Greenpeace Blog

The top five green policies that weren't in the budget

Posted by sgelmini — 18 March 2015 at 12:36pm - Comments
by-nc. Credit: Oxfam
image from IF coalition campaign

In 2009, George Osborne told us that if he became Chancellor "the treasury will become a green ally, not a foe." There appears to have been some confusion about what is expected of a 'green ally', so, to clarify things, here's what he should have done.

Article tagged as: budget, climate policy, george osborne, treasury

Illegal fishing coming to waters near you

Posted by Ariana Densham — 17 March 2015 at 2:32pm - Comments
Illegal fishing for Patagonian toothfish in Antarctic waters
All rights reserved. Credit: New Zealand Defence Force
Crew members aboard the Kunlun fishing illegally in the Southern Ocean haul in a Patagonian toothfish

Illegal fishing is a global problem. Between  €9 - €23 billion is lost every year to illegal fishing and often as a result of international organised crime. Previously, imports of illegal fishing products into the EU were estimated at €1.1 billion. It is often linked to environmental crimes which damage marine habitats and animals, not to mention food insecurity in developing countries, human, drugs and arms trafficking, as well as forced labour on board fishing vessels.

Illegal fishing can happen anywhere and at anytime and last week there were two very interesting developments both at home and abroad. 

Article tagged as: antarctic, Cornelis Vrolijk, fishing, Frank Bonefaas, illegal, netherlands, spain, trawlers, UK

Greenpeace’s view on ‘Chemtrails’

Posted by G.Thompson — 13 March 2015 at 4:30pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: greenpeace
On balance, we think probably not.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a ‘chemtrail’ as –
A visible trail left in the sky by an aircraft and believed by some to consist of chemical or biological agents released as part of a covert operation, rather than the condensed water of a vapour trail.

Wikipedia says –  
According to the chemtrail conspiracy theory, long-lasting trails left in the sky by high-flying aircraft are chemical or biological agents deliberately sprayed for sinister purposes undisclosed to the general public.

Owen Paterson accuses Greenpeace of witchcraft

Posted by Graham Thompson — 6 March 2015 at 6:39pm - Comments
by-nc-sa. Credit: Ben Stewart/Greenpeace
Where does he get his information from?

Owen Paterson MP, former Environment Secretary, climate sceptic and committed scourge of the ‘Green Blob’, is in South Africa promoting GM crops. Greenpeace has seen a press release issued on his behalf by a GM lobbyist, in which the following passage appears –

He castigated the fearmongering activities of Greenpeace, the anti-GMO activists… "Do Greenpeace supporters understand that they are truly wicked? It is eco-terrorism. It is witchcraft,” he emphasised.

Eco-terrorism and witchcraft. Crikey.

Article tagged as: GM, greenpeace, owen paterson

Coal pollution limits worse than China - is that the best we can do?

Posted by Lawrence Carter — 5 March 2015 at 9:38am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Yang Di / Greenpeace
Some cities in China are notorious for poor air quality

New rules that were supposed to help tackle deadly air pollution in Europe could result in weaker rules than are currently in place in China (notorious for its poor air quality), a Greenpeace investigation has revealed.

RSPB, Oxfam, the WI and a whole host of others club together to urge date for coal phase out

Posted by Lawrence Carter — 2 March 2015 at 10:34am - Comments
by-nc-sa. Credit: Global Justice Now
In 2008 a coalition formed to oppose plans to expand Kingsnorth coal plant. Many of the same organisations that supported these protests have written to David Cameron again this week.

A couple of weeks ago David Cameron, Nick Clegg, and Ed Miliband signed an agreement to work together to tackle climate change. This announcement included an unprecedented pledge to phase out the UK's unabated coal power stations – our number one source of carbon pollution.

In pictures: Turning down the heat on Polar Bear Day

Posted by Angela Glienicke — 26 February 2015 at 2:59pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: ©Cobbing/Greenpeace
A young polar bear cub becomes fascinated with a 'reference sphere' used by an architect who was collaborating with scientists studying Arctic sea ice.

A very special day is almost upon us! Polar Bear Day on 27 February celebrates the world's largest bear, raising awareness about issues like climate change and oil exploration which threaten the existence of this impressive hunter.

Article tagged as: polar bears, slideshows

Result: Santander stops financing forest destroyer APRIL

Posted by Richardg — 26 February 2015 at 11:08am - Comments
We did it!
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace

Great news: Santander just pledged to stop financing the paper company APRIL. Santander has agreed that APRIL will get no more money until it stops destroying the Indonesian rainforest.

Article tagged as: APRIL, deforestation, forests, pulp and paper, rainforest, Santander, successes

Krill-gotten gains to fund Antarctic research

Posted by Willie — 25 February 2015 at 12:42am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Adelie penguins eat so much krill it can turn their poo pink. They'd probably like us not to eat any.

Scientific research and conservation need more cash. That’s sadly usually true. It’s especially the case in the Antarctic where research is expensive but absolutely essential given the massive environmental changes happening there.

But although new streams of funding should welcomed for Antarctic research, it’s also important to question where that funding comes from. After all, there’s just a sliver of a chance that some seemingly good PR is actually a mind-bogglingly cynical act of greenwashing.

Article tagged as: antarctic, fish meal, greenwash, Happy Feet, hugh's fish fight, keystone species, krill, Marine Stewardship Council, Monty the Penguin, ocean sanctuaries, overfishing, penguins, southern ocean, whales

New footage catches APRIL destroying the rainforest in Borneo

Posted by Richardg — 23 February 2015 at 2:23pm - Comments

Our research team has sent us the first batch of footage from the Indonesian rainforest. They were documenting rainforest destruction by APRIL - the paper company that Santander loaned millions of pounds to.

Article tagged as: APRIL, investigation, Santander, video

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