Greenpeace Press releases

Greenpeace response to MEF outcome

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:16:39 GMT

Hopes of significant progress at the Major Economies Forum were torpedoed by the lack of leadership shown by the G8 Heads of State yesterday. The onus to take the first critical and decisive step on making progress on climate action was clearly on the leaders of the world’s most affluent developed countries: they failed to take that leadership.

Climate chaos draws closer as G8 leaders fail to act: Greenpeace

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:51:54 GMT

“Leaders act and politicians talk. By failing to take the necessary and urgent decisive action on climate change today the leaders of the world’s most wealthy nations failed all of us, failed themselves and have risked placing the world on a pathway to runaway climate change with devastating social and environmental costs.”

Greenpeace occupies 4 Italian coal-fired power stations, demanding G8 climate leadership

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations arrived at the G8 Summit today, over 100 Greenpeace activists from around the world have occupied four coal-fired power stations across Italy, demanding the G8 Heads of State take leadership on climate change.

View the live feed of updates from these actions

G8 could create 1 million more renewable jobs by switching to clean energy: Greenpeace

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:56:16 GMT

One million more jobs would be created in renewables in G8 countries by 2020 if the leaders of the world’s wealthiest countries, gathering in L’Aquila, agreed to switch from coal and other climate-destroying conventional energy sources to renewables in order to help slash carbon emissions and avert a climate catastrophe.

Tuna talks flounder as Fisheries Managers meet in Spain

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:06:47 GMT

After a week of discussions on the huge problems facing the tuna industry, countries attending the second joint meeting of tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) in Spain have failed once again to take any action to solve the threats facing the world's favourite fish.

Zapatero Fails to be a Climate Leader

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:46:53 GMT

Greenpeace deplores President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's decision to extend the operating life of the dangerous nuclear plant Garoña (Burgos province) for four more years till 2013.

Greenpeace orders technologically advanced Rainbow Warrior III

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Greenpeace International Executive Director Gerd Leipold today signed a contract with the Fassmer Shipyard for construction of the Rainbow Warrior III. The sailing ship, which is to be completed in time for Greenpeace's 40th anniversary in 2011, will include the very latest in green technology, making it ideal for use in Greenpeace's campaign to avert catastrophic climate change.

Greener Electronics - Companies backtrack on toxics phase-out

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The latest edition of Greenpeace's 'Guide to Greener Electronics' ranking, released today, reveals that the world's biggest PC makers - Hewlett Packard (HP), Dell and Lenovo - have failed to improve their low scores. All three maintain a penalty point for backtracking on their commitments to eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their products by the end of 2009.

A Day Early and Years Too Late: International Whaling Commission ends prematurely

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:43:46 GMT

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting finished a day early today, having failed to achieve its core objective – modernising the Commission and securing a future for whales, said Greenpeace.

Biggest polluters fail to take climate action as Major Emitters Forum ends

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Greenpeace expressed disappointment today as another round of international climate talks passed without a bold statement from the world’s biggest polluters about the need to take immediate and definitive action on climate change. With a lack of transparency and urgency, the U.S.-lead Major Economies Forum did not yield any firm commitments on battling climate change.

Cattle industry giant takes lead in ending Amazon destruction

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:30:33 GMT

The world's fourth largest beef trader, Marfrig, announced a moratorium last night on buying cattle from farms that deforest the Amazon from now on.

US must take the lead on climate: Greenpeace

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:19:55 GMT

Greenpeace today called on the United States to take the lead on climate action as the world’s largest emitters gathered in Mexico for the US-led Major Economies Forum.

Greenpeace activists attacked during protest against EU fishing vessel

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:01:44 GMT

Greenpeace activists from the Rainbow Warrior have been violently attacked as they attempted to carry out a peaceful inspection of the Spanish fishing vessel, Cabo Tinoso Dos. The attack came as activists opened a banner, saying 'Bluefin Tuna Massacre', to highlight the unsustainable fishing activities of such vessels, part of the industrial fleets that threaten the entire bluefin tuna industry.

Greenpeace Opening Statement to IWC 61, Madeira, Portugal

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The island of Madeira is an appropriate setting for the 61st International Whaling Commission meeting, and a model for how the organisation could be transformed.

First fin whales killed in Iceland

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:50:27 GMT

Two fin whales - listed as an endangered species globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature - were killed, landed and cut up at the quayside at the old Hvalförður whaling station in Iceland this morning. They represent the first of a planned quota of 150 fin whales.

Indonesian rainforest burns while government silent in climate talks

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:41:46 GMT

Greenpeace today slammed Indonesia's President Yudhoyono for his failure to stop deforestation and deliberately lit forest fires that are releasing millions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and destroying critical habitats of endangered species like the orangutan and Sumatran tiger.

World Bank withdraws loan to Brazilian cattle giant

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:29:14 GMT

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private lending arm of the World Bank, has withdrawn a USD 90 million loan to Brazil's cattle giant Bertin. The loan was used for the company to further expand into the Amazon region, which was causing destruction of the rainforest and fuelling global climate change.

As UN talks flounder, Greenpeace sounds the alarm for the climate

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:02:48 GMT

Greenpeace today activated a loud alarm outside the UN climate talks in Bonn, calling for emergency action on climate change. Locked onto the back of a truck, activists set off the siren in an attempt to wake up governments who are sleepwalking their way into catastrophic climate change instead of making progress toward a strong climate agreement to be concluded in Copenhagen in December.

Greenpeace appoints new International Executive Director

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On 15 November 2009, the well-known activist Kumi Naidoo, formerly General Secretary of CIVICUS(1), will take over from Gerd Leipold as Executive Director of Greenpeace International. As announced earlier this year, Gerd steps down after nearly nine years leading Greenpeace.

NGO's write benchmark climate treaty

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Climate change experts from leading non-governmental organisations today unveiled their blueprint for a legally binding Copenhagen agreement. This will serve as the benchmark for governments negotiating a new climate deal this year and shows how major differences between rich and poor nations can be overcome.