Blogposts tagged 'Arctic'

Why Shell’s spill response plan is a dog's breakfast

Posted by ben - 21 February 2012 at 5:53pm - 2 Comments

While we’re Tweeting from the rooftop at London's National Gallery (the banner is now down and Paula Bear is having a wander), we thought you might like to find out a bit more about Shell’s spill response plan – the document which apparently explains what the company will do to block a ruptured well and save this unique Arctic region from catastrophe. 

Tweeting from the rooftops: Shell, keep out of the Arctic

Posted by bex - 21 February 2012 at 4:00pm - 27 Comments

It’s official. On Friday, Shell got a step closer to drilling for oil in our planet’s last wild ocean - the Arctic. 

The company’s oil spill response plan for the Chukchi Sea off Alaska was given the all clear by US authorities, even though it’s a work of almost complete fantasy.

What do you think we should be doing to save the Arctic?

Posted by bex - 13 February 2012 at 9:46am - 333 Comments
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man Recreated on Arctic Sea Ice
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace / Nick Cobbing
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man recreated on Arctic sea ice by John Quigley

As I write, major oil companies like Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron are planning their moves into the Arctic to exploit its vast mineral resources. The five Arctic states are beginning the process of carving up the high north. Meanwhile, the ice keeps melting – we’ve now lost 75 per cent of Arctic sea ice in just 30 years. The global battle to protect the Arctic - from oil exploration, from industrialisation and from climate change – needs to be ambitious, bold and successful. So we’re asking you: what do you think we should we be doing to save the Arctic? 

Big Miracle: why saving whales means saving the Arctic

Posted by Willie - 10 February 2012 at 9:48am - 5 Comments

The film is inspired by a true story. I’m not going to recount it in detail here, as others have done that  much more splendidly than I can.  But in a nutshell, Drew’s character was involved in an international effort to save some gray whales which became trapped in Arctic ice.

In 30 years we've lost 75% of the Arctic sea ice

Posted by jamess - 10 February 2012 at 8:57am - 6 Comments
In 30 years we've lost 75 percent of the Arctic sea ice
All rights reserved. Credit: Nick Cobbing / Greenpeace
In 30 years we've lost 75 percent of the Arctic sea ice

If there's one fact to remember which underlines the urgency in protecting the Arctic it's this: in 30 years we've lost 75 per cent of the Arctic sea ice.

Conversations with Greenlanders (and non-conversations with oil companies)

Posted by Jon Burgwald - 23 January 2012 at 12:41pm - 1 Comment
Greenland's capital, Nuuk
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace / Will Rose
Greenland's capital, Nuuk

I’ve passed north of the polar circle on our trip visiting the west coast of Greenland. The temperature has dropped to -15C: snow is mounting outside my window and in the beautiful harbour city Sisimiut the fjord is filled with ice. At night time, the northern lights are dancing in the sky to the distant howling from the town’s sledge dogs. This wolf-like dog is only allowed north of the Arctic Circle. In a few days, I will be debating oil drilling at the local college – a college that focuses specifically on minerals and petroleum.

“For God’s sake, look after our people”

Posted by jossg - 18 January 2012 at 10:47am - 0 Comments
Scott, writing his journal in the Cape Evans hut, winter 1911
All rights reserved. Credit: Herbert Ponting / Library of Congress
Scott, writing his journal in the Cape Evans hut, winter 1911

Staring out at the bright, open, broken plains of Arctic sea ice back in September, more than once I was struck by the thought of the early explorers who first trekked across similar icescapes at both frozen ends of the planet. My first time stepping down onto the floating Arctic ice was exciting enough; hard to comprehend what it was like for those who were pushing the boundaries of where humans had previously explored.

Cracks appear in VW ranks as polar bears invade Brussels motor show

Posted by jamie - 12 January 2012 at 1:33pm - 6 Comments
Polars bears lounge around a VW Polo at the Brussels motor show
All rights reserved. Credit: Sara Ayech/Greenpeace
Polars bears lounge around a VW Polo at the Brussels motor show

VW has been ignoring our requests for a meeting, so we've paid a visit to its exhibition stand at the Brussels Motor Show.

Or, to be more precise, dozens of polar bears (including the majestic Paula Bear) have invaded the prestigious Autosalon 2012 event to protest about the impact that Volkswagen and the rest of the car industry is having on our climate and the Arctic.

VW: Return of the Brian (video)

Posted by jamess - 22 December 2011 at 11:09am - 9 Comments
Watch the final episode of Brian the Stormtrooper - ex-VW employee
by. Credit: Greenpeace
Scroll down to watch the final episode of Brian the Stormtrooper - ex-VW employee

It's the end of the road for one of our campaign legends: Brian.

Only six months ago, Brian was working for the Dark Side - an anonymous Volkswagen employee only concerned with getting through his day job. He took orders from his superiors without questioning them. He did what he was told.

But then – suddenly - everything changed.

Amundsen, Antarctica and the power of impossible ambitions

Posted by Frida Bengtsson - 19 December 2011 at 12:41pm - 1 Comment
Taking an observation at the pole
All rights reserved. Credit: Mr. Steve Nicklas, NOS, NGS via the NOAA Photo Library
Taking an observation at the pole

As I write, this I'm looking out of my window of the Fefor hotel in Norway at a wintery landscape of mountains, forest and an ice-covered lake - the same place where Amundsen, Nansen and Scott planned their historic expeditions to the poles. That I'm here with a team to plan our future polar work is an inspiring and humbling parallel.

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