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Thomas Henningsen, Greenpeace Marine Biologist
“A lot has happened in 40 years. The greatest thing we have achieved is that we have given voice to the environment, to nature.” Dieter Rucht, Protest and Movement Research Institute
“From the beginning, Greenpeace was a strongly media-oriented organization. Pictures should work.”
Jennifer Morgan, CEO of Greenpeace International
“Germany Greenpeace is an important partner, but we know that we live in a globalized world, and if we only win in Germany, we will not win.”
It all started with this rubber boat. On October 13, 1980, environmentalists blocked a Kronos Titan tanker. The crew was to dump dilute sulfuric acid into the North Sea on behalf of Bayer. A few months later: two men climb a chimney with respiratory masks and protective suits. They protest against the Boehringer chemical company with a banner. David against Goliath, that’s how it started with Greenpeace Germany, and the first two actions fell on fertile ground.
Gerd Leipold, Founding Member of Greenpeace Germany
“It was time for Greenpeace 1980. In the 1980s, the green issue suddenly became a major issue. The Greens had been founded, there was a lot going on in science, and there was a youth movement, so to speak. , looking for something. That’s the case again today. And from that, a rapidly growing organization developed very, very quickly. “
Nine years earlier, in September 1971, Greenpeace International was founded in Canada. What started as a single protest against the nuclear tests quickly turned into a professional environmental movement.
Dieter Rucht, Protest and Movement Research Institute
“Greenpeace started with a small group of hippies who wanted to perform, in Vancouver or near Vancouver. But then it took a completely different development. Over the years Greenpeace has become an environmental group, especially in Germany. An organization. hierarchical and relatively closely organized. “
It is often the action of night and fog, surprise attacks on industry or politics that makes the young environmental organization known. For example, the hot air balloon ride across the German-German border in August 1983 with Gerd Leipold on board.
Gerd Leipold, Founding Member of Greenpeace Germany
“The airspace over Berlin belonged to the four allies, and at the same time the four allies were the nuclear powers testing nuclear weapons.”
Although the journey lasted less than an hour and the two pilots were able to return to West Berlin after brief questioning, the campaign against nuclear weapons attracted global attention.
Dieter Rucht, Protest and Movement Research Institute
“The images must be effective, the images must be as concise and poignant, emotional as possible. They were designed in such a way that you could get the maximum attention from the media. And that’s what got stuck. It is also what is in the But it also brought money. “
In the late 1980s, Greenpeace Germany set aside DM 40 million in donations and quickly became one of the most financially strong sections of Greenpeace’s international network. Germany is involved in campaigns that go beyond the German borders at an early stage. Successfully: On the high seas, environmentalists fight for a ban on whaling, set up a polar station in Antarctica, and obtain an environmental protection protocol that protects the continent for at least 50 years. The protests ensure that contracting states to the London Landfill Convention decide not to dump more nuclear waste into the sea, and when French foreign intelligence agents sank New Zealand’s Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior ship in 1985 and a crew member die, environmental fighters hit a worldwide wave toward sympathy. The number of sponsors and donors continues to grow.
Gerd Leipold, Founding Member of Greenpeace Germany
“If you are successful, you have to change. At the end of the eighties, environmental awareness in Germany was very strong, and people have already said: Yes, now I know there is a problem. Now what? Respond to take care of it. What solutions are there? “
In the early 1990s, Greenpeace Germany launched Greenfreeze, a refrigerator without the harmful refrigerants CFC and PFC. An international success. To date, more than 1 billion eco-model refrigerators have been manufactured and sold. And in 1996 the company introduced the Smile, a car that consumes less than three liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. Examples that want to show that technical solutions are often boycotted by the industry, but are definitely available and just need to be implemented. But of all things, the action with the most attention, the protest against the sinking of the Brent Spar oil platform formerly operated by Shell, is also causing problems for the environmental organization.
Thomas Henningsen, Greenpeace Marine Biologist
“There was justified criticism, namely about the amount of oil sludge in the Brent Spar, which we had incorrectly stated, incorrectly calculated. We also admit that. But it was about the big picture, that is, to prevent the old oil rigs just they will retreat to sink into the sea because it is cheaper. We have succeeded, and we have also managed to keep this ban on sinking oil rigs in effect around the world. “
Other successful campaigns are also controversial. Time and again the environmental organization campaigns against genetically modified food.
Detlef Weigel, Max Planck Institute
“As a scientist who has been studying genetic diversity for more than 20 years, I think it is wrong that Greenpeace should exclude genetic engineering as one of the many means of modern genetic improvement. It is not the only means, but an important one. We know from climate change: we need all available means. We have learned in the last 20 years that, for example, even two different types of corn that look the same to us, that differ in thousands of genes. In my opinion, one gene does not it makes a lot of difference. “
No individual opinion. In 2016, 100 Nobel Prize winners asked Greenpeace to reconsider campaigns against genetically modified rice. This is important to fight hunger in the world.
Thomas Henningsen, Greenpeace Marine Biologist
“We know there are different opinions. We say that the precautionary principle has to go into effect here in any case. Because we don’t know what to expect. We have many signs that genetic engineering would prevail in the environment and there are dangers that we cannot even assess. Therefore: No to genetic engineering. “
After 40 years, there has also been a generational change at Greenpeace.
Ina Zerbin, activist
“I came into contact with Greenpeace as a child because my parents were supportive members. From the beginning I felt a huge sense of success because they were doing these joint Cities group activities at the same time and they have demanded cleaner production. At first you had the feeling : Well, I’m here with ten people. What’s the point? Somehow it sinks. But our employees were also very stressed, apparently it also happened. And then the company signed the clean production lawsuit. This success motivated me a lot. ” .
Greenpeace is facing new challenges today. Other environmental and climate protection organizations have sprung up. Many issues have become more abstract, and a simple photo or video alone is no longer sufficient to gain approval on social media, as this late 2019 campaign shows. The CDU C was kidnapped and sent to a trip to the media, including his own Twitter account with many followers. A climate protection campaign that supposedly would show that the party has distanced itself from its Christian values.
Jennifer Morgan, CEO of Greenpeace International
“It doesn’t always have to be big bombastic actions. Of course, that’s also part of our story. But also sometimes I think I have a feeling somehow: How is society progressing right now? The simplest and most Simple ones can have a big impact. “
After 40 years, it is no longer the image of David versus Goliath, rubber boat versus tanker that defines Greenpeace. In Germany alone, more than 600,000 people donated € 71 million in 2019. There are more than three million sponsors worldwide.
Thomas Henningsen, Greenpeace Marine Biologist
“The challenge we have now is really bringing leaders to the decision-making floors that implement all the solutions that we have long on the table. The second is to form alliances, because I need people to get involved. “
Greenpeace no longer acts as a lone warrior, but cooperates with other organizations, in demonstrations, events and negotiations.
Jennifer Morgan, CEO of Greenpeace International
“What is really important for me now is that we work together, with unions, with health organizations, of course with young people, with development organizations. Greta Thunberg and the Friday For Future movement, that we all fight together against this system so that we can become one can have a better future. “
Even if Greenpeace has turned into a Goliath, the environmentalists’ fight is not getting any easier.
