Greenpeace International Thailand

Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and advocate for solutions essential for a green and peaceful future. The organization is a network of independent national and regional offices in over 40 countries, with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam.

The core mission of Greenpeace is “to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.” They achieve this through a combination of tactics, including direct action, investigations, lobbying, and public education.

Key Principles and Activities

Greenpeace operates on several key principles that guide its work:

• Non-Violence: All actions are conducted peacefully, and every activist is trained in non-violence.
• Political and Financial Independence: The organization does not accept funding from governments, corporations, or political parties. It relies on the support of individual donors and foundation grants to maintain its autonomy.
• Bearing Witness: Greenpeace activists often place themselves in harm’s way to “bear witness” to environmental destruction, drawing public attention to issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Areas of Focus and Campaigns

Greenpeace’s campaigns address some of the most critical environmental issues facing the planet. These include:

• Climate and Energy: Advocating for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This includes protesting against coal, oil, and gas projects, and promoting solutions like the “Greenfreeze” refrigerator technology developed by Greenpeace.
• Oceans and Forests: Campaigning to protect marine life from overfishing, whaling, and pollution, as well as working to end deforestation and promote sustainable forestry practices. The organization’s ships, like the iconic Rainbow Warrior, are central to many of these campaigns, allowing them to take action in remote locations.
• Pollution and Toxic Waste: Exposing environmental crimes, such as illegal dumping of toxic chemicals and plastic waste, and holding responsible parties accountable.
• Nuclear Threats: Advocating for an end to nuclear weapons testing and the elimination of nuclear threats worldwide, which was the original mission of the organization when it was founded in 1971.

Through its combination of public campaigns, scientific research, and direct action, Greenpeace has been instrumental in raising global awareness of environmental issues and influencing policy and corporate behavior for over five decades.