International environmental organizations: Greenpeace

Department of Education and Science of Ukraine

The state institution of higher education

“Vadym Hetman Kyiv National Economic University” 
 

Abstract on:

 “International environmental organizations: Greenpeace.” 
 
 
 
 

Of a first-year student

9 groups, specialty 6503

Department of International

Economics and Management

Antypchuk Oksana                                                                                                                                                                     Lecturer : K.F. Kotsenko 
 
 

Kyiv - 2010 

Contents 

1. About Greenpeace.
2. The history of Greenpeace.
3. Greenpeace structure.
4. Greenpeace core values.
5. The issues Greenpeace works on.
6. Resources.

 
 

 

1. About Greenpeace.

     Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace by:

• Catalysing an energy revolution to address the number one threat facing our planet: climate change.
• Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing, and creating a global network of marine reserves.
• Protecting the world's ancient forests and the animals, plants and people that depend on them.
• Working for disarmament and peace by tackling the causes of conflict and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.
• Creating a toxic free future with safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing.
• Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by rejecting genetically engineered organisms, protecting biodiversity and encouraging socially responsible farming.

     Greenpeace states the goal: “Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.”

     Greenpeace is present in 40 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

     To maintain its independence, Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments or corporations but relies on contributions from individual supporters and foundation grants.

     Greenpeace has been campaigning against environmental degradation since 1971 when a small boat of volunteers and journalists sailed into Amchitka, an area north of Alaska where the US Government was conducting underground nuclear tests. This tradition of 'bearing witness' in a non-violent manner continues today, and Greenpeace’s ships are an important part of all it s campaign work.

     This organization exists to expose environmental criminals, and to challenge government and corporations when they fail to live up to their mandate to safeguard our environment and our future.

     In pursuing its mission, Greenpeace has no permanent allies or enemies. It promotes open, informed debate about society's environmental choices. It uses research, lobbying, and quiet diplomacy to pursue its goals, as well as high-profile, non-violent conflict to raise the level and quality of public debate.

     Greenpeace speaks for 2.8 million supporters worldwide, and encourages many millions more than that to take action every day.

     As one of the longest banners it has ever made summed things up, "When the last tree is cut, the last river poisoned, and the last fish dead, we will discover that we can't eat money..."

2. The history of Greenpeace.

     “In 1971, motivated by their vision of a green and peaceful world, a small team of activists set sail from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat. These activists, the founders of Greenpeace, believed a few individuals could make a difference.”

     Canadians joke that if you walk into any Vancouver bar, you're sure to meet a Greenpeace founder. But while many early members shaped Greenpeace into the NGO it is today, the organization had seven primary founders. The original group began its protests in 1971 when the United States announced a plan to detonate a nuclear test bomb on Amchitka Island, off the coast of Alaska. Canadians opposed the idea not only because the five megaton bomb would contaminate the island and harm the otters, bald eagles and peregrine falcons that lived there, but also because the explosion had the potential to create a tidal wave. In reference to the impending threat of a tidal wave, the Vancouver group called itself the Don't Make a Wave Committee.

     The group soon gained the support of the Sierra Club and made plans to charter a boat, power it into the test site's forbidden zone and force the United States to stall the detonation. As the Committee broke after a meeting, flashing peace signs in parting, one member suggested that they "make it a green peace" [Weyler]. The name stuck, and although the mission to Amchitka Island did not prevent the bomb's detonation, Greenpeace made headlines and raised the public's awareness of nuclear testing and its hazards.

     Greenpeace gained international recognition a year later when the organization faced off against the French military at the Pacific's Moruroa Atoll nuclear test site. After the crew of Greenpeace's boat, Vega, refused to leave the test site's forbidden zone, a French minesweeper rammed the vessel and detained the crew.

     The incident began a string of violence by the French government toward Greenpeace, culminating in the 1985 bombing of the Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior. While the ship was docked in Auckland, New Zealand, preparing for a trip to Moruroa, French secret service agents planted two bombs on board and exploded the ship. The bombing resulted in one fatality when a photographer, Fernando Pereira, drowned after the second blast. The French government initially denied responsibility for the bombing but eventually accepted blame. France's minister of defense resigned after New Zealand led an investigation into the events.

     Despite the violence of its opponents, Greenpeace persevered. The organization launched a new Rainbow Warrior in 1989 and sent it back to Moruroa. The French finally ended their nuclear tests at Moruroa in 1996.

     As the small Don't Make a Wave Committee grew into the large, successful Greenpeace, its national and regional chapters began to argue over projects and methods. The organization was fitfully expanding its mission to include environmental concerns beyond nuclear disarmament and peace.

     Today, Greenpeace is an international organization that prioritises global environmental campaigns. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Greenpeace has 2.8 million supporters worldwide and national as well as regional offices in 41 countries.

3. Greenpeace structure

Legal structure.

     Greenpeace is a global environmental organisation, consisting of Greenpeace International  in Amsterdam, and 28 national and regional offices around the world, providing a presence in over 40 countries. These national/regional offices are largely autonomous in carrying out jointly agreed global campaign strategies within the local context they operate within, and in seeking the necessary financial support from donors to fund this work.

     Greenpeace International

     Greenpeace International's main legal entity is "Stichting Greenpeace Council" (SGC). It is a Dutch Stichting -a Foundation-type entity- based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Articles of Association (bylaws) specify its purpose and provide the framework for Greenpeace's internal governance and political decision-making process. The entity is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.

     Greenpeace International is in charge of protecting the Greenpeace trademark, and providing global quality control on the use of it. This protects the public from any misleading or fraudulent use of the Greenpeace name by unauthorised third parties, and safeguards the integrity of our campaign work and fundraising reputation.

     Greenpeace National / Regional Offices

     National and regional offices are licensed by Greenpeace International to use the Greenpeace name within their territories. 

Financial structure.

     Greenpeace International and National / Regional Offices may establish various legal entities to carry out support activities such as fundraising, merchandising, fixed asset management and specific campaign work as cost-effectively as possible, while adhering to national regulations to do with the charitable purposes of the organisation.

     All National/Regional Offices, as well as Greenpeace International, clearly articulate and regularly review their long-term development plans to ensure programme and development coherence, realistic budgeting, and long-term financial self-sufficiency. These development plans are drawn up and evaluated annually in mutual consultation.

     Greenpeace's funding structure is designed to reflect our aim to be "One Greenpeace": a truly global organisation, since environmental issues and their solutions do not stick to national borders. This is achieved as follows:

• Its incremental contribution system ensures that significant funds from established offices with higher income can be redirected to support and build Greenpeace's campaign presence in developing regions.
• National / regional campaign work is designed to strategically support the jointly agreed international programme priorities.

     This way it ensures optimum use of its supporters' donations, maximising the global effectiveness and reach of its campaigns. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Management structure.

     The International Executive Director is responsible for day-to-day management of Greenpeace International, and line manages the Senior Management Team.

4. Greenpeace core values.

     Greenpeace's cornerstone principles and core values are reflected in all its environmental campaign work, worldwide. These are:

1. They 'bear witness' to environmental destruction in a peaceful, non-violent manner;
2. They use non-violent confrontation to raise the level and quality of public debate;
3. In exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions they have no permanent allies or adversaries;
4. They ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests;
5. They seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society's environmental choices.
5. The issues Greenpeace works on.

  Greenpeace exists because this fragile Earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action!

Stop climate change

With the world on the brink of runaway climate change, it is time to get serious. We're calling upon governments and industry to step up and make big improvements. And there's a lot you can do to help.

Forests

Forests are home to about two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals. They keep the climate stable and maintain the balance of life on Earth. Their destruction produces about one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Defending our oceans

Seen from space the Earth is covered in a blue mantle. It is a planet on which the continents are dwarfed by the oceans surrounding them and the immensity of the marine realm.

Agriculture

Greenpeace is campaigning for agriculture that is good for the planet and people. Healthy food grown with the environment- not against it. Farming that helps farmers to cope with climate change.

Eliminate toxic chemicals

Toxic chemicals in our environment threaten our rivers and lakes, our air, land, and oceans, and ultimately ourselves and our future.

End the nuclear age

Greenpeace has always fought - and will continue to fight - vigorously against nuclear  power because it is an unacceptable risk to the environment and to humanity. The only solution is to halt the expansion of all nuclear power, and for the shutdown of existing plants. 

     In conclusion, I should mention that Greenpeace is known for its direct actions and has been described as the most visible environmental organization in the world. Greenpeace has raised environmental issues to public knowledge, influenced both the private and the public sector. Greenpeace has also been a source of controversy; its motives and methods have received criticism and the organization's direct actions have sparked legal actions against Greenpeace activists.

 

Resources.

1. Internet resources: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

                                             http://www.guardian.co.uk

                                             http://en.wikipedia.org 

2. “How Greenpeace Works” by Sarah Dowdey.