press releases

Responding to Gordon Brown's legislative plans, announced today, Greenpeace director John Sauven said:

"Brown's housing plans need to make zero-carbon houses the norm and not the exception. If such legislation doesn't force new housing projects to be zero-carbon now, it will be a failure.

"As we embark on a major house-building programme, massive projects like that at Thames Gateway, just east of London, are a huge opportunity to tackle rather than inflame global warming."

Sauven continued:

Reacting to the announcement that the operators of Luton Airport have been forced to drop well-advanced plans to build a new runway and terminal, Greenpeace aviation campaigner Emily Armistead said:

"This is great news for the climate. The airlines operating out of Luton have been pushing a binge-flying culture that's deeply damaging to the environment and a second runway would only have made things worse."

She continued:

NEW PRIME MINISTER Gordon Brown acted unlawfully during his first appearance at the despatch box for Prime Minister's Questions, according to lawyers acting for Greenpeace.

Following a High Court decision earlier this year, no government decision to support new nuclear power stations can lawfully be made before a public consultation has been carried out. However, during PMQs on Wednesday, Gordon Brown ignored the Court's ruling and sabotaged the ongoing consultation by stating that: "We have made the decision to continue with nuclear power."

Responding to poll data released by MORI on the British public's attitude to climate change, Greenpeace climate change campaign manager Charlie Kronick said:

Commenting on Hilary Benn's appointment as Environment Secretary, Robin Oakley of Greenpeace said:

"Mr Benn's job is now one of the most important in government. We'll judge him not on his reputation but on what he does in the coming months and years to fight climate change, the greatest issue of our times. He and Gordon Brown have a big test coming up, when they'll be asked to decide on whether Britain builds new coal-fired power stations. On that issue alone we'll soon know if he’s the real deal."

Reacting to a study released today claiming China emitted more carbon-dioxide than the United States in 2006, Greenpeace UK director John Sauven said:

Reacting to today's G8 agreement on climate change, Greenpeace UK director John Sauven said:

"George Bush's final gift to Blair falls short of what was needed to protect the climate. An agreement without targets is barely worth the paper it's written on."

He continued: "Bush says the US will 'seriously consider' substantial long term cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but that's like saying aid to Africa is a good thing then refusing to actually commit to donating a single dollar."

He added:

Greenpeace volunteers have taken direct action for the second time in three days to halt North Sea trawlers fishing cod towards extinction.

At 8am this morning, 40 miles east of Unst, the most northerly point of the UK, a Greenpeace swimmer, clad in a survival suit and holding onto a buoy emblazoned with 'STOP BATTERING COD', positioned himself in front of the Scottish trawlers Carisanne II and Demares, who were fishing for cod by dragging a huge net between them. The trawlers then immediately stopped fishing and hauled their net.

Campaigners attempted to save North Sea cod from being pushed towards extinction plunged into the ocean 40 miles from land today and tried to stop a Scottish trawler by placing themselves in its course.

"This is an historic moment that could deal a fatal blow to Blair's nuclear legacy. It could rule out three of the main sites identified for the next generation of UK nuclear power stations at a stroke. Scotland is uniquely placed to take advantage of wind and wave power and this decision gives it an opportunity to become a world-leader in tackling climate change without the huge costs and dangers inherent in nuclear power. The government south of the border would do well to follow this example."