Everything about People And Planet totally explained
People & Planet, often abbreviated to
P&P, is a network of student campaign groups in the
UK. It claims to be
"the largest student campaigning organisation in the country campaigning to alleviate world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment."
Organisation
As of March 2007 there were 64 University Groups and 73 6th Form/College Groups in the People & Planet Network, and over 20,000 people on its
e-supporter mailing list.
The
Support Office provides training and resources to the groups. Based in
Oxford, the office has a budget of a £560,000 for 2007-8. This is very low when compared to organisations with a similar support base and remit (such as
Greenpeace,
Amnesty International, and
Stop AIDS). People & Planet has struggled with funding in recent years, relying primarily on governmental grants, trusts and foundations for support.
People & Planet groups are completely autonymous and there's no formal membership system. Decisions on the future of the network and the work of the Support Office are made by a Management Committee (half of whose members are students) and at the annual "Forum" event.
Some groups, while being part of the People & Planet network, operate without being called 'People & Planet'.
Campaigns and events
Annual events include
Shared Planet - a student campaigning conference (as of 2006, the largest of its kind in the UK),
The Forum - the annual decision making conference where the Management Committee are appointed and new campaigns elected, and
The Summer Gathering - a training event.
People & Planet's current campaign areas are
Climate Change,
HIV/AIDS and
Trade Justice.
In June 2007 People & Planet published the UK's first university league table to be based on environmental impact, with
Leeds Metropolitan University coming out top.
The Green League won "Best Campaign" at the 2007
British Environment and Media Awards
An updated league table will be published on the 22nd May 2008.
In 2007 and 2008 People & Planet groups have also campaigned regularly outside branches of the high-street retailer
Topshop in an attempt to raise awareness of Topshop's poor worker's rights record.
Past successes
- Largely due to pressure from People & Planet groups, there are now 28 Fairtrade Universities and 4 Fairtrade Schools.
- The Ethics for USS (the University Superannuation Scheme) campaign persuaded the £20 billion lecturers’ pension fund to adopt a socially responsible investment policy.
History
The organisation was founded in
1969 as
Third World First
by a group of students, supported by
NGOs including
Oxfam.
Third World First was instrumental in setting up the magazine,
The Internationalist which was later reincarnated as the now popular activist-magazine,
The New Internationalist.
Quotes
“Over the last three years People & Planet has become an extraordinary organisation which attracts student supporters on a scale unmatched within the UK charity and campaign sector. More than any other youth organisation it's encouraging the emerging generation to see themselves as global citizens with a responsibility for taking action on global problems of poverty and the environment.”
-Joel, Lord Joffe, CBE, Chair of Oxfam, 1999.
Notable Members
Guy Hughes was head of People & Planet's Campaigns until 2004 when, following the outbreak of war in Iraq, he set up Crisis Action, a UK initiative to help co-ordinate NGO responses to crisis situations.
The environmental campaigner and journalist George Monbiot is the Patron of People & Planet.Further Information
Get more info on 'People And Planet'.
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