June 2011

Last week, the oil industry was in London. The World National Oil Companies Congress - sponsored by the likes of Chevron, Total and Statoil and addressed by BP's Bob Dudley - "brings together the most senior executives from NOCs [National Oil Companies]" to discuss, among other things, how to "overcome deepwater challenges" and "benefit from shale and unconventional opportunities".

What a day: hijacking London's largest ad space, stormtroopers in Old Street trending on Twitter, blanket coverage in the PR press, called "masters of the PR stunt" and more than 2000 new people like us on Facebook in 12 hours, it's fair to say our latest campaign launch went well.

It’s not every day you’re called to step up in defence of your planet – but today is one of those days. A few moments ago we launched a new global campaign to change Volkswagen by turning them away from the Dark Side, and we need your help.

Despite the green image it likes to portray, VW is at the heart of a group of companies lobbying against new laws which we need to cut CO2 emissions, reduce our oil use and protect places like the Arctic from climate change.

Only a rebellion can stop them – a mass of people from all across the globe –demanding that they change. We need you to be part of that rebellion.

Thanks for all the Barbie reviews posted on Amazon - there were some excellent comments. The moderators have since removed them, but they'll have given Mattel something else to think about. Mattel has created many careers for Barbie over the years - vet, fashion designer, architect - but this latest career move as rainforest destroyer means she needs a whole new look.

From deepwater drilling in the Arctic to the Tar Sands in Canada, oil companies are going to ever greater extremes to squeeze the last drops of oil from the Earth. And where oil companies pile in, environmental destruction follows.

There's no doubt about it, Mattel is under pressure.

Your email to the CEO, highlighting Barbie's dirty deforestation habit, has shown that toying with Indonesia's rainforests is not playing fair.

Global Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo and his fellow activist Ulvar Arnkvaern have now been released from custody and are renewing their call for Cairn Energy to release its Arctic oil spill response plan.

Back in April, we revealed serious defects in national plans to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation, due to the influence of global mega-consultancy firm McKinsey. Incredibly, McKinsey’s advice to forest nations could actually lead to increased deforestation, more carbon emissions, huge loss of biodiversity and violations of human rights. Now we’ve taken another step in building pressure on McKinsey.