press releases

The collision between a heavy goods lorry and a train carrying nuclear flasks on its way to collect used nuclear fuel from Dungeness nuclear plant could have been a catastrophe causing many thousands of cancer cases and leaving parts of Kent uninhabitable, warned Greenpeace today

Following a Greenpeace investigation, the environmental organisation today urged the Royal Family to launch an enquiry over "green" procurement guidelines for their buildings. The call follows revelations that the Queens Gallery in Buckingham Palace, re-opened as part of the Jubilee celebrations, has been renovated with wood from Africa's last remaining rainforests and the Brazilian Amazon.

DALLAS - ExxonMobil shareholders delivered a massive blow to the company today in a vote on the company's renewable energy policies. A resolution demanding Exxon outline its future plans for the promotion of renewable energy gained an unprecedented 20.3 percent of shareholders' votes - $55 billion in shares - at the company's annual meeting today.

The Government goes to the High Court at 10.30am tomorrow, Thursday 30th May to defend itself against a legal challenge by Greenpeace over its failure to prevent illegal mahogany from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest being imported into the UK (1). 

The court case is the latest development in Greenpeace's campaign to end imports of illegally and destructively logged timber into the UK from the world's last remaining ancient forests. Currently around 60% of Britain's imports of tropical rainforest wood come from illegal sources.

Landmark decision is body blow to incinerator proposals across Britain 

In spite of nearly four decades of protection Antarctic blue whales show little sign of recovery, according to the latest science from the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The worrying new findings were released on the first day of the annual International Whaling Commission conference in Shimonoseki, Japan, where the worldwide ban on commercial whaling is hanging in the balance.

Britain's biggest ever protest against global warming is taking place today. Campaigners took to the forecourts of 400 Esso garages across the country from 11am as part of a national day of action against the US oil giant, which has done more than any other company to sabotage international action on climate change. 

The ancient Cerne Abbas chalk giant in Dorset joined the StopEsso campaign this morning after supporters placed a banner in his hand saying "I'VE GOT THE BALLS TO BOYCOTT ESSO." 

The well-endowed giant's proclamation is part of an international StopEsso week, which has already seen protests across the globe. It finishes in the UK on Saturday, with around 4000 people joining events outside one quarter (over 400) of Esso's garages to give its customers one clear message: DON'T BUY ESSO!

"Esso doesn't give a damn about global warming. But the Giant, along with thousands of people across the UK this Saturday, is standing up to the way this company is paying for George Bush's climate policy," said Cindy Baxter StopEsso Campaign Coordinator.

An analysis of votes cast in the local elections in Sheffield on May 2nd reveals that opposition to a new incinerator in the city may have swung two key wards from the Liberal Democrats to Labour. The swing resulted in the Liberal Democrats losing control of the city - a stark contrast to the situation in Hull where the Liberal Democrats were opposed to incineration and enjoyed massive electoral success. The poll analysis was conducted by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace and is attached. 

Commenting on the poll analysis, Mark Strutt, head of the incineration campaign at Greenpeace, said:

"It's very clear that the new incinerator at Bernard Rd was a significant factor in the Sheffield result. If the Sheffield Liberal Democrats had followed the line from their national office and opposed incineration they would still be in control of the city."