Greenpeace is a global group that works to protect the environment. It was started in Canada in 1971 by people who care about the planet. Greenpeace says its goal is to help Earth support all living things. It focuses on problems like climate change, cutting down forests, catching too many fish, hunting whales, changing genes in plants and animals, and stopping wars and nuclear weapons. To reach its goals, Greenpeace uses actions like protests, speaking out, research, and activities that protect nature. The group has 26 separate organizations in more than 55 countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. These groups are led by Greenpeace International, which is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Greenpeace does not get money from governments, companies, or political groups. Instead, it depends on support from about three million people and grants from foundations. Greenpeace has special permission to talk to the United Nations and is part of a group that helps keep non-governmental organizations honest and clear in their work.

Greenpeace is known for peaceful actions to raise awareness about environmental issues. It has helped people learn about important problems and influenced businesses and governments. However, some people have criticized Greenpeace. More than 100 Nobel Prize winners wrote a letter asking Greenpeace to stop its work against genetically modified plants.

Greenpeace’s actions have sometimes led to legal problems. In March 2025, a jury in North Dakota said Greenpeace was responsible for over $660 million in damages and harm to a company’s reputation because of protests against a pipeline in 2016 and 2017. Activists were also fined or given suspended sentences for destroying a field of genetically modified wheat. In Peru, the government said activists damaged the Nazca Lines, which are a special place protected by the United Nations.

History

In the late 1960s, the United States planned to test an underground nuclear weapon on Amchitka, an island in Alaska with unstable ground. This plan worried people because it might cause earthquakes or tsunamis. About 7,000 people protested at the Peace Arch Border Crossing between British Columbia and Washington. They carried signs with messages like "Don't Make A Wave. It's Your Fault If Our Fault Goes" and "Stop My Ark's Not Finished." The protests did not stop the United States from carrying out the test.

Although no earthquake or tsunami happened after the test, opposition grew when the United States announced plans to detonate a bomb five times more powerful than the first one. Jim Bohlen, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Irving and Dorothy Stowe, who became Quakers, were among the opponents. They were upset that the Sierra Club Canada, of which they were members, did not act. Jim Bohlen learned about a form of protest called "bearing witness," where people protest by simply being present. Marie Bohlen, Jim’s wife, suggested sailing to Amchitka, inspired by Albert Bigelow’s anti-nuclear voyages in 1958. This idea was reported in the press and linked to the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club did not want this connection, so the Don't Make a Wave Committee was formed in 1970. Early meetings took place at the home of Robert and Bobbi Hunter. Later, the Stowe home in Vancouver became the group’s headquarters. Rex Weyler wrote that the Stowes’ home would soon become a global center for environmental activism. The first Greenpeace office was opened in a storefront in Kitsilano, Vancouver. Within six months, Greenpeace shared office space with The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation.

Irving Stowe organized a benefit concert on October 16, 1970, at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, with Joan Baez performing. The concert raised money for Greenpeace’s first campaign. The Don't Make a Wave Committee used the funds to charter a ship, the Phyllis Cormack, which was renamed Greenpeace after a term coined by activist Bill Darnell. The crew included Captain John Cormack, Jim Bohlen, Bill Darnell, Patrick Moore, and others.

On September 15, 1971, the ship sailed toward Amchitka but was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard ship Confidence. The activists returned to Canada, where news of their journey and support from the Confidence crew increased public sympathy for their cause. Greenpeace continued to attempt to reach the test site until the United States detonated the bomb. The test was criticized, and the United States decided not to continue testing at Amchitka.

Environmental historian Frank Zelko says the Don't Make a Wave Committee was formed in 1969, but the group’s official incorporation date is October 5, 1970. Researcher Vanessa Timmer says the group was officially formed in 1971. Greenpeace itself calls the 1971 protest voyage the beginning of the organization. Patrick Moore, an early member, and Rex Weyler say the committee was renamed Greenpeace Foundation in 1972.

Vanessa Timmer described the early members as a loosely organized group. Frank Zelko noted that Greenpeace evolved over time, unlike groups with single founders. Greenpeace’s website states that no one person can be called the founder, as the organization developed through many people’s contributions. Patrick Moore and Rex Weyler say Greenpeace was always a work in progress, not something with a single beginning.

Greenpeace’s website lists Dorothy and Irving Stowe, Marie and Jim Bohlen, Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe, and Robert Hunter as founders of the Don't Make a Wave Committee. Patrick Moore and Dorothy Stowe say the founders were Paul Cote, Irving and Dorothy Stowe, and Jim and Marie Bohlen. Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, claims he was also a founder, but Greenpeace says he was an influential early member, not a founder. Patrick Moore also considers himself a founder, though Greenpeace says he was not one.

After the Stowe home and the 1970 concert, Greenpeace moved to other private homes and held weekly meetings at the Kitsilano Neighborhood House. In 1974, Greenpeace settled in an office shared with the SPEC environmental group. When the Amchitka tests ended, Greenpeace focused on French nuclear testing at Moruroa Atoll in French Polynesia. David McTaggart, a New Zealand businessman, helped by providing his yacht, the Vega, which was renamed Greenpeace III for a protest voyage. The French Navy tried to stop the protest, and McTaggart was injured during the attempt. After the incident was publicized, France stopped its atmospheric nuclear tests.

In the mid-1970s, some Greenpeace members started an independent campaign called Project Ahab to oppose commercial whaling, as Irving Stowe believed Greenpeace should focus on nuclear issues.

Organizational structure

Greenpeace is made up of Greenpeace International, which is officially called Stichting Greenpeace Council and is based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It also has 25 regional offices that operate in 55 countries. These regional offices work mostly on their own, but they follow the guidance of Greenpeace International. The executive director of Greenpeace is chosen by the board members of Greenpeace International. The current international executive director is Mads Flarup Christensen, and the current chair of the board is David Tong. Greenpeace has 2,400 employees and about 15,000 volunteers worldwide.

Each regional office is led by a regional executive director, who is elected by the regional board of directors. The regional boards also select a trustee to attend the Greenpeace International Annual General Meeting. At this meeting, the trustees vote to choose or remove the board members of Greenpeace International. The Annual General Meeting also helps decide important rules and strategies for Greenpeace, working together with the trustees from regional offices and the international board.

Greenpeace gets its money from individual supporters and foundations. It checks all large donations to make sure it does not receive unwanted funds. It does not accept money from governments, international groups, political parties, or companies to avoid outside influence. Greenpeace also refuses donations from foundations that are supported by political parties, receive most of their money from governments or international groups, or set conditions that limit Greenpeace’s work. If a donation would harm the organization’s independence or goals, it is also rejected. In the mid-1990s, when the number of supporters began to drop, Greenpeace started using face-to-face fundraising. This method involves fundraisers meeting people in public places to ask them to join as monthly donors. In 2008, most of the €202.5 million the organization received came from about 2.6 million regular supporters, mostly in Europe. In 2014, Greenpeace’s total income was about €300 million (US$400 million), but it lost €4 million (US$5 million) due to currency trading losses that year.

In September 2003, Public Interest Watch (PIW) told the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that Greenpeace USA’s tax returns were incorrect and illegal. The IRS reviewed the case and in December 2005 concluded that Greenpeace USA still met the requirements for tax-exempt status. In March 2006, The Wall Street Journal reported that PIW’s tax records showed $120,000 of the $124,095 the group received in donations during 2003–2004 came from ExxonMobil. In 2013, after a follow-up IRS audit found no issues, and following claims that the IRS targeted groups linked to the Tea Party movement, Greenpeace U.S. executive director Phil Radford asked Congress to investigate all politically motivated audits, including those targeting the Tea Party Movement, the NAACP, and Greenpeace.

In 2009, International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo called the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference a “colossal failure” and said the organization faced a “burning platform” moment. He urged Greenpeace’s leaders to adopt new strategies or risk becoming irrelevant. To follow a new strategy approved in 2010, Greenpeace hired Michael Silberman in 2011 to create a “Digital Mobilisation Centre of Excellence,” which became the Mobilisation Lab (“MobLab”). The MobLab aimed to share best practices, test new ideas, and develop strategies. It also worked to improve digital tools and support community-based campaigns in 42 countries. In March 2017, the MobLab became an independent organization through a joint investment by Greenpeace and CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation.

Climate and energy

Greenpeace was one of the first groups to create a plan for reducing climate change in 1993. Sociologists Marc Mormont and Christine Dasnoy said Greenpeace helped people understand global warming better in the 1990s. The group also focused on chemicals called CFCs because they harm the ozone layer and contribute to global warming. Greenpeace was a key player in pushing for the early stop of harmful chemicals in the Montreal Protocol. In the early 1990s, Greenpeace worked with the refrigerator industry to develop a CFC-free refrigerator technology called "Greenfreeze" for mass production. In 1997, the United Nations Environment Programme gave Greenpeace an award for helping protect the Earth's ozone layer. By 2011, two-fifths of the world's refrigerators used Greenfreeze technology, with over 600 million units in use.

Today, Greenpeace believes global warming is the biggest environmental challenge. It wants global greenhouse gas emissions to peak by 2015 and drop close to zero by 2050. To reach these goals, Greenpeace asks industrialized countries to cut emissions by 40% by 2020 (from 1990 levels) and provide money to developing countries for clean energy, adapting to climate change, and stopping deforestation by 2020. With EREC, Greenpeace created a global energy plan called "Energy [R]evolution," aiming for 80% of the world's energy to come from renewable sources by 2050, reducing energy sector emissions by over 80% compared to 1990 levels.

Greenpeace members have used direct action to protest coal by occupying power plants, blocking coal shipments, and stopping mining in places like New Zealand, Svalbard, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The group also opposes oil extraction from oil sands and has blocked operations at the Athabasca oil sands in Canada.

In 1999, Greenpeace Germany started a renewable electricity cooperative called Greenpeace Energy. Starting in 2011, it also sold fossil gas. After criticism in 2021 for selling fossil fuel, the cooperative changed its name to Green Planet Energy. Greenpeace Germany still owns one share in the company, which has been criticized for promoting Russian gas as "green."

In 2007, six Greenpeace protesters were arrested for breaking into a power station in England, climbing a smokestack, and causing damage. They claimed their actions were legal because they wanted to stop climate change. At their trial, experts said climate change was already harming the world. The protesters were found not guilty. This was the first time a court used the idea of preventing climate-related damage as a legal defense. News outlets called the ruling an embarrassment to the UK government. In 2008, The New York Times listed the acquittal as one of the year's most influential ideas.

Greenpeace launched the "Go Beyond Oil" campaign to reduce oil use and stop oil drilling. The campaign targets companies drilling in the Arctic and areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Activities include protests against the Edinburgh-based company Cairn Energy and pressuring governments to stop oil exploration. Greenpeace says the campaign aims to show how the oil industry harms the environment and push governments to move away from oil.

Greenpeace opposes nuclear power, calling it "dangerous, polluting, expensive, and non-renewable." It cites the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters as examples of nuclear risks. Greenpeace argues that nuclear benefits are small compared to its problems, such as environmental harm, uranium mining, nuclear weapons risks, and unresolved waste issues. It says nuclear power's role in reducing global warming is limited, citing a study showing that increasing nuclear energy would cut emissions by less than 5%. Greenpeace also criticizes the slow and costly construction of nuclear plants, calling the process unrealistic. It points to the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear plant in Finland as an example of these challenges.

In 2022, Greenpeace threatened to sue the European Union for labeling nuclear power as "green." In 2023, Greenpeace celebrated Germany's decision to stop using nuclear power, even though Germany relied on coal and gas during an energy crisis.

In 1994, Greenpeace published an ad claiming nuclear facilities in Sellafield would kill 2,000 people in 10 years and showed a child affected by nuclear testing in Kazakhstan. The Advertising Standards Authority banned the ad because the claim lacked scientific proof. Greenpeace did not admit fault, saying a doctor from Kazakhstan linked the child's condition to nuclear testing.

In 2011, a French court fined Électricité de France (EDF) €1.5 million and jailed two employees for spying on Greenpeace, including hacking into its systems. Greenpeace received €500,000 in damages. EDF claimed it only monitored Greenpeace but was cleared of conspiracy charges. The fine was canceled, but two employees from a security firm were jailed.

Forest campaign

Greenpeace works to protect untouched forests from being cut down or damaged. Their goal is to stop all deforestation by 2020. The group has accused companies like Unilever, Nike, KFC, Kit Kat, and McDonald's of contributing to the destruction of tropical rainforests. This led to changes in some of these companies' policies. Greenpeace, along with other environmental groups, campaigned for 10 years to stop the European Union from importing illegal wood. In July 2010, the EU banned the import of illegal timber. Because deforestation increases global warming, Greenpeace has pushed for REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) to be included in climate agreements after the Kyoto Protocol.

Greenpeace also focuses on reducing the impact of palm oil production on rainforests. Their efforts are strongest in Indonesia, where 6 million hectares (about 23,000 square miles) are already used for palm oil plantations, with plans to expand by 4 million hectares (about 15,000 square miles) by 2015. Greenpeace warns that large-scale palm oil production harms forest biodiversity and campaigns for companies and governments to use alternative energy sources. One result of this effort was when GAR, the world's second-largest palm oil company, agreed to protect forests by avoiding development in areas with high carbon storage.

In 2016, Greenpeace created a viral video criticizing Nestlé for using palm oil in Kit Kat bars. The video received over 1 million views and led Nestlé to say it no longer uses such practices. In 2018, Greenpeace released an animated short about a fictional orangutan named Rang-tan for World Orangutan Day. However, UK's Clearcast rejected a version of the video submitted by Iceland Foods Ltd.

In June 1995, Greenpeace took a tree trunk from a forest in Finland and displayed it in Austria and Germany. They claimed the tree came from a logged area in an ancient forest meant for protection. Metsähallitus, a Finnish government agency, accused Greenpeace of theft, stating the tree was from a normal forest and had fallen during a storm. Greenpeace responded that the tree fell because surrounding forests were cleared and wanted to highlight the dangers to old-growth forests. Later, Metsähallitus acknowledged the importance of the Koitajoki area due to its old-growth forests.

A 2018 Greenpeace investigation found that Wilmar International, the world's largest palm oil trader, was still linked to deforestation in Indonesia's Papua region. A connected company, Gama, caused deforestation twice the size of Paris. Greenpeace criticized Wilmar for breaking a 2013 promise to stop deforestation and use sustainable methods. They linked Gama's palm oil to brands like Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, and Unilever.

Since 2013, the logging company Resolute Forest Products has sued Greenpeace multiple times. In 2020, a California court ordered Resolute to pay $816,000 to Greenpeace after a 2019 lawsuit rejected most of the company's claims. Greenpeace says Resolute's activities harm Canada's Boreal Forest, which stores more carbon than tropical forests and is vital to protecting the global climate.

Tokyo Two

In 2008, two Greenpeace activists, Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, took a box of whale meat from a delivery center in Aomori prefecture, Japan. They did this to show that the meat from whale hunts was being used improperly. After a short investigation, Sato and Suzuki were accused of stealing and entering a place without permission. Amnesty International stated that the arrests and later searches of Greenpeace Japan’s office and the homes of five Greenpeace staff members were meant to scare activists and non-governmental groups. In September 2010, the Aomori District Court found Sato and Suzuki guilty of theft and trespassing.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Greenpeace supported Zambia’s decision to reject genetically modified (GM) food from the United States during a time of food shortages, as long as non-GM grain was available. Greenpeace encouraged the U.S. to allow aid recipients to choose their food aid, including the option to buy locally. This approach, they said, could help developing countries grow and improve food security. If no other options were available, Greenpeace suggested that GM maize should be milled so it could not be planted. This condition allowed neighboring countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi to accept the aid.

After Zambia banned all GM food aid, the country’s former agricultural minister questioned how international organizations that supported the ban would explain the consequences of their actions. Greenpeace stated that if no non-GM aid was available, Zambia should have accepted GM food. However, the Zambian government refused the aid, and Greenpeace’s advice was not followed.

In 2007, Greenpeace funded research by Gilles-Éric Séralini on MON 863, a type of genetically engineered maize. The study claimed it caused health issues in rats. However, the European Food Safety Authority and the French Commission on Molecular Biology found serious mistakes in the research. Later studies by Séralini on GMOs were widely criticized for scientific fraud, and his publications were retracted.

In the same year, Greenpeace also shared results from research by Árpád Pusztai, which were also later retracted.

Greenpeace opposes the use of golden rice, a type of genetically engineered rice designed to produce beta-carotene, a nutrient that helps prevent blindness in areas with poor nutrition. Greenpeace says that in 10 years, golden rice has not solved malnutrition, while other methods have already made progress. Instead, Greenpeace suggests reducing reliance on single crops and growing more naturally nutrient-rich foods. They argue that resources should support existing programs that help reduce malnutrition.

In 2007, a new version of golden rice with higher beta-carotene levels was developed by Syngenta, a company that holds a patent for it. Greenpeace criticized this as a profit-driven effort to promote GMOs.

Greenpeace has expressed concerns about golden rice since 2001, focusing on its effectiveness in fighting malnutrition and the lack of safety testing for GMO crops. They worry about the risks to human health and the environment, saying that using golden rice could harm people and push for more GMOs.

In June 2016, 107 Nobel Laureates wrote an open letter urging Greenpeace to stop opposing genetically modified crops, including golden rice. They asked governments to support farmers’ access to modern agricultural tools. The letter said that opposition based on emotions or beliefs not supported by evidence should end. Greenpeace responded by saying that claims about blocking golden rice are false and that they support investing in sustainable farming practices that provide balanced nutrition instead of relying on genetically engineered rice.

Toxic waste

In July 2011, Greenpeace released a report called Dirty Laundry. The report said that some of the world's largest clothing and sportswear companies were releasing harmful chemicals into rivers in China. These chemicals came from the textile industry, which makes clothes and fabrics. Greenpeace studied two factories in China: one owned by Youngor Group near the Yangtze River Delta and another owned by Well Dyeing Factory Ltd. near a river in the Pearl River Delta. Tests of water from these factories found harmful chemicals, such as alkylphenols, perfluorinated compounds, and perfluorooctane sulfonate. The report also said that Youngor Group and Well Dyeing Factory Ltd. work with many well-known clothing brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Calvin Klein, H&M, Nike, and others.

In 2013, Greenpeace started a campaign called Detox Fashion. The campaign asked clothing brands to stop releasing harmful chemicals into rivers during the production of their clothes. The campaign helped get commitments from many global brands to remove dangerous chemicals, like nonylphenol ethoxylates, from their supply chains. It also raised awareness about water pollution caused by the clothing industry and encouraged companies to be more open about their practices and to aim for no chemical discharges.

In August 2006, Greenpeace published the first edition of Guide to Greener Electronics, a magazine that ranked companies that make computers and mobile phones based on how green their products were. The ranking focused on the use of harmful materials and how companies handled electronic waste. In November 2011, Greenpeace updated the criteria to reflect progress in the industry. The new goals included reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using 100% renewable energy, creating long-lasting products without harmful substances, and using more sustainable practices. To keep the rankings fair, Greenpeace only used information that companies made public. Greenpeace also checked companies’ policies by testing their products, reviewing industry reports, and checking consumer programs. Since 2006, the guide and similar campaigns have helped many companies remove harmful chemicals from their products and improve recycling efforts. The last edition of Guide to Greener Electronics was published in 2017. This version ranked 17 major IT companies based on three factors: energy use, resource use, and the elimination of harmful chemicals.

Save the Arctic

In 2012 and 2013, protests with "Save the Arctic" signs began as part of a campaign to protect the Arctic environment. Activists wanted world leaders to create a "global sanctuary in the high Arctic" to stop oil and gas drilling, industrial fishing, and military operations in the region. They asked the United Nations to pass a resolution showing concern for the Arctic’s wildlife and ecosystems. On September 19, 2013, 30 Greenpeace activists were arrested by the Russian Coast Guard while protesting at an oil platform owned by Gazprom. They were first charged with piracy, then with disorderly conduct, but these charges were later dropped after a Russian amnesty law was passed.

In July 2014, Greenpeace started a global campaign to pressure Lego to stop making toys with Shell’s logo. This was in response to Shell’s plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. Greenpeace released a video titled "LEGO: Everything is NOT awesome," which was viewed over 9 million times on YouTube. Lego has partnered with Shell since the 1960s, but the company also created a fictional oil company called Octan, which appears in many of its toys, games, and theme parks.

Greenpeace and the Norwegian government had a disagreement over oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean. In 2013, three Greenpeace activists wearing bear suits climbed onto a Statoil oil rig. They stayed on the rig for about three hours before being taken off by security. Statoil did not plan to take legal action against them. Greenpeace claimed that Statoil’s drilling plans threatened Bear Island, a wildlife sanctuary home to polar bears and other rare animals. They argued that an oil spill in the Arctic would be hard to clean up because of the harsh conditions. Statoil denied these claims, stating that it respects legal protests and has safety plans for its operations.

On May 27, 2014, Greenpeace’s ship, MV Esperanza, blocked the Statoil oil rig, Transocean Spitsbergen, in the Barents Sea, preventing it from operating. Five protesters left the rig by helicopter, and three returned to Greenpeace’s ship. Seven other activists remained on the rig until Norwegian police captured them peacefully on May 29. All were released without fines. On May 30, the Norwegian Coast Guard towed away the Greenpeace ship. Greenpeace had collected over 80,000 signatures on a petition asking the Norwegian government to protect the Arctic. Norwegian authorities allowed the Coast Guard to remove the ship.

The Norwegian police said Greenpeace ignored warnings to stop interfering with Statoil’s operations, which is against the law. Statoil reported that delays in drilling cost the company about $1.26 million per day. The company planned to start drilling three oil wells in the Arctic in 2014. Greenpeace continues to criticize Statoil for what it calls "greenwashing," arguing that the company hides the risks of Arctic drilling by supporting programs like the FIRST Lego League and avoiding attention on its environmental impact. Greenpeace also urges Statoil to change its approach to protecting the environment.

Moratorium on deep sea mining in international waters

Greenpeace has partnered with other environmental groups to ask for a pause on exploratory deep sea mining approved by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Greenpeace states that mining for polymetallic nodules could cause serious harm to the world's oceans, which absorb one-quarter of the planet's carbon emissions each year. The organization explains that deep sea mining also harms the homes of newly discovered species, such as crabs, whales, and snails that live near glowing underwater vents and do not eat. Greenpeace has asked the International Seabed Authority to expand UNCLOS' Article 136, which says the ocean's resources belong to all people, to create better rules and set goals for protecting marine life. A 2018 report by Greenpeace Research Laboratories emphasized the need to shield ocean life from harmful substances released during seabed mining for natural gas and rare metals used in solar panels.

Greenpeace argues that the ISA, which supports mining, is not the right group to manage deep sea mining. In 2019, Greenpeace activists protested outside the ISA's annual meeting in Jamaica, demanding a global agreement to stop deep sea mining in protected ocean areas. Some activists traveled to Jamaica on Greenpeace's ship, the Esperanza, which had sailed from the "Lost City in the mid-Atlantic," a region Greenpeace claims is at risk from exploratory mining.

Alternative economy

Greenpeace supports different ways of living and working that are better for people and the environment. The group believes the current way society and the economy work now causes harm to people and the planet. To find better solutions, Greenpeace works with communities, schools, and other groups to create positive changes.

Ships

Since Greenpeace was founded, ships have been important in its efforts. Greenpeace has rented more ships when needed. During the organization's 2008–11 campaign to stop trawling in the North Sea, at least one ship not owned by Greenpeace was used. This ship placed large rocks on the seafloor and shared updated maps with local officials showing where the rocks were placed.

• Rainbow Warrior is the third ship to use this name. Launched in 2011, it is sometimes called Rainbow Warrior III.
• MV Arctic Sunrise
• SY Witness

In 1978, Greenpeace launched the original Rainbow Warrior, a 40-meter (130-foot) ship that was once a fishing boat. It was named after a book called Warriors of the Rainbow, which inspired activist Robert Hunter during a voyage to Amchitka. Greenpeace bought the ship, originally named Sir William Hardy, for £40,000. Volunteers repaired and refitted it over four months. The ship first helped stop the Icelandic whaling fleet and became a key part of Greenpeace's work. Between 1978 and 1985, crew members also protested against ocean dumping of toxic waste, the grey seal hunt in Orkney, and nuclear testing in the Pacific. In May 1985, the ship helped with "Operation Exodus," a mission to move about 300 people from Rongelap Atoll, whose homes had been polluted by nuclear fallout from a U.S. test decades earlier.

Later in 1985, the Rainbow Warrior led a group of protest ships near Moruroa Atoll, where France tested nuclear weapons. The ship was destroyed when the French government secretly bombed it in Auckland harbor, an order given by François Mitterrand. This killed Dutch photographer Fernando Pereira, who entered the ship after a small explosion to retrieve his photos but drowned in a larger explosion. The attack harmed France's reputation after New Zealand police quickly uncovered it. In 1987, France paid New Zealand NZ$13 million in compensation and formally apologized. France also paid ₣2.3 million to Pereira's family. In 2001, when Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research called Greenpeace "eco-terrorists," Gert Leipold, then Greenpeace's executive director, said this term insulted people harmed by real terrorists, including Pereira, who was killed in the 1985 attack.

In 1989, Greenpeace commissioned a new Rainbow Warrior ship, sometimes called Rainbow Warrior II. It stopped operating on August 16, 2011, and was replaced by a newer version. In 2005, Rainbow Warrior II ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in the Philippines while checking for coral bleaching. Greenpeace was fined $7,000 for damaging the reef and agreed to pay it, saying it was responsible. Greenpeace claimed the Philippine government provided outdated maps. The reef's manager praised Greenpeace for quickly assessing the damage.

• MV Sirius
• MV Solo
• MV Greenpeace
• MV Gondwana
• MV Beluga (in German)
• MV Esperanza

Reactions and responses to Greenpeace activities

Lawsuits have been filed against Greenpeace for claims of lost profits, harm to its reputation, and "sailormongering." The term "sailormongering" refers to a legal charge that was not used in court since 1890. This case was seen by many as an effort by the Bush administration to take revenge for Greenpeace's criticism of its environmental policies. The case was dismissed because the prosecution could not prove its claims. In 2004, it was discovered that the Australian government was ready to give financial support to Southern Pacific Petroleum, provided the company took legal action against Greenpeace. This followed Greenpeace's efforts to oppose the Stuart Oil Shale Project. In March 2024, a lawsuit against Total was dismissed by a court in Paris. This followed Greenpeace's release of information showing that Total had underestimated its greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Greenpeace stated that the court's decision is important because other similar cases are still being considered in courts.

Some companies, including Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and Électricité de France, have responded to Greenpeace's campaigns by monitoring Greenpeace's activities and sending people to infiltrate Greenpeace offices. Greenpeace activists have also faced phone tapping, death threats, physical violence, and in one case, state-sponsored terrorism, such as the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. On 19 May 2023, Russia's Prosecutor-General's Office labeled Greenpeace as an undesirable organization. Russia accused Greenpeace of interfering in its internal affairs, harming its economy, and funding the activities of groups in Russia that are classified as "foreign agents."

Criticism

Patrick Moore, a former member of Greenpeace, left the organization in 1986. He claimed Greenpeace had decided to support a universal ban on chlorine in drinking water. Moore later said Greenpeace is now motivated by politics, not science, and that none of the group’s leaders had formal science education. Bruce Cox, Director of Greenpeace Canada, responded that Greenpeace never supported a universal chlorine ban and does not oppose chlorine use in drinking water or pharmaceuticals. He added that Moore’s claim about leaving Greenpeace due to a chlorine dispute is not shared by others. Paul Watson, another early Greenpeace member, stated that Moore uses his status as a co-founder to support his claims. Watson, who is also a co-founder, said Moore’s accusations lack factual support.

In 1976, Patrick Moore changed his position on nuclear power, moving from opposition to support. In The Age, an Australian newspaper, he wrote that Greenpeace is wrong to oppose nuclear energy, arguing that reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions requires increased nuclear energy use. Phil Radford, executive director of Greenpeace US, said nuclear energy is too risky and too slow to build to address climate change. He claimed most countries, including the U.S., could shift to nearly 100% renewable energy by 2050 while phasing out nuclear power. In 2013, Moore criticized Greenpeace’s stance on golden rice, a project aimed at helping people with malnutrition. He said Greenpeace spread misinformation and harmed scientists working on the project. Other environmentalists, like Mark Lynas, supported Moore’s criticism.

An editorial in the science journal Nature accused Greenpeace of ignoring facts when it criticized Shell’s plan to dump the Brent Spar tanker. Greenpeace claimed the tanker held 5,500 tonnes of crude oil, but Shell said it held only 50 tonnes. The measurements were taken during a protest, as Shell refused permission and activists faced attacks. The BBC later apologized for reporting that Greenpeace lied.

Shell UK spent three years studying disposal options and concluded that dumping the tanker in the deep ocean was the "best practicable environmental option" (BPEO). Some scientists supported this decision, calling the environmental impact "negligible." The British government and the Oslo and Paris Commissions (OSPAR) accepted the plan.

A campaign against Shell’s proposal included letters, boycotts, and vandalism in Germany. Greenpeace’s position on protecting ecosystems and using the precautionary principle gained support at international meetings. At the 1998 OSPAR Convention, WWF presented a study on the toxic effects of deep-sea dumping. The meeting banned ocean dumping. Shell canceled the operation after public opposition and announced a new plan to recycle the rig as a quay in Norway.

In 1999, the Brent Spar container was decommissioned. A discovery of cold-water coral species (Lophelia pertusa) on the structure led to suggestions of leaving parts of the platform on the seafloor to create habitat. A Greenpeace representative opposed this, saying the coral reefs are at risk from toxic substances in oil. Simon Reddy, a Greenpeace campaigner, compared the idea to leaving cars in forests, which harms ecosystems.

In 2013, Pascal Husting, director of Greenpeace International’s program, was criticized for flying 400 km daily to work, despite Greenpeace’s efforts to reduce air travel. After public backlash, Greenpeace said Husting would commute by train instead.

In December 2014, Greenpeace activists damaged the Nazca Lines in Peru by walking on the site without special shoes. The area is protected, and only approved footwear is allowed. Greenpeace claimed the activists were careful, but video showed them wearing regular shoes. Greenpeace apologized, but Peruvian officials called the apology insincere, as Greenpeace did not identify the activists or accept full responsibility. A legal case against Greenpeace was planned.

By January 2015, Greenpeace provided statements from four members involved in the incident.

During the 1990s, Greenpeace conducted anti-whaling campaigns in Norway. Critics said the group focused on whaling to gain donations from the U.S., not to protect whales or the environment. Greenpeace denied this. In 2015, Kumi Naidoo, then International Executive Director of Greenpeace, admitted the anti-whaling campaign was a "miscalculation." Greenpeace said Norway resumed whaling after the IWC ban due to political reasons and challenges like reduced demand and pollution.

In June 2016, 107 Nobel laureates urged Greenpeace to stop opposing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Greenpeace responded by saying claims that they block "Golden Rice" (a type of GMO) are false. They stated they support ecological farming and helping farmers access nutritious food, not funding GMO projects.

In December 2020, Norway’s Supreme Court refused to stop oil exploration efforts challenged by Greenpeace and Nature and Youth Norway.

Archives

The Greenpeace Canada collection is located at Library and Archives Canada. The reference number for this collection is R4377.

Gallery

• Greenpeace activists on a boat in the Elbe River, Hamburg, Germany, 2007
• Protesters in Canada demonstrated against coal, 2009
• Demonstrators in Rio de Janeiro protested against nuclear energy, 2009
• Activists in Poland opposed an open pit mine, 2014
• Greenpeace Israel activists took action against pollution, 2015
• Protesters in Turkey demonstrated against nuclear energy, 2015
• A legislative hearing about deforestation in Brazil, 2015
• Protesters with coal gathered in front of the German Chancellery, 2017
• Protesters in Romania demonstrated against nuclear energy, 2017
• Women participated in a concert for the Energy Revolution at Sala la Riviera, Madrid, 2018
• Demonstrators in Berlin, 2019