Greenpeace Blog

Dear Mrs Merkel, please help - I’m afraid of commitment

Posted by Elena Polisano - 24 May 2013 at 4:36pm - Comments
by-nc-nd. Credit: European Union

Of all the shoulders to cry on, it might seem strange to pick the German Chancellor’s. But that’s what the German car association (VDA) did this week when its president Matthias Wissman wrote to her to moan that long-term targets for cleaner cars could strangle the car industry. He asked her to take a strong position against the regulations which are currently being debated in Brussels.

Article tagged as: angela merkel, cars, co2, europe, oil, transport

Balcombe or bullshit?

Posted by Lawrence Carter - 24 May 2013 at 1:54pm - Comments
by. Credit: Lawrence Carter

“I know that everything I say sounds like utter fucking bullshit,” a top Cuadrilla PR executive told me yesterday when I asked him about the risks fracking poses to the sleepy Sussex village of Balcombe.

Article tagged as: Balcombe, climate change, Cuardilla, fracking, gas

Turtle recall

Posted by Willie - 23 May 2013 at 9:00am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Hilton/Greenpeace
An Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) swims in the open blue ocean of the Pacific.

When I heard it was World Turtle Day, I hatched a plan. I know that to an international audience ‘turtle’ covers  a multitude of reptile species, but rather than getting all Queens’ English-y over what is a tortoise, a terrapin or a turtle, I thought this was a good opportunity to focus in on the seven amazing species that roam our oceans – the sea turtles.

Article tagged as: biodiversity, oceans, sea turtles, turtles

Top 10 weird wildlife: immortal jellyfish, gender-swapping fish and pink dolphins

Posted by Willie - 22 May 2013 at 3:09pm - Comments

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. An opportunity to celebrate and wonder at the amazingly diverse variety of species we share the planet with. This year it has a water theme, so we’ve been having some fun over on Twitter, and here’s our pick of the weirdest and most wondrous watery wildlife you definitely need to know about.

Article tagged as: biodiversity, forests, international day for biological diversity, oceans, wildlife

Risky business: How shareholders, pensions and councils are being exposed to the risks of Arctic oil

Posted by Charlie Kronick - 21 May 2013 at 7:22pm - Comments
The Arctic Sunrise and the Esperanza intercept Cairn Energy's controversial Arct
All rights reserved. Credit: © Jiri Rezac / Greenpeace
The Arctic Sunrise and the Esperanza intercept Cairn Energy's controversial Arctic rig

Drilling for oil in the Arctic – is it literally crazy?  Because it is driving some of the biggest companies in the world to exhibit what can only be described as irrational behaviour. The end of easily accessible oil from conventional sources is leading international oil companies (IOCs) to consider ever more extreme forms of oil and gas extraction – with the Arctic Ocean being among the last frontiers.

Article tagged as: arctic, briefing, charlie, ft, investor, ioc, kronick, oil, report, russia, share, shareholder, shell

Why Indonesia's deforestation ban isn't enough to protect its forests

Posted by Richardg - 21 May 2013 at 10:32am - Comments
Clearance of forested tiger habitat in Sumatra, Indonesia
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Clearance of forested tiger habitat in Sumatra, Indonesia

The president of Indonesia has banned deforestation for another couple of years. This is great news - but we aren't celebrating just yet, because most of its rainforest remains unprotected.

Article tagged as: APRIL, forests, indonesia, palm oil, pulp and paper, rainforest

Deal or no deal on Europe's fishing laws?

Posted by Willie - 20 May 2013 at 5:47pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Will politicians net a fair fishing deal?

While considering how to write a blog on the latest developments on Europe’s bumpy road to fisheries reform, I decided to take a step back in time. Eleven months ago I wrote this blog explaining where the discussions were at, what was still on the table, and outlining a number of areas of concern.

Article tagged as: CFP, common fisheries policy, EU, oceans, overfishing

I Love Arctic meets Arctic Council

Posted by Markus Power - 17 May 2013 at 5:59pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: © Greenpeace
Hand over of 'I Love Arctic' photo-books to two Permanent Participants of Arctic Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic Council.

The air was abuzz this morning in Kiruna. As delegates and press were mingling in the breakfast hall, Foreign Ministers were entering their policed motorcades and a group of Greenpeace volunteers was making final preparations to greet the decision makers with banners and signs along the road. But in the midst of all this, we were honoured with a quiet yet very special moment.

Article tagged as: #ilovearctic, arctic, arctic council, Kerry, oil, SaveTheArctic

What does REF stand for? Not renewable energy...

Posted by Graham Thompson - 17 May 2013 at 5:08pm - Comments
Poll results on reasons for the rise in energy bills
All rights reserved. Credit: Carbon Brief
Question: What do you think is the main reason for the increases in consumer gas and electricity prices over the last 12 months?

Polling conducted for Carbon Brief shows that the public primarily blame profiteering by energy companies for recent increases in energy bills. Only 7% of those polled blamed ‘green’ taxes, despite a concerted campaign by certain newspapers to persuade them this was the culprit.

The transport minister and the 20,000 people who demanded better

Posted by sara_a - 13 May 2013 at 6:41pm - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Com'on, Norman. Don't block the changes we urgently need.

When the alarm rang at 4.45am this morning, I was already awake. Nobody overslept or moaned about feeling tired. And after a quick pre-action breakfast we piled into the minibus, loaded with climbing equipment, a huge banner and our petition printed with the names of 20,000 UK campaign supporters. We were on route to Lewes, the constituency of UK Transport Minister, Norman Baker, who this Wednesday will represent the UK in a make-or-break moment for the future of pollution from cars.

Article tagged as: action, baker, baner, cars, climate, co2, EU, europe, lewes, may, Norman

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