GREENPEACE:
Highlights From 50 Years
GREENPEACE:
Highlights From 50 Years
Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying, research, and ecotage to achieve its goals.
Founded in 1971
Greenpeace was founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving and Dorothy Stowe transplanted environmental activists from the United States. The organizations stated goal is to “ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life in all its diversity.” Greenpeace focuses its campaigning on worldwide environmental issues such as; climate change, deforestation, overfishing, commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear issues.
Global Network
Greenpeace is a global network. The network comprises 26 independent national/regional organizations in over 55 countries. A coordinating body, Greenpeace International is based in the Netherlands. The network does not accept funding from corporations, political parties, or governments, relying instead on three million plus individual donors and special foundations grants.
Raising the World Consciousness
Greenpeace is without a double one of the most visible environmental organizations in the world and is critical in raising issues to public knowledge.
Greenpeace:
50 Years Of Action
February 1972:
After the first Greenpeace action in 1971 the U.S. abandons nuclear testing grounds at Amchitka Island, Alaska.
October 1982:
After at-sea actions against whalers, the International Whaling Commission adopts a whaling moratorium.
December 1989:
UN moratorium on high seas large scale driftnets is passed, responding to public outrage at indiscriminate fishing practices. In 1991 a worldwide ban goes into force.
November 1993:
Due to repeated actions against ocean dumping for over a decade by Greenpeace the London Dumping Convention permanently bans the dumping of radioactive and industrial waste worldwide.
December 1994:
After years of Greenpeace actions against whaling, the Antarctic whale sanctuary is approved by the International Whaling Commission.
December 1997:
Adoption of the Kyoto Protocol by governments of many industrialized countries agreeing to set legally binding reduction targets on greenhouse gases. Europe signed on March 2002 and Russia in 2004.
May 2002:
Greenpeace defeats a major drive by Japan to re-introduce commercial whaling.
March 2009: The Great Bear Rainforest protection agreement capped one of Greenpeace’s longest running campaigns. The protected region covers over 25,000 square miles of Canadian wilderness.
September 2015: Shell Oil abandons Arctic drilling.
October 2016: After years of campaigning for a protected area in the Ross Sea, off the coast of Antarctica succeeded. The agreement created the largest marine protected area in the world.
July 2017: Thai Union, the largest tuna company in the world and owner of Chicken of the Sea, agrees to sweeping reforms with expected benefits for sharks, sea turtles and fisherman.
May-July 2018: Foodservice giants Bon Apetit Management and Aramark commit to phase out plastic straws and stirrers, and other single use products.
September 2020: Brazilian government rejects oil drilling applications near the spectacular Amazon Reef right off the Brazilian coast by French oil giant Total.
June 2021: The U.S. Interior Department suspends oil and gas drilling leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge after a Greenpeace campaign leading to an environmental review.
August 2022: California legislature enacts a 3,200 foot public health and safety setback, or a buffer zone to protect neighborhoods from toxic pollution created by oil and gas drilling.
