In 2025 the Government launched wave after wave of anti-environment policy. It was not pleasant but the value of Greenpeace came to the fore. Social movements are tremendously important but movements by their nature wax and wane, and their voluntary nature makes it hard to match the constant assaults from the Government. Greenpeace, as an institution of civil society, held steady as a pole of resistance over the course of 2025.
We provided a constant alternative narrative to a government that told society there was no alternative but to destroy our life support system in order to grow GDP.
We used our many channels to reach large audiences with a narrative of defending and valuing nature.
We mobilised large digital actions such as petitions and submissions.
We worked with iwi and hapū allies on defending nature and sinking the Treaty Principles Bill.
We supported moments of striking resistance and peaceful civil
disobedience.
We used scientific research to convince the multilateral South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation that key seamounts should remain off limits to the New Zealand bottom trawlers.
In the global battle to protect the deep ocean, that last great wilderness, from seabed mining we built alliances with civil society across the Pacific and in the UN. And in NZ, companies trying to mine our seabed are still struggling to access capital, wary of unrelenting community opposition, consenting and legal battles.
We fundamentally weakened the dairy industry’s attempt to build a false binary (bad urban greenies versus good rural dairy farmers) by continuing with our drinking water testing which showed rural New Zealand that they are on the front lines of agribusiness dairy pollution.
The oil and gas exploration industry might own this New Zealand Government but they are still unable to return, due to our 2018 victory with its shadow of civil society opposition and regulatory uncertainty.
We engaged with the formal legislative process via submissions on a raft of bills and regulations and by supporting hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders to engage in these processes.
We engaged directly with the formal fast track process considering the TTR seabed mining proposal. We built on our victory in 2024, in changing the fast track decision makers from the three ministers to an independent expert panel, to present the panel with overwhelming scientific evidence of harm.
Finally we commemorated the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, in conjunction with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, celebrating the value of resistance and direct action.
I have selected a few of the activities we have delivered in 2025:
- Mobilised submissions against Treaty Principles Bill, made Greenpeace submission
- Mobilised submissions against Gene Tech Bill and made Greenpeace submission
- Pressured Canterbury Regional Council to provide drinking water testing
- Supported Pacific civil society groups with seabed mining
- Seamounts research expedition to record life on seamounts and the damage
- being done by NZ fishing fleet
- Released Palm Kernel research (with Greenpeace South East Asia)
- Worked with iwi on TTR seabed mining processes
- Drinking water testing in Ashburton, Methven, Gore, Waimate and Darfield
- Supported activists’ action against palm kernel import facility in Taranaki
- Mobilised submissions to Food Standards NZ re glyphosate, made GP submission
- Released research on blue shark slaughter (research by GP Australia Pacific)
- Mobilised submissions on Regulatory Standards Bill, made GP submission
- Revealed Food Standards NZ is not prosecuting pesticide residue breaches
- Rainbow Warrior confronted bottom trawling vessels at sea
- Mobilised submissions against freshwater regs changes, and made GP submission
- Rainbow Warrior anniversary dawn ceremony with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
- Rainbow Warrior open boats visited by thousands
- Rainbow Warrior event with Helen Clark
- Gore trout modified after drinking water contamination (no damage!)
- Supported activists to occupy Talley’s vessel in Nelson
- Released freshwater scorecard on Canterbury regional council candidates
- Presented research at SPRFMO science committee leading to extension of
- seamounts protection against wishes of NZ Govt
- Supported March for Humanity re Palestine
- Huge submission on the TTR fast track application with loads of expert witnesses
- Supported seabed mining protest in Cook Islands. Cooks delay mining.
- Launched water documentary film about Canterbury
- Research Report on the economics of seabed mining (global GP)
- Slimed Fonterra HQ on day of shareholders meeting
- Joined legal action to support Waikato regional council right to ban bottom trawling
- Produced joint Enviro NGO policy greenprint for next Govt
- Numerous meetings with Ministers, MPs, officials throughout year
- And so so much more!
Kia kaha,
Russel
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