What is Greenpeace? Is it a political structure or a professional association? What is the reason for the popularity of this organization? Why is Greenpeace created? These issues have been and remain relevant. There is a version that the activities of activists of this organization are one of the key factors in the development of the modern world. In contrast to this point of view, there is an opinion that this structure is just a stronghold of quite ordinary civic initiatives that are not capable of exerting a serious influence on world politics and resolving issues of a global nature. The difference of opinion makes studying the activities of this environmental organization especially exciting.
History of creation and basic facts
Greenpeace International Organization (English Greenpeace, Green World) was established in 1971. There is a version that its establishment is connected with the environmental action held in September of that year against the test of nuclear weapons. A group of enthusiasts, led by entrepreneur David Taggart, staged a protest against the US government. Over the years, Greenpeace has grown from a small group of environmentalists to one of the most influential associations in the world.
The main methods of Greenpeace are actions, protests. Conducting socially significant resonant demonstrations, rallies that can attract attention to acute environmental problems and specific projects that can harm the environment. The organizationās activities are funded by voluntary contributions from supporters and like-minded people, that is, ordinary citizens. The highest governing body of Greenpeace is the international Council, which consists of the leadership of offices located in different countries of the world. The Russian branch of the organization was created in 1992 and is still working. So, why was Greenpeace created in Russia?
Greenpeace activities in Russia
The first Greenpeace contacts with our country took place back in Soviet times. The branch of the organization in the USSR was opened after rather long approvals in 1989. She became the first country in the international structure related to environmental issues. After the collapse of the USSR, the Greenpeace office was reorganized and began work under the new political regime in 1992. At first, the organization had a representative office only in Moscow, in 2001 a unit was opened in St. Petersburg. Greenpeace Russia employs about 70 people.
The main issues addressed by the structure in the Russian Federation are the reduction of environmental pollution by chemicals, the protection of the Arctic nature from the costs of industrial development, monitoring the state of nature reserves, forests, and the development of alternative energy by Russian enterprises. The organization regularly publishes reports on the state of the environment in various regions of Russia and economic sectors.
Resonance Precedents in Russia
A large number of well-known precedents related to the work of Greenpeace in Russia occurred in the 90s. An example is the special investigation conducted by an organization in the Far East, which forced Russian structures associated with the nuclear industry to recognize the facts of the release of radioactive waste into the open sea.
In 1995, the first object in Russia was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - virgin forests in the Komi Republic. In 1996, Greenpeace activists won the case in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, as a result of which the Presidentās Decree on authorizing the country to bring spent fuel for nuclear power plants was canceled. In 1999, the organization lobbied in the Moscow City Duma the municipal law āOn the protection of green spacesā - the first act in this direction in Russia.
Famous Greenpeace projects in Russia
Greenpeace in Russia pays much attention to the conservation of forests and their restoration. This work includes the development of legislative initiatives, legal advice and interaction with state bodies in the field of forestry. In 2002, the project āRevive Our Forestā was launched. As part of it, the international environmental organization and school students restore forests in different regions of Russia. Several hundred educational institutions took part in the project, several tens of thousands of seedlings were planted. Greenpeace promotes the so-called selective waste collection and recycling. The organization was able to implement this environmental method in St. Petersburg. In 2007-2008, Greenpeace Russia activists raised problems associated with the negative impact of the construction of Olympic facilities in Sochi.
Incident on the platform of Gazpromneft
One of the most resonant actions of Greenpeace in Russia was held in September 2013. Several activists made their way to the Prirazlomnaya oil production platform in the Pechora Sea, sailing to the facility on their own Arctic Sunrise ship. All of them were arrested by the coast guard. According to the activists themselves, the Greenpeace ship, whose emblem was clearly visible on board, went to the Pechora Sea to conduct a peaceful rally aimed at protesting oil production in the Arctic by Gazpromneft, which owned the platform. Soon enough, the president of Russia responded about the incident, saying that the detainees were apparently not pirates. For several months, Greenpeace activists were under arrest and detained in pre-trial detention centers in the Murmansk region. However, in the end, no substantial charges were brought against them. In November, the defendants were released on bail, and in December the charges were dropped. All activists who had foreign citizenship were able to go home.
Resonance Precedents in the World
What Greenpeace was created for is participation in solving environmental problems around the world. Activists of the organization, following the tasks assigned to them, carry out very significant actions. One of them is a protest against Shell, a British oil company, which refused to flood one of the production platforms, which, according to Greenpeace, had a large amount of toxic substances. Activists made their way to the platform and expressed their protest, tying themselves to the elements of the structure.
There was a resonance, there was a reaction in the media - Shell quotes fell. The management of the oil company still had to decide on the flooding of the platform. In 2011, Greenpeace activists entered one of the Australian farms where genetically modified wheat was grown and destroyed the entire crop. During one of the air shows in France, activists held a protest against air pollution by automobile exhaust, chained themselves to the cars of world famous brands right near the main exhibition building at the Versailles Gate.
Greenpeace - against nuclear energy
One of the theses propagated by the Greenpeace Russian office is the futility and danger of generating electricity at nuclear power plants. Activists believe that nuclear power plants are economically inefficient and that they need to be replaced with other energy sources. There are many objections to this point of view. It is believed that alternative sources of energy are much more expensive and even more unprofitable in comparison with generation at nuclear power plants. Signs of economic inefficiency in nuclear energy can be associated, for example, with difficulties in transition economies - as was the case, for example, in Russia, which was going through a difficult time after the perestroika.
Greenpeace vs. GMOs
Activists of the organization are sure that genetically modified foods are extremely harmful to humans and the environment. Therefore, they must be marked when selling - to show the fact of the presence of GMO elements in food clearly. Critics of this thesis, firstly, draw attention to the fact of the unproven unambiguous harm of genetically modified foods, and secondly, indicate that Greenpeace is too selective in this matter. In 2004, for example, the organization formed a black list of food manufacturing companies. There were companies that for one reason or another did not provide the environmental structure with the necessary documents. But it turned out that the activists of the organization did not make any requests. At the same time, as noted by experts, the largest businesses were not included in the black list, which could give rise to talk about shadow cooperation between them and Greenpeace.
Positive assessment of Greenpeace
It is believed that Greenpeace, despite the possible shocking and sometimes rebellious methods of conducting actions, plays a positive role in solving pressing environmental issues. Activists of the organization themselves often say that with their actions they only convey the right information to people. Greenpeace, as people in this structure with reverence believe, is able to influence both ordinary citizens and officials.
The staff of the organization has competent lawyers who are able to communicate effectively with government officials in the language of laws and regulations. One of the key problems of the modern world, according to Greenpeace activists and their supporters, is wastefulness. A person takes much more from nature than, based on objective givenness, he needs to, wastes resources, not thinking about the consequences. And all this - for the sake of momentary profit or enjoyment.
Criticism of Greenpeace
The activities of Greenpeace are regularly criticized, and from a variety of angles. In particular, some scientists, including environmentalists, are unhappy with the organizationās work. In their opinion, Greenpeaceās work does more harm to nature than substantial benefit. A number of ecologists believe that the organizationās statements about the dangers of genetically modified plants are biased.
It is also believed that Greenpeace shares against specific companies may be financed by their competitors. There is a version that activists of the organization often come up with political overtones. But, despite the abundance of criticism, supporters and employees of Greenpeace speak out about the insolvency of the claims. There is another kind of criticism. According to some environmentalists, who are especially radical, Greenpeace uses too soft methods of influencing the public.
The impact of Greenpeace on world business and politics
The opinions of experts and ordinary people on the issue of Greenpeace's influence on global political and economic processes diverge greatly. There is a thesis that the organization and its activists are a tool in the hands of business. What Greenpeace was created for is the struggle of large companies with competitors. Those who do not agree with this point of view emphasize that there are no real precedents that directly speak of cooperation between Greenpeace and business structures. For example, when conducting protests in the Arctic, the organization emphasizes that it is undesirable not only to conduct Gazpromneftās development, but also any other company, since in any case environmental damage is caused.
Greenpeace was opposed to any attempts to start drilling operations in the Arctic, including those conducted by foreign companies - Shell, Exxon Mobile, Statoil. There is a version that Greenpeace activists defend the political interests of some states. Opponents of this point of view emphasize that the organizationās offices are scattered around the world, which excludes the formation of any coalitions. In addition, the fact of financial independence of Greenpeace is noted.