Our Investigative Priorities
Soy: Combating Illegal Deforestation Linked to Soy
Europe is one of the largest importers of soy, primarily used for animal feed. This demand is directly linked to deforestation in critical ecosystems such as the Amazon and the Cerrado. Large-scale soy expansion is frequently associated with illegal land clearing, destruction of protected areas, and violations of environmental and indigenous rights. The conversion of forests and savannahs into agricultural land leads to biodiversity loss, massive carbon emissions, and long-term disruption of ecosystems.
aktie.earth collects and verifies evidence of environmental violations linked to soy supply chains reaching Europe. By analyzing trade routes, market structures, and potential breaches of EU and national laws, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and national due diligence framework, we identify where intervention is needed. Verified information informs strategic decisions for legal action, regulatory engagement, or targeted campaigns to halt harmful practices. Our platform provides secure, confidential channels for insiders, experts, and communities to share sensitive information safely.
Investigations by our partners Deutsche Umwelthilfe and Mighty Earth have already demonstrated how soy linked to deforestation reaches Europe.
Trace the supply chain. Expose violations. Enable accountability.
Sources: European Commission (2021, 2023); WWF (2021, 2022); FAO; Trase; IIASA (2013); IPCC
Current Focus
Transition Minerals: Exposing the Hidden Cost of the Green Transition
The global demand for critical raw materials such as nickel, lithium, and cobalt is accelerating Europe’s green transition, but at a high environmental and social cost. Across the world, open-pit mining, toxic waste, and water contamination are creating new “green sacrifice zones.”
These activities often take place in regions with high biodiversity and vulnerable communities, leading to irreversible habitat loss, water insecurity, and long-term environmental degradation. Once ecosystems are destroyed, their functions, including carbon storage and biodiversity, are lost for generations. Despite growing regulation, weak enforcement, opaque supply chains, and fragmented oversight allow companies to sidestep environmental and human-rights obligations. Violations often remain hidden, especially when responsibility is distributed across complex global value chains.
Through aktie.earth, whistleblowers, local communities, and experts can securely report environmental harm and supply chain violations. The platform transforms this information into structured, verifiable evidence, enabling the identification of systemic patterns and supporting legal action. This evidence can strengthen enforcement of EU frameworks such as the Battery Regulation and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), helping hold parent companies accountable across global supply chains.
Investigations such as Mighty Earth’s “From Forests to Electric Vehicles” have already revealed the scale of environmental destruction linked to nickel mining in Indonesia, and EIA’s “Toxic Transition” has surfaced the poisoning of communities by the world’s largest cobalt producer.
Expose the hidden cost. Strengthen accountability. Drive enforcement.
Sources: European Commission (2023, 2024); EU Battery Regulation; Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD); International Energy Agency; World Bank; UNEP; IPBES; Mighty Earth (2024)
Stopping Land Take & Soil Sealing: Defending Europe’s Foundation
Europe is losing its fertile land at an alarming rate. Every year, an area exceeding 600 football pitches is paved over for logistics centers, housing, and infrastructure, a process known as land take. Despite the EU’s "no net land take by 2050" target, the destruction of natural soil continues, bypassing environmental assessments and violating planning regulations. Once soil is sealed under concrete, its ability to regulate water, host biodiversity, and ensure food security is lost for generations, accelerating the climate crisis and increasing the risk of devastating floods.
At aktie.earth we bridge the accountability gap by transforming environmental data into enforceable evidence. We go beyond documenting harm, we enable legal consequences. Our mission proves that when precision data meets strategic litigation, even systemic state failures can be successfully challenged.
A definitive example of this impact is "The Planet vs. Austria”, a landmark case led by AllRise. This legal action holds the Austrian government accountable for its failure to curb excessive soil sealing. When national remedies reached their limit, the case was escalated to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). This milestone demonstrates how robust, localized evidence can elevate regional environmental destruction to the highest legal stage in the world.
Through our platform, communities, activists, and experts can securely report unauthorized construction and illegal land conversion. By combining these on-the-ground insights with high-resolution satellite imagery through the Green to Grey Project, we verify land-use changes in near real-time. This creates a reliable evidence base to support enforcement under the EU Soil Monitoring Law and national frameworks. We empower individuals to move from passive observers to active defenders of their ecosystems, ensuring that land use is driven by long-term responsibility rather than short-term interests.
Identify Patterns. Enable Accountability. Explore the Green to Grey Project’s data on shrinking green spaces.
Sources: European Commission (2025); European Environment Agency; Copernicus Land Monitoring Service; Green to Grey Investigation (Arena/Guardian/NINA, 2025)
Future Focus
We are continuously exploring other areas where whistleblower intelligence can strengthen environmental accountability. If your organisation works in areas where hidden information could support investigations, litigation, or ecosystem protection, from deforestation to water pollution or industrial emissions, we would be glad to connect.