Your chance to #TellShell to stop Arctic drilling
by Vicky Wyatt, Climate Campaigner
Over two weekends in July Greenpeace supporters took action to shut down 78 Shell petrol stations and then to organise 57 peaceful (and legal) protests involving 500 people - many of them new to Greenpeace campaigning. Since then there have been many more protests as a series of mishaps and mistakes [Telegraph] have plagued Shell’s efforts to begin drilling in the Arctic. Ice, and problems with their ships meant that Shell were only able to start drilling just a week ago.
Knowing that the eyes of the world, including the 1,858,367 people who have joined our campaign to #SaveTheArctic, are watching their every move, Shell finally admitted defeat earlier this week. When a special dome designed to clean up the oil was damaged they announced [Guardian] that they will abandon their plans to drill for oil this year - but there is little doubt that they will return again next.
Without the pressure you have put Shell under, they would never have been under such intense scrutiny. It isn’t just Shell that we have been confronting this summer. Our activists, including the head of Greenpeace, Kumi Naidoo scaled an oil rig operated by the Russian oil giant, Gazprom, in the Russian Arctic in a bid to stop the drilling. After enduring hours of being soaked by water cannons directed by Gazprom’s workers, our activists were forced down. But their bravery in confronting Gazprom shone a media spotlight on this company’s operations, and highlighted the risks irresponsible and reckless companies like Gazprom and Shell are taking.
Over the coming months, we will be hatching plans to keep the company under the spotlight as they prepare to return to the Arctic next year. We need your help to do this more than ever, given that the Arctic melt has already reached a record low this month and is still melting.
Get Active! We need your help to keep up the pressure. To #TellShell to cancel their Arctic drilling plans for good Greenpeace supporters are organising a series of large, regional protest events at selected Shell petrol stations on Saturday, 22nd September. I'd like to invite you to join them.
Please find your local protest here, find out more about what's planned, contact the local coordinator and get involved.
Get Active! If you can't attend a protest then please write a letter to one of your local papers about what you think of Shell's plans to drill in the Arctic
CFP Crunch Time
by Alicia Craw, Oceans Campaigner
The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy is rapidly approaching crunch time, with two key votes coming up in European Parliament in October and November. Our ‘Be a Fisherman’s Friend’ campaign continues to push hard on the politicians who will help decide the future of Europe’s seas and coastal communities. So, what have we been up to recently?
Engaging with politicians - we’ve been working hard to engage with UK MEPs and MPs. In the South East and South West, Greenpeace campaign networks have done amazing work, getting nearly 14,000 fish cards signed at fish festivals and events around the coast, with the giant fish mascots working their magic.
These fish cards are now being delivered to the target MEPs in the region. Greenpeace volunteers have recently met with three MEPS in the SE and SW and each of them have agreed to support the campaign. This means that 20 MEPs have become Fisherman’s Friends, and we’re working to get even more on board. We’ve even hooked some surprise supporters - Ashley Fox (Conservatives) stated in his e-newsletter: “I don't often find myself in agreement with Greenpeace, but I fully support their Fisherman's Friend Campaign”.
Beyond the target regions in the South, a number of our campaign networks carried out CFP public surveys, the results of which we’re analysing, and are overwhelmingly in support of a CFP that rewards low impact fishing. We will be using these results to communicate with MEPs around the UK, whilst our network of political lobbyists continue to have one to one meetings with MEPs.
Launching the Manifesto for Fair Fisheries - we’ve launched our Manifesto, prepared by Greenpeace and NUTFA and signed by a number of Fishermen’s Associations. The Manifesto launch was reported in the Guardian (you might recognise fisherman John Griffin) and we have received a positive response from the Fisheries Minister. So, we continue to strengthen our alliance with sustainable fishermen – look out for our “Be a Fisherman’s Friend” flags flying on fishing boats all around the coast.
With MEPs voting on the CFP in October and November, the campaign wave will be swelling – watch out for more developments and huge thanks to everybody involved in the campaign so far.
Say No to New Nukes
by Richard George, Nuclear campaigner
As Japan joins the growing list of countries turning their back on nuclear power, the UK government is still trying to put nuclear at the heart of our energy policy. If the government and the nuclear lobby gets its way, then the first new reactor would be built at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Over the weekend of 6 – 8 October, local and national anti-nuclear groups are organising protests against nuclear power.
On Saturday 6 October, Stop Hinkley is holding a rally in Bridgwater [pdf] and on Monday 8 October, Stop New Nuclear plans to trespass on the site of the new power station
Forthcoming Events
Midlands Skillshare, Saturday November 3rd, Nottingham. A skillshare for all active supporters in the Greater Midlands area, with new people especially welcome. A day designed to build on the momentum generated by the Arctic / Shell campaign and to develop campaigning skills. More information from malcolm.carroll@greenpeace.org
Thank you for all your hard work campaigning with Greenpeace.
Tim, Rachael and Malcolm
Outreach team
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