Greenpeace-aksjon utenfor Equinor-sjef Anders Opedals bolig
Activists from Greenpeace in Brazil and Greenpeace Nordic delivered flood debris from an extreme weather event in Brazil, to the home of Equinor’s oil executive Anders Opedal. © Jason White


Sandnes, Norway, November 13 – Around half a million people were forced to leave their homes during the deadly floods in Brazil at the end of April and beginning of May. Today activists from Greenpeace Brazil and Greenpeace Nordic have placed debris from this extreme weather event around the home of one of the climate crisis’ major drivers: Equinor oil executive Anders Opedal.


Norwegian article here.

The activists made sure no one was home before delivering damaged furniture and other flood remnants to the Equinor CEO’s yard. A refrigerator, a crib, and some battered children’s toys are among the items now filling the otherwise well-kept garden. The Greenpeace activists hope this sight will serve as a wake-up call:

“I know it’s personal to show up at Opedal’s home, but it’s also personal to lose loved ones, flee your home and lose everything you own due to the destruction of the climate crisis. These items come from homes in Brazil that are now completely destroyed by extreme weather,” says Brazilian Greenpeace activist Claiton Wuaden Junior.

Climate justice delivery. © Jason White / Greenpeace
Greenpeace activist Claiton Wuaden Junior from Brazil. © Jason White / Greenpeace

He was involved in the cleanup in Brazil after the flood, where 183 people lost their lives, and several hundred thousand were forced to flee their homes.

“Under Anders Opedal’s leadership Equinor is aggressively pursuing new fossil fuel projects. These will fuel more deadly extreme weather events like the floods that hit southern Brazil earlier this year. By returning some of the climate damages he has caused back to him, we want to show the world how Opedal is personally responsible for Equinor’s climate crimes,” says Halvard Raavand, deputy programme manager for Greenpeace in Norway.

Greenpeace Nordic made thorough preparations to avoid any damage to the property.

The flooding in Brazil was the worst in over 80 years. Climate scientists have confirmed that global warming made the extreme weather twice as likely and nearly 10 percent more severe.

The UN, the International Energy Agency, and countless climate scientists have warned that the world cannot afford any new oil and gas projects if we want to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Under Anders Opedal’s leadership, 99 percent of the energy Equinor produces remains fossil, and the company is working to open several major fossil projects worldwide, including two huge projects in Brazil, the Bacalhau oil field and the Raia gas field.

“Opedal is ignoring all warning signs. Searching for more oil now is the opposite of what we need to do to ensure a safe future and prevent extreme weather from claiming more lives and devastating entire communities. Equinor must stop all new fossil projects and take responsibility for the historical climate damage its emissions have caused,” says Raavand.

This week, world leaders are gathering in Baku for the COP29 climate summit, where the main theme is climate financing. Greenpeace argues for a global climate damages tax to ensure the fossil fuel industry is held accountable for the losses and damage caused by the sale of oil and gas.