities, schools, community centres and events in several cities across the UK.
More information about climate change from the UK Friends of the Earth is available here. We have some short videos about climate change on this website.
Heathrow Expansion
Heathrow Expansion
The government is backing the expansion of airports which will cause yet more pollution and further damage to the Earth's fragile climate.
Sign the FoE petition against aviation expansion.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse