{"id":67179,"date":"2024-11-12T07:21:32","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T18:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/?p=67179"},"modified":"2025-06-25T01:36:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T13:36:22","slug":"how-greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-for-over-300000000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/aotearoa\/story\/how-greenpeace-slapped-by-big-oil-for-over-300000000\/","title":{"rendered":"How Greenpeace got SLAPPed by Big Oil for over $300,000,000"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A five-step guide from Greenpeace<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Are you a climate activist? A citizen concerned for the environment? If so, this guide to SLAPP cases might be just for you!  <\/p>\n\n

SLAPP stands for \u201cstrategic lawsuit against public participation<\/a>.\u201d These lawsuits are used by corporations attempting to diminish or even stop civil society activism. This five-step guide may prepare you for when your actions for a healthy environment become so impactful that Big Oil decides it\u2019s time to SLAPP back.<\/p>\n\n

While SLAPPs mostly lack any kind of merit and don\u2019t have to result in a victory to satisfy the corporate bullies, if Big Oil does win its intimidation lawsuits against Greenpeace, it would make defending the environment (or any other form of civil engagement) so much more dangerous.<\/p>\n\n

Step 1: Know the problem <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

The world is experiencing unprecedented heating. Planet-warming emissions from international oil and gas companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, ENI, and Equinor are fueling floods, storms, drought, and wildfires across every continent. Ordinary people, who did little to create this crisis, are paying with their homes, their livelihoods and even with their lives.<\/p>\n\n

\"Cars
Greenpeace documents possible causes of the enormous impact of torrential rains in eastern and southern Spain.\r\nGreenpeace documenta posibles causas del enorme impacto de las lluvias torrenciales en el este y el sur de Espa\u00f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

For decades, dirty energy companies\u00a0have known about climate change<\/a>. And they did everything to delay and block actions to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Step 2: Confront the core of the problem<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Politicians anywhere know there\u2019s nothing cheaper than promises.\u00a0Over one hundred countries<\/a>\u00a0have adopted commitments to reduce their emissions to net zero (even if\u00a0these aren\u2019t enough<\/a>). But taking action is another matter entirely. It requires confronting Big Oil \u2013 something most governments hesitate to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

That\u2019s why we campaign against Big Oil. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"Activists
Activists hold placards reading “ITS A CLIMATE EMERGENCY”, “EVICT OMV” and “KNOW YOUR ENEMY” outside Austrian Oil company OMV’s office in Wellington.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Our\u00a0protests<\/a>,\u00a0investigations<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0litigation<\/a>\u00a0are pushing governments to make better commitments and follow through on them. And polluting companies are finding themselves on the losing side.<\/p>\n\n

Step 3: Make them panic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

In the last year alone, the UK Supreme Court has\u00a0ruled against<\/a>\u00a0oil drilling plans, Greenpeace UK supported\u00a0Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection\u00a0in a case against their government, and\u00a0the world\u2019s highest ocean court\u00a0ruled in favour of small island states threatened by rising sea levels by labelling the fossil fuel industry\u2019s emissions as marine pollution. As opposition increases, Big Oil is running out of arguments for continuing its<\/a> polluting practices. So they are shifting strategy to silence critics.<\/p>\n\n

\"Disrupting
Inflatables and a boat with Greenpeace activists disrupt the seismic testing carried out by Brazilian oil giant Petrobras in Raukumara Basin, off East Cape, North Island. Banners are displayed reading “Stop deep sea oil”. Deep sea oil drilling is being opposed because of the risk of oil spills polluting marine life and coastlines and the impact of climate change when the oil is burnt.
\u00a9 Malcolm Pullman \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Here in Aotearoa, for a decade<\/a>, along with iwi, hap\u016b and other environmental groups the length of the country, we fought off international oil company after international oil company until they’d all left and the Ardern Government had banned new oil and gas exploration permits. During that time they spied on us<\/a>, colluded with the Government to outlaw peaceful protest via the so-called Anadarko Amendment <\/a> and still we prevailed.<\/a> They’re unlikely to come back even now that Prime Minister Luxon is threatening to open the door again<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Over 30,000 people have signed our open letter to the oil industry, promising resistance<\/a>.<\/p>\n