September 2016

World Habitat Day in pictures: A Nepalese Village moves

Posted by Angela Glienicke — 30 September 2016 at 5:50pm - Comments

It’s World Habitat Day today! Each year we reflect on the importance of the basic human right to adequate shelter reminding the world of its responsibility for the habitat of future generations.

Article tagged as: adverse climate impacts, slideshows

Time to transform our fishing industry: for fishermen and the ocean.

Posted by Alix FOSTER VAN... — 28 September 2016 at 3:31pm - Comments
George Eustice signing a petition asking the Government to reallocate quota.
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
George Eustice signing a Greenpeace petition asking the Government to reallocate fishing quota.

George Eustice MP, fisheries minister has the power to transform the UK’s fishing industry. Will he use it?

Article tagged as: CFP, fish, Fishermen, low impact fishermen, low impact fishing, marine environment, Ocean, oceans, small scale fishermen, small scale fishing

The lowdown on UN's SOFIA report: 89.5% of fish are now fully or overfished

Posted by Fiona Nicholls — 23 September 2016 at 4:39pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace

The SOFIA report is a biennial publication that outlines the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture of the previous two years, hence the name. Commissioned by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (‘for a world without hunger,’ is their tagline), the report is a big deal in the world of fish. It’s considered a check up on the state of the world’s fish stocks and our consumption.

Article tagged as: aquaculture, fisheries, fishing, MSY, Ocean, oceans, overfishing, SOFIA, SOFIA16, United Nations

Three small letters destroying the rainforest

Posted by India Thorogood — 23 September 2016 at 3:26pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace

Decades of forest destruction by palm oil and paper companies laid the foundations for 2015’s Indonesian forest fires. The Indonesian government responded with a firm commitment to crack down on rogue companies. Hundreds of thousands of us pushed brands like Colgate to toughen up their ‘no deforestation’ policies.

Will George Eustice finally create a fair deal for small-scale fishermen?

Posted by Alix FOSTER VAN... — 15 September 2016 at 4:52pm - Comments
George Eustice signing a Greenpeace petition asking the Government to reallocate
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
George Eustice signing a petition asking the government to create a fair deal for small-scale fishermen.

(Guest blog by Frances Rankin)

Fisheries Minister George Eustice was at the House of Lords yesterday, facing questions on the future of the fishing industry after we leave the EU.

Article tagged as: Brexit, CFP, EU, fisheries, fishing, George Eustice, oceans

A joint mission: ending plastic pollution

Posted by Louise Edge — 14 September 2016 at 4:27pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Ariana Densham, Greenpeace

Back in July I was lucky enough to be one of 100 people who spent the day cleaning up a heavily plastic polluted beach on ‘Freedom Island’ in Manila Bay, Philippines. The beach was in an appalling state - piled high with throwaway plastic wrappers, straws and bottles which also littered the water. This was just a snapshot of the estimated 8-12 million tonnes of plastic that scientists tell us goes into our oceans every year.<--break-><--break->

Article tagged as: #breakfreefromplastic, Ocean, oceans, plastic pollution, Plastics

4 species that were saved by the EU

Posted by Fran G — 12 September 2016 at 5:17pm - Comments
Puffin flapping its wings on cliff
by. Credit: Creative Commons

Among the many, many things that the EU regulates, are a handful of little-known laws that have helped protect the UK countryside. They are called the Birds and Habitat Directives.

Article tagged as: Brexit, EU, europe, laws, nature, Nature Directives

Stories from the Front Line: Arnaldo Munduruku and the Munduruku struggle for climate justice

Posted by Martin Vainstein — 8 September 2016 at 10:45am - Comments

Despite facing mega dams, colonialism and more than 500 years of violence and neglect, the Munduruku People have stayed strong and continued fighting for justice. Here’s a brief insight from their General Chief Arnaldo Kaba Munduruku, from his recent visit to the UK to work alongside Greenpeace.

UK Government plans to outlaw microbeads! But a limited ban won't do.

Posted by Fiona Nicholls — 7 September 2016 at 9:43am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace

This weekend, the Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom announced a plan to ban microbeads from cosmetic products like face scrubs, toothpastes and shower gels. This is brilliant news for the 350,000 people who have signed our petition in collaboration with Fauna & Flora International, the Marine Conservation Society and the Environmental Investigation Agency. It shows the government is taking steps to protect our oceans from this pointless plastic pollution. BUT… (oh why is there always a ‘but’?!)

Article tagged as: DEFRA, microbeads, microbeads ban, microplastics, ocean plastics, oceans, plastic, plastic pollution