For the first time, climate scientists have teamed up with experts in disaster risk management on a report on climate change, which found that the consequences of climate change on people around the world are going to increase.

The inescapable conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) summary report, released last week in Kampala following discussions by policy makers − Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation, or SREX − is that climate change is fuelling extreme weather and there will be an escalation of impacts on people and economies.

The IPCC’s findings tell us that we need to prepare for the impacts of climate change and is a strong wake up to governments to make the world a safer place. They must address ... Read more >

Today we've released shocking  footage of ocean life dying in gruesome ways at the hands of industrial tuna fishers in the Pacific Ocean. When I first saw it I was outraged by the obscene waste of ocean life shown and I think most New Zealanders will be too.

This is the same destructive fishing method used by the fishing fleets that supply Sealord, New Zealand's biggest canned tuna brand. The widespread use of fish aggregation devices (FADs) with purse seine nets is to blame for high levels of bycatch and even threatens the very future of the fishery itself by catching large numbers of baby tuna. Local tuna brands Pams and Greenseas know this and are phasing out tuna caught this way.

The footage was shot by a New Zealand helicopter pilot turned whistleblower, who undertook aerial reconnai... Read more >

When we heard that Thom Yorke was going to be aboard the Rainbow Warrior from Amsterdam to London, you could spot the Radiohead fans: they were the ones who fell over onto the helideck like planks. OK, I exaggerate. One hit that stuttering staccato "Creep" power chord on air guitar. Another was literally jumping up and down. Another tweeted "Thom Yorke aboard. Must not embarrass self." Harmony, one of our New Hands on Deck, eloquently texted a world record number of repetitions of "OMG OMG OMG OMG."

Of course, once in his presence, we were all, you know, cool. He was aboard as our guest, our way to say thank you for support he's given Greenpeace and for his contributions to efforts against climate change and his work on fair trade issues -- we tried to give him a great experi... Read more >

Brazil’s first taste of a deepwater oil drilling blowout this week has demonstrated one thing above all else – just like you can’t trust the nuclear industry neither can you trust the word of big oil.

Petrobras, the Brazilian oil company intending to drill for oil in up to 3100 metres of water off New Zealand’s East Cape, is the part-owner of the affected oil field northeast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the oil blowout has occurred.

On the 8^th November a deepwater drilling rig (SEDCO 706) being operated by US oil giant Chevron was drilling an appraisal oil well in 1,150 metres water depth. It appears that the drilling operation over pressurised the well and fractured the surrounding rock which opened up cracks in the sea floor that oil started to flow through into the Atlantic oce... Read more >

Since our office was threatened with closure by the South Jakarta district authority last week, our staff pulled out all the stops to keep the office open. We have had great support from Indonesian civil society leaders who see this attack on Greenpeace as an attack on the rights of the wider movement. We have worked closely with other organisations like Indonesia’s Legal Aid Foundation and WALHI/FoE Indonesia to get clarity from the government about the situation.  We have also provided the government with the paperwork that proves our legal registration to operate in Indonesia. and our building use permit, approved by the local sub-district and our landlord.

Read last week's blog about the threatened closure here...

Our meetings with government officials over the past days ha... Read more >

He infiltrated the Greenpeace ship Esperanza masquerading as an assistant cook. Nobody knew, nor were they supposed to know, his true identity. 

Spy? Provocateur? Nope. In this case, it was a rock star. 

When Paul Simonon, former bassist for The Clash, told Frank Heweston, Action Team Coordinator for Greenpeace UK, that he wanted to join a Greenpeace ship's crew and make a stand against Arctic oil drilling, Frank told him that if he wanted the real experience, he couldn't join the ship as a rock star passenger.

He'd need to become a member of the crew, and earn his acceptance. He'd need to take a lowly job -- assistant cook would do nicely, and not tell anyone who he was. He'd need to scrub toilets and swab decks. 

The strategy was so effective that some of his fell... Read more >

It was an incredibly moving sight last night as we walked by Tower Bridge and saw the Rainbow Warrior III, at anchor on the Thames, come into view. Lights illuminated her majestic 50-metre tall masts, and a full moon shone down on the river as we headed into the Design Museum for a gathering of supporters and friends to mark the inaugural visit of the ship to the UK – and the 40th anniversary of the birth of Greenpeace.

The atmosphere alone would have made it a very special occasion, but little did many people realise what was in store. Our friends from the band The Good, the Bad and the Queen had decided to perform a set of their music for the occasion, from an impromptu stage set up on the helideck of the Warrior.

As the band struck up, everyone moved to the quaysi... Read more >