Greenpeacen uutiset

Greenpeace activists confront Shell Chairman Jorma Ollila

vjuvonen — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:30:00 +0200

Greenpeace activists from Finland and Russia met Shell Chairman of the Board Jorma Ollila at Helsinki University this morning. They asked Mr Ollila to stop oil drilling in the Arctic. Shell, led by Mr Ollila, tried to drill north of Alaska last year but failed. On 7 April he signed a tentative deal to start oil drilling in the Russian Arctic with Gazprom.

”The people of Northern Russia want to know how Shell can guarantee safety of the pristine Arctic environment and habitat of millions of Indigenous people. Neither Shell nor any other company in the world can mitigate oil spills in the Arctic. Do you realize that Shell along with with Gazprom, Rosneft, Statoil, Exxon, Eni will will be fully responsible for the destruction of the Arctic”, asked Roman Dolgov, Greenpeace Arctic campaigner in Russia.

Greenpeace activists delivered their message to Ollila also with images with Shell oil rig Kulluk on the ground in Alaska and images with oil spill destruction caused by Shell’s partner Gazprom in Noyabrsk, Yamalo-Nenets.

Shell failed in the drilling project on Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea on drilling season 2012. This shows clearly that the company is not able to handle the risks involved in Arctic drilling. The failures culminated on grounding of the oil drig Kulluk in Alaska.

”Shell is looking for more oil from the melting Arctic to warm the climate even more. At the same time the company threatens the pristine nature with the risk of an oil spill. The Board of Directors make decisions on company’s strategy and Chairman Ollila has an exceptionally heavy responsibility. He can save the Arctic”, said Tapio Laakso, Greenpeace Programme Manager in Finland.

Greenpeace International has also launched a whistleblowing website today to encourage employees and subcontractors of oil companies involved in Arctic drilling to come forward and help expose the incredible risks corporations are taking as they look to plunder the resources of this pristine region.

Posters advertising the new website are appearing today in the streets surrounding the London offices of Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell — one of the biggest oil companies leading the Arctic resource rush. Flyers are also being handed out to employees outside the company's headquarters in the UK and the Netherlands.

www.savethearctic.org

www.arctictruth.org

For more information, please contact:

Programme Manager Tapio Laakso, phone +358 40 181 6559Arctic Campaigner Matti Ikonen, phone +358 40 025 7755Communications Manager Juha Aromaa, phone +358 50 369 6202

Energy Revolution report

pkivela — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:21:00 +0100

Greenpeace has drafted a scenario about sustainable energy outlook in Finland till 2050. The purpose of the scenario is to indicate that all the energy needed in Finland can be produced sustainably and the emissions can be reduced notably.Energy Revolution Scenario Finland

Energy [R]evolution Scenario demonstrates the shift to sustainable energy system. The E[R] Scenario has become a well known and well respected energy analysis since it was first published for Europe in 2005. In 2012, the fourth Global Energy [R]evolution scenario was published. European scenario Energy [R]evolution EU was published in October 2012. Energy [R]evolution Scenario about sustainable energy outlook in Finland was published (in english) in November 2012.

Greenpeace activists protest at site of largest Finnish chemical catastrophe in history

Juha Aromaa — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:50:00 +0100

A metal mine in a large pine and spruce forest in Northern Finland leaked highly contaminated water into the surrounding nature at a speed of 5000-6000 cubic metres an hour between Sunday and Wednesday night. Unknown amounts of contaminated are still leaking out of the damaged waste water pool. The water contains high concentrations of nickel and uranium that is toxic, bioaccumulating and radioactive.

With at least 600 000 cubic metres of highly contaminated water having leaked out of the damaged pool, and several creeks and lakes completely damaged, Greenpeace activists are today at the spot to take samples of the water and bear witness to a heart breaking environmental damage.

“What we witness here today is devastating. The lands of thousands of lakes has surely lost some of its lakes – and it’s beauty. Standing here by this leak of highly contaminated water, watching it flow in over the rocks, trees and grass just makes my heart ache. Authorities have no answers to what will happen to this area and the rivers in the future or how it will affect the people downstream when it reaches that far,” says Greenpeace campaigner Matti Liimatainen who is leading the sample taking group in the forest.

“We and the local group demonstrating with us today demand an immediate stop to the operation of the Talvivaara mine and an external expert group to assess the disaster and whether Talvivaara can be trusted to ever operate again.” The disaster started Sunday when the plastic coating at the bottom of the Talvivaara mine waste pool got a large breach, leaving to cover between the poisonous water and the surrounding nature. Greenpeace will announce the results of the analysis next week.

Photos of the activities in Kajaani and Talvivaara, Northeastern Finland

More information: Juha Aromaa, Communications Manager, phone +358 50 369 6202

Dance for Ice to Save the Arctic: Tutorial

vjuvonen — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:21:00 +0200

Help Greenpeace in creating a global sanctuary in the North Pole. If you are new to pole dance, follow the video tutorial and make your own interpretation of the Arctic move.

Let's dance on a pole to protect the North Pole! http://dance4ice.org

HAVEN'T DANCED ON A POLE BEFORE?
Help Greenpeace in creating a global sanctuary in the North Pole. If you are new to pole dance, follow the video tutorial and make your own interpretation of the Arctic move. Upload you video on YouTube and tag it 'dance4ice', or send us your photo. The dancers who have collected most signatures on the Save the Arctic pledge on their video page will be rewarded! Join the movement at dance4ice.org

ARE YOU A POLE DANCER?
If you know how to work the pole, create your own north pole dance and make a video. Watch experienced dancers challenge you.

Dance for Ice to Save the Arctic: Pole dancer challenge

vjuvonen — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:18:00 +0200

Do you know how to work the pole? Make a video of dancing for the Arctic. You may dance alone, with a partner, in a group, as you wish!

Let's dance on a pole for the North Pole! http://dance4ice.org

Greenpeace needs your help in saving the Arctic. Warming climate is melting the Arctic, which is opening up the area for devastating oil drilling and commercial fishing. It is threatening vulnerable wildlife, and burning more oil would warm our planet even more. Together we can encourage United Nations to declare a sanctuary in the North Pole. Dance for ice to support declaring a sanctuary in the North Pole!

ARE YOU A POLE DANCER? COMPETE WITH THE BEST!
Do you know how to work the pole? Make a video of dancing for the Arctic. You may dance alone, with a partner, in a group, as you wish! Choreograph or freestyle a new routine for the Arctic and use the theme song provided for you. The dancer(s) who get the most signatures for saving the Arctic on their video page will win an awesome prize - to star in a mind-blowing pole dance video directed by a known director!
See full instructions

HAVEN'T DANCED ON A POLE BEFORE?
If you are new to pole dance, follow the video tutorial at http://youtu.be/EeHcDxuJI0c and make your own interpretation of the Arctic move and share your photo or movie.

MUSIC: Musical score "The Trees of Gold" performed by NATTEN is used with the permission of the band.

Pole Dancers Dance for Ice and Save the Arctic

eberger — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:11:00 +0200

Greenpeace launches a swinging campaign to save the Arctic – Dance for Ice. Everybody can do some pole dancing for the North pole, no matter whether you are a professional or never tried before. The challenge is open for everybody. Have a pole (a tree, a street lamp or what ever you can find), some music and do a move to support declaring a sanctuary in the Arctic.

The campaign is launched today online at dance4ice.org. All the moves for the ice will be presented on the website.

- This is a great opportunity for everyone to join the 1.3 million people who have already given their support to the Arctic by doing a simple and fun move, or by voting for other people's version of "The Arctic move". At the same time you are signing a petition on savethearctic.org, says Therese Jacobson, Greenpeace Arctic campaigner.

Warming climate is opening up the Arctic oil drilling and commercial fishing. The oil giants Shell and Gazprom are already planning to drill in the Arctic waters, Shell within weeks. Particularly oil drilling involves enormous risks for the environment as there is no known technology to clean inevitable oil spills in such harsh conditions.

- Arctic belongs to everyone. Our climate depends on its cooling impact. It is an unique environment that belongs to whole mankind, not just those who want to exploit it. That is why the world leaders have to declare the Arctic a global sanctuary”, says Jacobson.

http://www.dance4ice.org

High quality photos for download

Read more about arctic campaigning at greenpeace.org/arctic

Media contacts

Åsa Mendel-Hartvig, Press Officer, Greenpeace Nordic / Sweden
Phone +46 703 03 36 49 email asa.mendel-hartvig@greenpeace.org

Juha Aromaa, Press Officer, Greenpeace Nordic / Finland
Phone +358 50 369 6202, juha.aromaa@greenpeace.org

Therese Jacobson, Arctic campaigner, Greenpeace Nordic / Sweden
Phone +46 72 226 07 84 email therese.jacobson@greenpeace.org

Greenpeace wins the dispute over Nestespoil.com spoof site

Juha Aromaa — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:15:00 +0200

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has denied the complaint by Neste Oil over Greenpeace spoof site. The WIPO panel declared that Greenpeace may use the domains www.nestespoil.com and www.nestespoilreturns.com to criticize Neste Oil’s use of palm oil as biofuel.

The panel confirmed that non commercial criticism is part of the freedom of expression. According to the panel Greenpeace did not use the sites to unnecessarily tarnish Neste Oil. In similar cases even harsh criticism has not been considered as tarnishing. The Panel concluded that Greenpeace had been using the sites to raise legitimate environmental concerns for non-commercial purpose.

Use of palm oil as biofuel is unsustainable as it threatens rainforests, climate and the biodiversity of South East Asia such as endangered orangutans.

”WIPO’s decision is significant for the freedom of expression. Neste Oil is one of the biggest single users of palm oil in the world. For that reason the criticism was clearly aimed at Neste Oil’s trade mark. It would have been frightening if juridical decision would have declared legitimate environmental concerns as tarnishing”, says Tapio Laakso, Programme Manager for Greenpeace in Finland.

“Critisism on Neste Oil’s operations is becoming more and more urgent as the company continues to expand its palm oil diesel production. According to its second quarter results released last week the company produced a record amount of 437 000 metric tons of diesel with palm oil as main raw material. Greenpeace’s worst fears of Neste Oil’s massive expansion in the use of palm oil are becoming a reality”, Laakso continues.

Greenpeace continues its campaign to get Neste Oil to abandon palm oil and to move to more sustainable raw materials that do not require agricultural land or threaten rainforests.

WIPO's decision

Information:
Programme Manager Tapio Laakso, Tel. +358 40 181 6559

Criticism allowed – campaign against unsustainable raw material goes on

The Finnish oil refining company Neste Oil has become a leading biofuel producer. They have two of the world’s biggest biofuel refineries, one in Singapore and another one in Rotterdam. According to their latest Q2 report the facilities are running hot: Neste Oil produced a record-breaking amount of 437 000 metric tons of palm oil diesel and kerosene in April-June 2012.

The core problem is the raw material, which is almost completely palm oil and its side products (palm oil fatty acid distillate PFAD and stearin). With the production capacity of two million tons the state-owned company increases palm oil demand in such a scale that it inevitably leads to more land clearings for palm oil plantations.

Neste Oil wants to be seen as a forerunner claiming that their palm oil diesel and kerosene solve the energy problems of transportation. The duty of Greenpeace is naturally to tell the real impact of Neste Oil’s activities on climate, biodiversity and people.

And that was exactly what Greenpeace did. We did a spoof Annual Report www.nestespoil.com that looked very similar to Neste Oil Annual Report. Only the Neste Spoil Annual Report was an information package about the dangers if biofuels are produced from unsustainable raw materials with major land use impacts.

Neste Oil made a complaint to World Intellectual Property Organization WIPO claiming that Greenpeace had no right to use www.nestespoil.com domain. WIPO didn’t agree. The WIPO Panel decided that Greenpeace may use the domain to criticize Neste Oi’ls use of palm oil for biodiesel and kerosene.

This is indeed a great victory for freedom of expression. The core of the decision is that even harsh criticism is allowed in our societies. According to WIPO Greenpeace did not use the sites to unnecessarily tarnish Neste Oil. WIPO concluded that Greenpeace had been using the sites to raise legitimate environmental concerns for non-commercial purpose.

WIPO’s decision was very welcome. But the essential problem remains. To find customers Neste Oil has been selling almost half a million tons of palm oil diesel and kerosene so cheap that their business is not even profitable. Greenpeace’s worst fears are becoming true. Neste Oil needs large amounts of raw material that can’t be purchased sustainably.

The campaign goes on. Neste Oil needs to find sustainable raw materials – like waste – and soon. The climate and orangutans can’t take any more these amounts of palm oil fuel.

Neste Oil is trying to shut down Greenpeace’s Nestespoil.com website

Juha Aromaa — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:22:00 +0200

A Finnish state owned oil refining company Neste Oil is trying to shut down Greenpeace’s Nestespoil.com website by demanding domain for itself.

The site is currently locked but the content can be found at www.greenpeace.fi/nestespoilcom. Wipo has made no decision yet on the case so there is no reason to lock the site and the domain.

Nestespoil.com parodies the Annual report 2011 of Neste Oil and criticizes the company’s biodiesel business that aggravates forest destruction. Neste Oil has made a complaint to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) in which it tries to get Greenpeace’s Nestespoil.com domain for itself. See our response.

Instead of investing in sustainable raw materials Neste Oil tries to silence criticism with juridicial threatening. On top of causing forest destruction, the state-owned company is now also attacking the freedom of speech.

Help us protect the freedom of speech and rain forests: visit www.greenpeace.fi/nestespoilcom and share it with friends in Facebook & Twitter!

More and more large companies are striving with legal threats to silence the critics. Now it seems Neste Oil has chosen this path as well. We urge Neste Oil to concentrate in cleaning their act instead of threatening us. After all, if their policies and practices were right, there would be need for a spoof site like this.

Greenpeace has campaigned against Neste Oil’s palm oil diesel since 2007. The use of palm oil as raw material for biodiesel aggravates forest destruction because of the increase in demand of palm oil, and therefore demand for arable land for plantations. More and more rainforests are cut down and peat lands burned for palm oil plantations. Emissions from land use change make palm oil based biodiesel worse for climate than fossil diesel. Neste Oil’s massive investments in biodiesel production have made the company the largest biofuel producer and one of the largest buyers of palm oil in the world.

European commission is currently evaluating how the indirect land use change impacts of biofuels (ILUC) could be prevented. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also stated that palm oil diesel doesn´t reduce greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to be included in the Renewable Fuel Standard program. Neste Oil is very actively lobbying against these decisions. Neste Oil U.S. Inc., Indonesian Palm Oil Board and Malaysian Palm Oil Council have hired the law firm Holland & Knight to resist EPA’s decision. In Europe Burston Marsteller has worked as Neste Oils lobbyist.

A Finnish state-owned oil refining company Neste Oil is trying to shut down our spoofsite Nestespoil.com, because we criticize their biodiesel production for aggravating forest destruction.

The site is now locked but the content can be found at www.greenpeace.fi/nestespoilcom. Please visit and share with friends!

Arctic mask for 1st of May celebrations

vjuvonen — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:05:00 +0200

While we are celebrating 1st of May and hoping for nice warm weather for a picnic, let's also wish for arctic weather conditions for Alaska. Shell's oil fleet is moving towards Alaska to drill in the pristine Arctic waters as we speak. Burning more oil will make climate change even worse, and an oil spill would severely damage the fragile Arctic ecosystem, the home of polar bears. Wear this mask to show your opposition to Shell’s Arctic oil drilling.Polar Mask for printer

How to make a mask

1) Print the PDF file on A4

2) Glue the paper into cardboard

3) Cut the mask outline, eyeholes and holes for the rubber band or string

4) Tie with a piece of string to fit

5) Go out on 1st of May and tell people what the mask stands for!

Bonus: Take a picture of yourself wearing the mask and post it to Greenpeace Finland's Facebook wall. Best pic will be awarded with an awesome Arctic coffee table book.

Download the PDF file below:

Maija Suomela's speech at Neste Oil AGM 2012

vjuvonen — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:05:00 +0200

For several years, concerns have been raised in this Annual General Meeting about environmental problems caused by Neste Oil’s global production of palm oil diesel. During 2011, Neste Oil has finished building its enormous NExBTL refineries in Singapore and Rotterdam, and completed the full production capacity of two million tons.

Since 2007, the board has been regularly informed about risks and land use issues related to the use of palm oil and other vegetable oils for biofuels. To meet Neste Oil’s enormous demand for feedstock, vast areas of land have to be dedicated to crop production. Simultaneously the global demand for food is increasing and there is not enough available agricultural land for all sectors.

The Executive Board has had diverse views on the issue. First, the problems were understated by giving the impression that palm oil is only a temporary feedstock for the company. When the board finally realized that there is no environmentally viable raw material available, there was an attempt to re-profile Neste Oil as a leader in using sustainable palm oil. Last year it became clear that RSPO certification has failed in improving production conditions, as the European Commission did not approve the system as an indicator of sustainable biofuel production. The RSPO has never been an adequate gauge of sustainability of biofuels, as it does not include greenhouse gas criteria. The only step forward made by RSPO was seizing IOI Group’s certification process, due to reoccurring social conflicts and illegal logging. IOI Group is the only publicly identified supplier of Neste Oil.

Neste Oil gives the impression that it has reduced the use of palm oil in its products but this is not true. Even the use of crude palm oil has increased which is admitted by the Board: measured in tons, palm oil use has increased by 29% since 2010.

Neste Oil’s current ISCC-certificate does not take indirect land use changes into account, though this is the most pressing environmental problem regarding biofuels. When current crop area is dedicated to biofuel production, the existing agricultural production will move to new areas. The result is more and more destruction of peatlands and rainforests, and thus the aimed emission reductions are, in reality, emission increases.

When European Parliament agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive, the decision was made that indirect land use effects should be to taken into account when measuring emission reductions. After a long delay, the indirect effects ought to be included in the Renewable Energy Directive and Fuel Quality Directive during 2012. Neste Oil is actively lobbying against improvements in the sustainability criteria, which shows the company’s persistent disregard of global problems caused by its palm oil diesel production.

Neste Oil continues to claim that there is not enough scientific evidence about the indirect land use change impacts of biofuel production. In fact, several peer reviewed publications have been released about the issue lately. European Commission has published and leaked research, indicating that due to indirect land use changes, palm oil diesel production may actually cause equally significant emissions as notorious tar sand oil.

Last year, over 200 economists, ecologists and climatologists proposed European Commission to increase clean energy markets and work opportunities by supporting only such biofuels that do not cause significant land use changes. Strategic investment decisions should be based on best available estimates about true impacts to climate. Distinguished scientists stated also that biofuel emission estimations without indirect land use effects are simply false. Current, first generation biofuels cause significant emissions as new crop area is required for their production. Even though the estimates of such effects are not always precise, the science community does not support such policies that define indirect land use change as zero impact on emissions, as the EU directive currently does. The calculation method is incorrect, and does not provide accurate estimation of climate impacts.

A Finnish state company could act as a true pioneer. Biofuel production should reduce climate emissions and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Neste Oil would have had an opportunity to become a pioneer in sustainable biodiesel production, if it had started its NExBTL production with 100% sustainable feedstock instead of building the whole two million ton production on palm oil and other land based feedstock. Meanwhile, other producers like UPM, have reached Neste Oil’s technological lead and are investing in production that is based on mainly domestic feedstock.

I would like to ask Neste Oil CEO Matti Lievonen: Is the company finally ready to face the truth and admit that palm oil diesel production was a bad investment? This is the eleventh hour for Neste Oil to freeze the palm oil use to current levels and rapidly announce a roadmap, where it pledges to use only raw materials which do not aggravate climate change and the destruction of rainforests and peatlands. Thank you.

Neste Oil: European comission indirect land use change (ILUC) public consultation

vjuvonen — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:17:00 +0200

The core position of Neste Oil on ILUC is that “Clearly it is not possible with any degree of accuracy to give a value for ILUC (p.3)”Neste Oil ILUC

However, “if ILUC actions are taken before the full understanding of the phenomenon the policy should be to offer incentive to do additional ILUC mitigation actions by the operator. The example of such incentives could be added bonus - -. As the intention of the RED directive is to improve the environmental performance of biofuels, then the only workable solution to this problem will be to have all sectors included (p.5)”

The best of Neste Oil’s arguments regarding ILUC:

Especially in developing countries, poverty is a major cause of deforestation.(p.1)

It is not reasonable to assume that ILUC could be controlled by imposing restrictions on one industrial sector. (p.1)

Trying to combat ILUC in by starting with a minor user of global commodities is merely poor policy making and in this case, may also be threatening the targets of actions against climate change. (p.1)

Scoping the impact of indirect land use change to biofuels fails to recognize the overall nature or the ILUC. (p.2)

The existing analytical work is also very inadequate in capturing the role of poverty and unemployment in some geographical areas as the underlying driver for LUC (land use change). Stopping biofuel production will not improve the circumstances of the poor. In fact biofuels feedstock production is a major employer and this will reduce pressure on expansion into carbon rich areas. (p.3)

Individual economic operators may only be held responsible for the impacts of their own operations over the whole production life cycle, where they have full control --. Indirect land use changes area outside the control - - and thus outside the scope of an economic operator. (p.3-4)

-- it is not possible to draw sufficiently reliable conclusions. Action should be taken at this stage which does not discriminate against any feedstock or biofuel. (p.4)

-- attempts to introduce control tools might easily provide counterproductive. Including an indirect land use change factor in greenhouse gas calculations for biofuels would definitely be a counterproductive action. (p.4)

Read here how these arguments are highly controversial with contemporary, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence.

Read here the full submission from Neste Oil to the European Commission indirect land use change (ILUC) public consultation:

Neste Spoil Annual Report 2011

vjuvonen — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0100

You have just visited the Neste Oil annual report improved by Greenpeace. Freedom of expression should also protect parody which copies the original work. Nestespoil.com site was edited because we do not want to concentrate our efforts in arguing with any third parties. We will continue our campaign to protect the forests of South East Asia from the destructive biofuels investments by Neste Oil.

Please reconsider before investing in Neste Oil or buying biodiesel or biokerosine manufactured from unsustainable sources. The core position of Neste Oil on indirect land use change of biofuels (ILUC) is that “Clearly it is not possible with any degree of accuracy to give a value for ILUC” Read here how Neste Oil's arguments are highly controversial with contemporary, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence.

There is another way forward, and it doesn’t require rainforest destruction.

In Energy [R]evolution scenario, an ambitious energy efficiency program along with massive development of renewable energy happen in parallel, so that by 2050, the global energy system is 95% powered by renewable energy. Energy will move towards a decentralised system using local renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal.

Here's how you can affect Neste Oil:

- Don't invest in rainforest destruction.

- Don't buy biodiesel or biokerosine made from unsustainable resources.

- Send your opinion to Neste Oil

Thank you for your attention.

Re-visit the spoof site at www.greenpeace.fi/nestespoilcom

Greenpeace starts campaigning against E.ON nuclear project in Northern Finland

Juha Aromaa — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:11:00 +0200

Fennovoima, led by the German energy giant E.ON, announced today that it plans to build a new nuclear reactor in Northern Finland in Pyhäjoki. Today Greenpeace starts a campaign against E.ON's nuclear project. Nuclear power is a dangerous and insecure way to produce electricity.

With Germany leading the way Europe is investing in sustainable energy production. At the same time the German energy giant E.ON is bringing the risks of nuclear power to Northern Finland. E.ON has 34 per cent of the shares of Fennovoima. The remaining shares are scattered among 69 minor owners.

"There is no safe nuclear power. The ongoing nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima reminds of that. Only two weeks ago safety problems were revealed at E.ON nuclear power plant in Sweden in Ringhals. There has been safety problems with the Olkiluoto 3 construction during all the project. It is unbelievable that a new reactor is planned in Finland while we don't have any guarantee on the safety of the reactor under construction", says Tapio Laakso, Greenpeace Programme manager in Finland.

Also the nuclear waste problem remains unsolved. Nuclear waste is dangerous for all life at least hundred thousand years.

"Nuclear waste problem has not been solved anywhere, not even in Finland. Nuclear waste is a lousy heritage for the future generations. E.ON does not even have a short term solution for its nuclear waste. There is no plan where the waste from the planned new plant would be taken", Laakso says.

"Germany took the lead in the European energy policy by phasing out nuclear power. Switzerland is on the same path to future. The day before yesterday we heard that Denmark will move to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050 and phase out coal power by 2030. E.ON is welcome to the Gulf of Bothnia to build safe energy production that gives employment. The risks of nuclear power are not welcome", Laakso says.

More information:

Programme manager Tapio Laakso, puhelin +358 40 181 6559

Communications manager Juha Aromaa, puhelin +358 9 6229 2211, +358 50 369 6202

Protest at Neste Oil meeting of shareholders in Finland

vjuvonen — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:56:00 +0200

Helsinki/Finland. Activists from Greenpeace are today protesting in Helsinki against deforestation and social problems caused by the growing demand for palm oil in biofuel production. Activists are welcoming shareholders to the annual general meeting of Finnish oil refiner Neste Oil with banners saying: Neste Oil - destroying the rainforests.

Huge investments in biodiesel production have made the company one of the largest single users of palm oil globally. Neste Oil celebrated the opening ceremony of the world´s largest biodiesel refinery in Singapore in March and the next refinery will be opened in Rotterdam later this year. In Indonesia and Malaysia, rainforest and peatlands are being cleared for commodities like palm oil. This causes significant greenhouse gases emissions and also destroys the habitat of endangered species like the orang utans.

“The company claims to produce sustainable biofuels, but in practice it is driving a huge increase in global demand for palm oil. Furthermore, only last week, Neste Oil´s sustainability claims took a serious blow when the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) suspended all current and on going certifications of IOI, one of its key suppliers, due to land conflict issues in its operations in Sarawak, Malaysia and illegal deforestation in Ketapang, Indonesia [1].”, said Matti Liimatainen, Forest Campaigner for Greenpeace Nordic in Finland.

Speaking in a Greenpeace press briefing today in Helsinki, director Lukas Straumann from Swiss NGO Bruno Manser Fonds, specialist in defending rainforests and indigenous people in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, said with regard to IOI:

”IOI is far away from being a responsible palm oil producer. The company neglects the problems that it is causing, it does not communicate openly and transparently, causes land conflicts and destroys forests with high conservation values. We find it very strange that European palm oil buyers accept producer acting like this as their business partner.”

In March 2011, in the village of Long Teran Kanan in Sarawak, Malaysia, inhabitants blocked roads to prevent IOI continuing to trespass and harvest palm oil on their lands. This was despite a court ruling over one year ago which declared that IOI ’s license to operate was null and void [2]. ”Recently announced plans by the state of Sarawak to open one million more hectares of land for new palm oil plantations are shocking. Expansion of palm oil plantations is taking place in lands that are important for the culture and livelihoods of indigenous people. And the driving force is growing demand for palm oil, for instance the massive biofuel plans in Europe”, said Straumann.

Palm oil biodiesel linked to rainforest destruction is no solution to climate change. On the contrary, it exacerbates the problem if rainforests are felled to make way for palm oil for cars. Even if Neste Oil were only to use existing agricultural land for the production of its palm oil for biofuels, the result of their action means that those agricultural areas will be displaced and established elsewhere, quite possibly still at the expense of forests and valuable ecosystems.

"For climate gains, driving on palm oil from deforestation is not an option", says forest campaigner Matti Liimatainen.

For more information, please see: www.greenpeace.fi/palmoil and http://www.bmf.ch/en

Or contact

Lukas Straumann, Bruno Manser Fonds +41 78 741 59 31

Juha Aromaa, director of communications, Greenpeace Nordic/Finland +358 50 369 6202

Matti Liimatainen, forest campaigner, Greenpeace Nordic/Finland +358 400 346 329

[1] Announcement on IOI by RSPO Grievance Panel: Breach of RSPO Code of Conduct 2.3 & Certification Systems 4.2.4 (c)

[2] Sarawak: IOI Pelita Continue To Trespass Into NCR Land Despite Court Ruling, Prompting Blockade By The Natives

Activists at Olkiluoto

vjuvonen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:20:00 +0200

Greenpeace activists Sini, Rosa, Matti and Petteri paid a suprise visit to Olkiluoto nuclear plant area. They wanted to point out the security mishaps.

Sini Saarela

29-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

I’ve been to Olkiluoto nuclear plant area several times. First in 2005, and another in 2007, when I climbed into a crane and stayed there for five days. I didn’t think of the possibility of being affected by radiation. I drank rain water. The construction work of Olkiluoto 3 was only beginning, and I got the impression that an ant hill looks much more organized. I think TVO should admit that it isn’t safe to build nuclear reactors in Finland, as it isn’t safe anywhere. Finland might as well be affected by a failure in electricity supply or cooling system.

I’m an environmental activist, and I’ve done lots of volunteer work. I’ve been scared of nuclear power since I was a child. I’ve been raised during the Cold War and I were 5 years old when Chernobyl exploded. Even though I didn’t fully understand what was happening, I developed a fear against nuclear power. I’m a nature-loving person, and I like spending time in the forests during summer. I’m just a regular person, but voting once in every fourth year isn’t enough for me to make an impact.

Rosa Gierens

22-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

I study meteorology, and I’m enthusiastic about the climate. I went to Loviisa nuclear plant area last year to oppose nuclear power. We spent quite a lot of time around the nuclear plant before anyone noticed. We sent out a press release and our action was broadcasted in the local radio, and only then the police came to pick us up.

I’m going to Olkiluoto now, because I want to point out how vulnerable these plants are. I feel that focusing energy production into single big plants like these is a really bad idea. Olkiluoto 3 has such big problems, that the construction should be immediately halted, and finishing the reactor at all should be seriously reconsidered.

Petteri Pykäläinen

41-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

I’ve been scared of nuclear power since I was a child. I’ve attended several demonstrations against nuclear power. I feel that it’s always a good time to protest against it – especially now since the parliamentary elections are happening. TVO should end the construction of Olkiluoto 3. I am really worried about what will happen when the reactor prototype is started. I will attend the anti-nuclear demonstration on 26^th of April, on the 25^th memorial day of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Matti Pekkanen

23-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

I study automation system technology at the Aalto University of Electrical Engineering. I visited Olkiluoto 2010 on a school trip, where I was told that the safety system has been developed to keep Greenpeace out. A month later Greenpeace accessed Olkiluoto again to point out the security mishaps, and I went to Loviisa a day later.

We were in the island where the plant is located, finally right next to a fence. It would’ve been easy to get in. We took a photo with a banner. A single guard came to greet us, and called the police. Finland needs sustainable energy solutions, and nuclear energy is not one of them. I do not wish to leave

Activists at Olkiluoto

vjuvonen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:20:00 +0200

Greenpeace activists Sini, Rosa, Matti and Petteri paid a suprise visit to Olkiluoto nuclear plant area. They wanted to point out the security mishaps.

Sini Saarela

29-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

Rosa Gierens

22-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

Petteri Pykäläinen

41-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

Matti Pekkanen

23-year-old activist from Helsinki, Finland

Greenpeace activists demonstrate at Olkiluoto nuclear power plant

vjuvonen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:07:00 +0200

Two Greenpeace activists demonstrate early Monday morning at Olkiluoto nuclear power plant. By going to the nuclear power plant the activists wanted to show that nuclear power is an unnecessary risk Finland doesn’t need.

First the activists went to the cooling water inlet and then continued to demonstrate on the roof of a building at nuclear power plant area. They documented the demonstration with their own photographs.

“It’s dangerous to think that the nuclear risks wouldn’t concern us in Finland. We have to create a path out of nuclear power. Now it’s the time for Finnish voters to elect a Parliament that takes Finland to safe energy production. There are already more than 42 000 voters who have made a pledge to vote for an anti-nuclear candidate”, says Greenpeace energy campaigner Jehki Härkönen.

Video and pictures of the activists demonstration tour to Olkiluoto nuclear power plant at www.greenpeace.fi/olkiluoto.

More information:

Energy campaigner Jehki Härkönen, phone +358 40 197 262
Communications manager Juha Aromaa, phone +358 50 369 620

A protest dressed as endangered species outside the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Jakarta

vjuvonen — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:12:00 +0200

Jakarta, Thursday, 31 April 2011: Greenpeace activists dressed as endangered species of Indonesian forests, together with a coalition of Indonesian NGOs, today went to the Ministry of Economic Affairs to call for the immediate implementation of moratorium on forest destruction that can successfully protect vital rainforest, as well as Indonesia’s biodiversity, people and economy which depend on it. on forest destruction.

“Sustainability and economic development go hand in hand. Ensuring sustainable development will avert further ecological degradation. And a good moratorium is key toward real and lasting development that will improve the welfare of all Indonesians. The Ministry of Economic Affairs must realise that it has a stake in the success of a good moratorium, and in its function to coordinate economic policy, it should work to push the government toward a greener and fairer economy,” said Yuyun Indradi, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forests Political Campaigner.

The moratorium on forest destruction was supposed to have been implemented on 1 January 2011. But after three months, the moratorium still remains to be finalized. Many believe that the three-month delay is related to intervention from industry interests, and that no delay would happen if all government departments are together in a strong commitment to save and protect Indonesia’s forests.

Greenpeace together with a broad coalition of NGOs in Indonesia is calling on the President to issue a moratorium that is not time-bound, which protects all natural forests and peatlands, including secondary forests. It should apply to areas within existing concessions and those areas granted in principle to industry on 31 December 2010. Last month, Greenpeace revealed maps that show how the proposed draft ‘moratorium’ which was being considered by the government was inadequate and would fail to protect the crucial forest areas.

During today’s activity, the “endangered animals” handed to the ministry recommendations which define a ‘good moratorium.’ “We support President SBY’s commitment to implement a moratorium on deforestation. The moratorium is an important first step to a long term scheme to improve Indonesia’s forests governance, particularly in forest-related sectors such as forestry, plantations and mining. But the forests cannot wait. Any delay in the implementation of a good moratorium means forests continue to be bulldozed day after day.

Data from the Ministry of Forestry states the rate of forest destruction in Indonesia is 1,1 million hectares per year. This means that the three month delay in the moratorium implementation has already resulted in deforestation of approximately 275,000 hectares, equivalent to four times the land area of Jakarta," said Mansuetus Darto, National Coordinator Palm Oil Farmers Association.

Last year, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged that Indonesia will undertake a bold commitment to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, and announced a target to reduce emissions by 26% by 2020 compared to business as usual and by up to 41% with international support. Greenpeace and Indonesian civil society agree that this target can be achieved with a good moratorium if implementation is backed by strong law enforcement, and accommodates rights of local communities.

11 candlelight demonstrations in Finland against nuclear power

vjuvonen — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:44:00 +0100

Approximately 2 200 people in Helsinki, Finland gathered to pay respect for the victims in Japan, and to oppose nuclear power. Candlelight demonstrations were organized in 11 cities around the country.

The demonstration in Helsinki was organized by five major environmental non-governmental organisations. In 48 hours we managed to get 2 200 people to a vigil for the victims of Japan and a demonstration against nuclear power.

The demonstration was a silent gathering, where people could show their respect to the victims, and also a powerful way to show our anger against the irresponsible and arrogant Finnish pro-nuclear politicians. Finnish parliament members have been eager to say that despite the incident in Japan, the nuclear reactors in Finland are the safest in the world.

Finland might not be threathened by tsunamis, but ice and oil leaked from tanker accident might still affect the cooling systems of nuclear power plants. Mistakes may also happen in Finland. Polish employees who are building Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor have been speaking openly about covering up mistakes with cement, illiterate superiors and unreliable subcontractors.

"Olkiluoto 3 has a long list of safety mishaps. Its construction permit must be immediately halted", says Greenpeace's Press Officer Juha Aromaa. "We cannot control the forces of nature, but energy solutions are national choices. We don't have to choose nuclear", said the Director of the Environmental Department Jouni Nissinen from Finnish Association for Nature Conservation in his speech.

More information:
Program Director Tapio Laakso, Greenpeace, puhelin 040 181 6559
Press Officer Juha Aromaa, Greenpeace, puhelin 050 369 6202

Neste Oil sailor becomes a Warrior of the Rainbow

vjuvonen — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:34:00 +0100

Watch the story of a Finnish sailor Martti. Martti worked for oil refinery company Neste Oil, voted the most irresponsible company of the year, until he decided to jump ship and join Greenpeace to demand an energy revolution.

Neste Oil is the biggest palm oil consumer in the world. Producing biodiesel from palm oil is devasting for the climate, rainforests and wildlife. More info at www.greenpeace.fi/palmoil

Credits
Editing: Vesa Kuosmanen
Extracts from the film Green
Music: "Viimeinen Atlantis" composed and lyrics by Hyrynen. Sakara Records 2010

Protest against Neste Oil’s palm oil diesel

Juha Aromaa — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0100

At the same time as Neste Oil has the official inauguration ceremony of a new massive palm oil diesel refinery in Singapore, Greenpeace activists are demonstrating in Helsinki at Neste Oil petrol station.

”With Neste Oil’s palm oil adventure Finland has become seriously involved in the destruction of tropical rainforests. Palm oil use in biofuel industry is driving climate change, impacts food security, violates human rights and causes serious rainforest destruction in Southeast Asia”, says Greenpeace forest campaigner Matti Liimatainen.

Neste Oil is becoming one of the biggest users of palm oil with the massive refinery in Singapore and another one in Rotterdam which will start operation later this year. The production capacity of all Neste Oil’s biodiesel refineries will be close to two million tons and according to the company the main raw material for NExBTL diesel will be palm oil. Until now the largest single user in the world has been Unilever with 1,5 million tons. Neste Oil is already this year using 700 000 tonnes of palm oil.

Greenpeace is urging the Indonesian government to implement a moratorium (halt) on forest conversion and to protect all peatland. It is also calling on the EU to go beyond the sustainability criteria it has established for biofuels and adopt new legislation that ensures ILUC associated emissions are included in the carbon lifecycle assessment of biofuels.

According to UNEP most of the new palm oil plantations are established in cleared rain forest. According to recent research assessing the land use impacts of EU biofuels policy, the use of palm oil as fuel will inevitably lead to establishment of new plantations in rainforests and peatlands. [1] GHG emissions increase due to land clearing, which means biofuels worsen climate change. Several researches show that the environmental impacts and GHG emissions of vegetable oil based biofuels are worse than those of the fossil fuels they were originally designed to replace.[2] According to a report released in the beginning of February the peatland forests of Malaysia are being destroyed faster than ever due to the increasing demand for palm oil[3].

”Neste Oil must give up burning edible oils in the tanks and find out more sustainable options. Also EU has to take responsibility. If the use of biofuels is increasing in line with the targets in the RED directive, 69 000 square kilometres new cultivation land would be needed globally[4]”, Liimatainen says.

An orangutan dummy is hanged with a fuel pipe to illustrate the rainforest destruction caused by Neste Oil, and the car drivers are provided with leaflets about Neste Oil’s palm oil diesel. The message of the banners on the bridges is ”palm oil diesel – rainforest destruction”.

For more information, please see http://www.greenpeace.fi/palmoil or contact
Palm oil campaigner Maija Suomela, + 358 40 1809 303
Forest campaigner Matti Liimatainen, +358 400 346 329
Communications manager Juha Aromaa, +358 50 369 6202