Greenpeace Movements

Greenpeace movement, one of the first environmental pressures groups, was founded in 1971. It was dedicated against the abuse of the natural world by nonviolent direct action protests. The movement had twenty-five national offices in forty one countries, 2,473,000 supporters and a net income of 96 million Euros in 1999. Canadians protesting against a planned U.S nuclear test on a Pacific Island founded Greenpeace. Greenpeace Movement attracted international attention through this dangerous, dramatic high profile action at sea against nuclear testing, whaling and the killing of seas pups. Their methods, which often put campaigners in great personal danger, have made headlines around the world, bringing remote issues directly to public’s attention. Its campaign against the slaughter of seals had contributed to ban on imports of seal products. Greenpeace Movement has its international headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands and has over sixty offices in thirty three countries worldwide. In 1987, Greenpeace became the first, and so far only, nongovernmental organisation to establish a base on Antarctica. In 1989, Greenpeace’s arrival in the Soviet Union was accompanied by the launch of a pop music album, ‘Breakthrough’ which sold half a million copies within hours of its release. The same year, Greenpeace opened an office in Japan and, in anticipation of playing a greater role in China, opened an office in Hong Kong in 1996. Greenpeace has played a pivotal role, in banning of toxic waste exports to less developed countries; banning of mineral exploitation in Antarctica and the banning of radio active wastes and discussed oil installation being dumped at sea. It has also played a major role in affecting a UN convention providing for better management of world fisheries, a Southern Ocean whale Sanctuary. Greenpeace activists have confronted whaling fleets in the Southern ocean and the North Sea; documented Russian radioactive waste dumping in the sea of Japan; been rammed by US coastguard vessels and arrested by French, Russian and Norwegian navies; boarded and occupied a Shell oil platform in the North Sea and prevented it from being dumped at sea; and led a series of dramatic protests to the French nuclear testing site of Moruroa. Origin of Greenpeace Movement In 1969, US nuclear test was carried out beneath Amehitka Island, near the tip of the Aleutian Island chain in the North Pacific. The test had been surrounded by controversy due to widespread public fears that it would trigger a major earthquake. An earthquake, which occurred five years earlier, had left thousands in Alaska homeless, severely disrupted the local economy and caused a series of tidal waves and after shocks for 18 months. On the day of the test, 10,000 protesters blocked the major US Canadian border crossings, carrying signs, which read: Do not Make a Wave. Its Your Fault if Our Fault Goes The test passed off without earthquakes or tidal waves but concerns were still high and when the US Government announced plans for another test at Amehitka two years later, gathered momentum for more protests. Canadians Jim Bohlen and Irving Stowe were among those opposed to the tests but were frustrated at the lack of protest from established environmental organizations. Remembering a Quaker ship which, in 1958, had gained attention by sailing to Bikini Atoll to try and stop a nuclear test there, Bohlen, Stowe and Paul Cote formed the ‘Do not Make a Wave Committee’, with the sole purpose of bringing to halt the Amehitka blast. The exact circumstances surrounding the name-change of their group are uncertain, but it soon became clear that the words Dont Make a Wave Committee did not generate a lot of interest or excitement. What was needed was a short, catchy, name, which encapsulated the group's twin concerns of pacifism and environmentalism. Since ‘Green’ and ‘Peace’, two words best describing their cause, didn't fit on the first button (or badge) designed, thus the name Greenpeace was born. The Greenpeace crew chartered a twenty four meter fishing vessel, the ‘Phyllis Cormack’, to take their protest directly to the test site. On September 15, 1971, the ‘Cormack’ chugged away from the dock and headed for Amchitka. Ensuring that the voyage would never be out of the media, the first Greenpeace expedition carried several journalists including Robert Hunter of the ‘Vancouver Sun’, Ben Metcalfe of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Bob Cummings, a reporter for the ‘Georgia Strait’, as well as its own photographer. On their second day, they went ashore at a native Kwakiutl village, where they were given a special blessing and invited to visit again on their return voyage. After their voyage, they were told; their names would be carved on the Kwakiutl totem pole. On September 30, as the crew neared Amehitka, the ‘Phyllis Cormack’ was arrested by the US Coast Guard cutter ‘USS Confidence’, for failing to clear customs during an unscheduled stop in the waters of a nearby island. The Coast Guard ship escorted the Greenpeace crew away from Amehitka to clear customs elsewhere. The US Government had meanwhile announced that the test would be delayed, possibly by over a month. At that time, the seas around Amchitka would be rough and dangerous, and there were concerns that tensions among the crew would reach boiling point. The ‘Phyllis Cormack’ reluctantly turned around and headed back to port. The bomb was eventually detonated on November 6, 1971.Greenpeace had not stopped the test but the crew's efforts had made headlines across North America and, in the process, had won the battle. Amehitka was never again used as a nuclear test site Greenpeace remains more firmly wedded to the principle of direct action. It has always recognized the power of the media image, and quickly become associated with dramatic stunts that captured the attention of millions of viewers. A key event was the Rainbow warrior incident in 1985. This Greenpeace ship which was used to protest against French Nuclear testing was blown up by French Government agent while it was docked in a New Zeeland port, killing a crew member. The resulting publicity continued to the rapid growth of Greenpeace as an international organization. Organization and Structure Greenpeace allies itself with no political party and takes no political stance except for the protection of the environment. Greenpeace is funded almost entirely by the contributions of its approximately three million supporters from 160 countries. It is independent of the influence of governments, groups and individuals and maintains a strict policy of soliciting no government or corporate funding. Greenpeace embraces the principle of nonviolence, rejecting attacks on persons and property. Established in 1979, Greenpeace International united the many separate Greenpeace organizations around the world, which were then, only loosely coordinated. Today Greenpeace is a closely knit network of interdependent national and regional offices working together with Greenpeace International based in Amsterdam. The role of Greenpeace International is to initiate and coordinate campaign activities and programmes. Each national or regional office works on some or all of Greenpeace International's campaign priorities, which are reviewed and. collectively agreed at a meeting every year. Greenpeace International is primarily funded by its national offices, which are in turn financed primarily by individual donations from supporters in their country. All offices are required to contribute eighteen percent of their gross income to Greenpeace International. Greenpeace International financially supports smaller Greenpeace offices that are unable to fully fund their own operations. It also funds staff in key countries for specific international campaigns. The money is also spent on: campaign actions on environmental issues that go beyond one nation’s borders; operating a fleet of ships worldwide; ensuring that Greenpeace obtains high quality scientific information; staying at the cutting edge of communications technology; and publishing international campaign materials and reports. Greenpeace’s Council is the major decision making body of the organization. Each Greenpeace office has an appointed representative on the Council which meets annually at a General Meeting to elect the board, set an annual budget ceiling and review the organizations overall direction policies. The Greenpeace International Board of Directors is the legally responsible decision making body of Greenpeace International. The Board is elected by and accountable to the Council. It elects its own chairperson. The Board appoints an Executive Director who is responsible for the day-to-day management of Greenpeace International. The Executive Director is assisted by a team of program directors who, between them, carry out overall management of the campaign and facilities. This group makes day today decisions on policy and budget. The Executive Director reports regularly to the national and regional Greenpeace offices and to the international Board of Directors to keep them informed of the organization’s progress and activities.