Meet 12 climate activists changing the world
From Colombia to Ethiopia to India, here are the changemakers from COP26 you need to know
Protect the Oceans with the Arctic Sunrise in the Indian Ocean
Mauritian climate advocate and scientist Shaama Sandooyea on what’s at stake in the Indian Ocean she calls home.#protecttheoceans
Climate Strike on the Saya de Malha Bank in the Indian Ocean
Climate advocate and scientist Shaama Sandooyea holds a placard reading ‘Youth Strike For Climate’ in support of the climate strike movement. During an underwater protest in the Saya de Malha bank in the Indian Ocean.
Who we are
Greenpeace as a global environmental movement network
Greenpeace is an independent international environmental campaigning network. It consists of 26 independent national/regional Greenpeace is an independent international environmental campaigning network. It consists of 26 independent national/regional Greenpeace Organisations (NROs) world wide, and Greenpeace International, based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as a coordinating and supporting organisation for the network. Greenpeace has nearly 3 million supporters worldwide.
Greenpeace in South Asia
Greenpeace South Asia (GPSA) is the latest organisation in the Greenpeace network that now has presence in over 55 countries across Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific
Greenpeace South Asia (GPSA) will prioritise addressing environmental problems and offering solutions for the people from this important region, and work hand in hand with local communities in order to push for a greener and more peaceful world.
Greenpeace works in the South Asia region can be traced back as early as 2002 in Khumaltar, Pathan on the outskirts of Kathmandu, when Greenpeace activists were engaged in a return to sender campaign, exposing the dangerous obsolete pesticides exported to Nepal by Shell and Bayer.
From 2008 onward, Greenpeace outreaches in the region started to extend to the protection of the incredible wildlife and ecosystems in the Indian Ocean – which is the home to the precious species from pygmy blue whales and dugongs to colourful coral reefs and the largest seagrass meadow in the world. Fishing pressure in the Indian Ocean high seas is already threatening the ocean health, coastal livelihoods and iconic species, with governments failing to act.
In 2012, Greenpeace became the observers in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), an intergovernmental organisation mandated to sustainably manage highly migratory (tuna and tuna-like) fisheries resources in the Indian Ocean, to rebuild the yellowfin tuna population in the Indian Ocean. Greenpeace has since attended numerous meetings of the Commission, including some subsidiary bodies (such as its Technical and Compliance Committee, Scientific Committee or the Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria).
Greenpeace ships have been sailing across the Indian Ocean to bear witness, document and expose the threats our oceans face there, bringing about change for many of the environmental problems affecting people’s life and way of living there.
Ship tours. There were Greenpeace ship tours in the Indian Ocean in 2013 (or see also here), including joint surveillance with Mozambique in the Mozambique channel, 2016 (or see also here) and this very year of 2021. The ship tour in 2021 included fisheries documentation as well as science work in the Salha de Maya Bank (see this).
Reports. Besides the numerous submissions to the IOTC reports Greenpeace have published on the Indian Ocean include High Stakes: The environmental and social impacts of destructive fishing on the high seas of the Indian Ocean (2021), Developing Sustainable and Equitable Pole and Line Fisheries for Skipjack (2009). Greenpeace reports on human rights at sea such as Misery at sea: human suffering in Taiwan’s distant water fishing fleets (2018) and others, also describe fishing activities including in the Indian Ocean.
A recollection of Greenpeace’s past works in the region can be found here:
- 2021 Protect the Oceans with the Arctic Sunrise in the Indian Ocean Indian Ship Tour
- Walls of death: fisheries threaten livelihoods in the Indian Ocean, 2021 report reveals
- 2021: Microplastic Cleanup after X-Press-Pearl Accident in Sri Lanka
- 2019: Plastic Waste at Maldive Islands
- 2018: Pole and Line Fishing in the Maldives (Greenpeace goes to the Maldives to observe one of the best practices used in the tuna fishing industry: Pole and Line fishing. Using this fishing method to catch tunas one by one reduces considerably the risk of bycatch (other marine species caught unintentionally) making it the best sustainable solution for healthier oceans.)
- 2017: Greenpeace position statement at IOTC
- 2014: Oil Spill in the Bangladesh Sundarbans
- 2013: Oceans Documentation in Sri Lanka
- 2013: Indian Ocean Esperanza Fisheries Tour (The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is in the Indian Ocean for two months investigating fishing vessels that are operating illegally or using highly destructive and wasteful fishing techniques.)
- 2010: Climate Voices in Bangladesh Sundarbans
- 2009: Bearing witness: Climate Voices from Gangotri India
- 2008: Sustainable Tuna Fishing in Maldives
- 2002: Toxic Waste Action in Nepal (Greenpeace activists clean up toxic waste at a warehouse at Khumaltar, Pathan on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Six tons of pesticides were packed in new transport barrels. Most of the toxic pesticides were made by Shell and Bayer.)
Our Vision
We believe optimism is a form of courage. We believe that a billion acts of courage can spark a brighter tomorrow.
To that end we model courage, we champion courage, we share stories of courageous acts by our supporters and allies, we invite people out of their comfort zones to take courageous action with us, individually in their daily lives, and in community with others who share our commitment to a better world.
A green and peaceful future is our quest. The heroes of our story are all of us who believe that a better world is not only within reach, but being built today.