It’s been a busy week in the Greenpeace world, from gambling with the oceans in Bergen, to defending Indigenous lands in Tanzania and a nuclear April fools prank in Geneva. Drop a comment below and let us know which is your favourite.

Norway – Participants joining an international deep sea mineral conference in Bergen were met by a surprise, as their lobby event had turned into a loud and colourful casino. The message from Greenpeace Nordic is clear: the deep-sea mining industry is gambling with marine life.

South Africa – Volunteers and staff participated in the yearly Human rights festival in Johannesburg.

Mexico – In front of the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico City, volunteers and staff from Greenpeace México support Greenpeace USA facing a slapp lawsuit from Energy Transfer, an American pipeline company.

Finland – ‘Meat Head’, campaigning on the streets of Helsinki before the 2025 municipality elections. The activist, dressed in a meat costume, is urging politicians and voters to lobby to make the switch to a plant based food menu to meet climate goals in the municipalities.

Germany – Activists protest in front of the Federal Foreign Office n Berlin and unveil a banner reading: “Leaders unite! Save the planet!”. The banner is unveiled from the top of the ladder of a fire truck in front of the building and calls on the heads of state and government to urgently address the escalating climate emergency.

Sweden – Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff in Stockholm were met by Greenpeace Nordic activists dressed as sailors and a 6-meter-tall pink octopus, with a giant pen, who urged Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard to sign the ratification of the Global Oceans Treaty.

Switzerland – As an April 1st joke, Greenpeace volunteers trick passers-by in Zurich into believing that a new nuclear power plant is being built on the shores of lake Zurich. The campaign coincides with the end of the consultation on the indirect counter-proposal to the blackout initiative. More than 10,000 people took part in a campaign organised by Greenpeace Switzerland, all of whom emphasised that the transition to clean energy is the solution to guaranteeing a secure and independent energy supply.

Tanzania – Community engagement with Tanzania Maasai, who are facing forced evictions from their ancestral land.

U.K. – Greenpeace climbers scale the Foreign Office in central London to unfurl a banner calling for faster action on ocean protection. The banner features a cartoon image of a turtle urging Foreign Secretary David Lammy to sign the Global Ocean Treaty into UK law ahead of a major international summit in June; The banner reads “ Lammy Don’t Dally”. Greenpeace uses the protest to highlight the slow pace of action from Lammy, who has made nature and the climate emergency a major theme of his tenure.

Greenpeace has been a pioneer of photo activism for more than 50 years, and remains committed to bearing witness and exposing environmental injustice through the images we capture.

To see more Greenpeace Photo and Video, please visit our Media Library

Bergen, Norway – Norwegian deep sea mining company, Loke Marine Minerals, has declared bankruptcy.[1] Loke had dreams of becoming the world’s largest deep sea mining company, holding licenses in the Pacific as well as setting their eyes on the Arctic. Now, their deep sea mining dreams have been shattered. Loke also owns UK Seabed Resources, which holds the UK’s two deep sea mining licenses in the Pacific.

In November last year, Loke Marine Minerals, pleaded for new investors, but recognised that they were struggling.[2] The reason: their potential investors “were not immune” to the strong resistance against deep sea mining. Today’s news comes as protestors disrupted a deep sea mining conference in Bergen.[3]

This is the latest blow for the struggling industry, with another deep sea mining company, Impossible Metals, also having to postpone plans for mining tests due to funding issues.[4] These blows follow a meeting of the United Nations regulatory body, the International Seabed Authority, last week – which concluded with widespread international condemnation of Canadian mining firm The Metals Company moving to bypass the United Nations process and seek unilateral approval to start mining in the Pacific from the US.

Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, a campaigner for Greenpeace Nordic, said:

“On the same day that we shut down a deep sea mining conference in Bergen, deep sea gamblers Loke Marine Minerals announced their bankruptcy. Deep sea gambling does not pay off. This dangerous deep sea mining company declaring bankruptcy is yet another symbol of a desperate industry in crisis, and it is a win for all those who have campaigned so hard to stop deep sea mining in the Arctic and the Pacific. Now we must secure a global moratorium to stop this desperate industry.” 

The UK government sponsors two deep sea mining exploration licences through the UK deep sea mining company UK Seabed Resources (UKSR) covering 133,000km2 of the Pacific Ocean. That’s an area larger than England. UKSR was acquired by the Norwegian company, Loke Marine Minerals, in March 2023, having previously been owned by US weapons company Lockheed Martin. Loke’s Chairman, Hans Olav Hide told Reuters after the acquisition that the company’s ambition was “to start extraction from 2030”.

Erica Finnie, a campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said:

“Loke’s bankruptcy just goes to show how incompetent this nascent industry is and it’s putting our oceans in grave danger. Reasons to back a moratorium to stop rogue companies destroying the seabed are mounting by the day. The UK government needs to stop wasting time pushing for a deep sea mining rulebook, get fully behind the effort to secure a moratorium, and drop UK deep sea mining licences immediately.”

Deep sea mining is a dangerous emerging industry, which continues to suffer setbacks as global opinion turns against the industry due to the severe harm it would cause to deep sea ecosystems.

Greenpeace urges governments to stand up to deep sea mining, and attempts by The Metals Company to bypass the United Nations process, by supporting a deep sea mining moratorium at the next ISA meeting in July. 

ENDS

Photos and videos from today in Bergen are available in the Greenpeace Media Library

Greenpeace Nordic took action against Loke Marine Minerals in October 2024, providing the company with a new logo and confronting them with a giant octopus outside their headquarters in Stavanger. Image available in the Greenpeace Media Library.

Notes:

1. Mineral dream in tatters: Bankruptcy for the company that was supposed to be the largest in the world | DN (in Norwegian) 

2. Stavanger company needs more money to become the biggest in seabed minerals (in Norwegian) 

3. Photos and videos from today in Bergen are available in the Greenpeace Media Library

4. Early 2026 Test with BGR Postponed – Impossible Metals

Contacts:

Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org

Amsterdam, Netherlands – As Forbes releases its 2025 Billionaires List, Greenpeace calls for fair taxation of the super-rich and warns of the staggering concentration of wealth while global communities suffer the devastating effects of climate change and environmental destruction.[1]

This year’s list features familiar names, with tech tycoons, fossil fuel magnates, and luxury industry leaders among the biggest winners. The world’s richest individuals continue to amass vast wealth, despite a worsening climate crisis and increasing economic inequality. Some of the wealthiest have direct ties to industries driving environmental destruction, from oil and gas to deforestation-linked agribusiness.

Clara Thompson, European socio-economics campaigner based at Greenpeace Germany, said: “We are experiencing a large wealth shift, but in the wrong direction — away from the many and into the hands of the few. While the richest are becoming increasingly wealthy, they contribute proportionally less to financing the common good than the middle class. The new figures paint a stark picture: the number of billionaires has reached a record 3,028, collectively amassing a fortune of US$16.1 trillion — an increase of nearly US$2 trillion from last year. Meanwhile, governments worldwide struggle to secure funding for sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience. Instead of reinvesting their wealth in the interest of people, billionaires avoid paying their fair share in taxes, derailing critical funding from where it truly belongs.” 

Taxes are the backbone of public services, from education and healthcare to emergency response and sustainable development. Yet, loopholes, corporate tax breaks, and tax havens allow the ultra-rich to contribute far less than their fair share.

Clara Thompson added: “True progress is not measured by how many billionaires exist – it’s measured by whether our planet remains liveable for future generations. It’s time to dismantle this broken system, where extreme wealth and political influence reinforce each other at the expense of people and nature. We know what must be done: establish robust global tax rules through the UN Tax Cooperation framework, which includes taxing the super-rich—a step supported by the global majority of people and governments. The only thing standing in the way is the political will to act.”

ENDS

Notes:

[1] Forbes 2025 World Billionaires List

Contacts:

Clara Thompson, Greenpeace Socio-Economics campaigner, +491758530226, clara.thompson@greenpeace.org

Mihaela Bogeljic, Greenpeace Socio-Economics campaign communications, Greenpeace CEE, + 385 92 2929 265, mihaela.bogeljic@greenpeace.org

Greenpeace International press desk, +31 (0) 20718 2470 (24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org

An interview with Greenpeace International General Counsel Kristin Casper

Onward. Because we will not back down. We will not be silenced. 

The fight against Energy Transfer’s SLAPP continues — and it is far from over. The stakes of this bullying lawsuit by the Texas-based Big Oil company behind the infamous Dakota Access Pipeline are too high to rest until justice is served. We will not back down, we will keep going, together. 

The lawsuits filed by Energy Transfer (ET) against Greenpeace International (GPI) and two Greenpeace entities in the United States (Greenpeace Inc., and Greenpeace Fund) since 2017 are clear-cut examples of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). Like all SLAPPs, ET’s lawsuits have been an attempt to bury nonprofits and activists in legal fees, push them towards bankruptcy, and ultimately silence dissent. Not only does Energy Transfer’s SLAPP attempt to erase the Indigenous leadership of the Standing Rock movement, but it poses a threat to free speech, basic expressions of solidarity, and peaceful protest.  

The absurd US$ 660 million jury verdict against Greenpeace entities in North Dakota made news, but this fight is bigger than the Greenpeace network. With the overwhelming support of allies all around the world, the defence against Energy Transfer’s bullying tactics will continue for as long as it takes to secure the freedoms we all need to deliver a green, just and peaceful future for all. After nearly a decade of defending these SLAPPs, the Greenpeace Legal departments are prepared to continue as long as it takes! 

To get a better understanding of the legal process and next steps of how the jury verdict in North Dakota fits into the ongoing legal fight against Energy Transfer’s SLAPP, let’s ask a few questions to Greenpeace International’s General Counsel, Kristin Casper:

Is this fight over? 

Kristin Casper: Absolutely not, this fight is far from over. Big Oil thinks they can bully us into silence, but we won’t be silenced. 

In this fight with Energy Transfer, we know the facts are on our side. 

The Greenpeace entities in the US have already announced an intention to appeal, in the event that the trial court does not itself overrule the jury’s verdict. Greenpeace International is weighing all legal options, including appeal, to challenge this wrongful SLAPP suit by Energy Transfer. We believe we have many and strong grounds for appeal based on how the trial was conducted.

At this moment, we are preparing legal filings that call for this North Dakota verdict to be overturned. Meanwhile, in Europe, Greenpeace International has already filed an anti-SLAPP lawsuit in Dutch court, to recover all damages and costs suffered as a result of ET’s back-to-back SLAPP lawsuits against us, and we are looking forward to seeing Energy Transfer in court. 

This isn’t just a fight for Greenpeace defendants: it’s a fight about the protection of fundamental rights for everyone. We are committed to our values, such as nonviolence, independence, and promotion of solutions.  We won’t back down from them. This is the kind of fight that we were made for. 

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Were you surprised by the jury verdict? 

KC: Anytime there is injustice, a feeling of shock and consternation follows, but so does a drive to correct a wrong. That said, we knew going into this trial that the deck was unjustly stacked against us. This case should have been thrown out long before it ever made its way to a jury trial, as a matter of law.

What happens in Morton County after the jury verdict?

KC: The trial court must decide whether to confirm, revise, or vacate the verdict. Generally, the decision can only be appealed once a final judgment by the trial court is entered.

Why was Morton County the wrong place for this case to be tried?

KC: The community in Morton County should not have had to bear the burden of this case. Every judge in this district recused themselves from presiding over the case. To fill the gap, the court had to bring in a judge from another district. The case should have been dismissed but if a trial were to happen at all, it should have been moved to another venue to ensure the fairness of the proceedings.

What are some of the most obvious grounds for an appeal?

KC: There are very strong grounds for appeal. There have been so many extremely prejudicial errors in these proceedings that the question is rather where we should start. 

But just to name a few, here are some potential grounds for appeal, by way of example: 

• The District Court’s lack of jurisdiction over Greenpeace International;
• The lack of evidence to support key findings;
• The exclusion of key evidence supporting the defense; 
• The inclusion of irrelevant and prejudicial evidence; and 
• Ongoing concerns about the fairness and impartiality of the jury and the denial of requests for a change in venue. 

You can get a feel for our strong arguments by reading GPI’s motion for summary judgment, which was denied without any substantive reasoning. 

Do Greenpeace entities really have to pay US$660 million?

KC: No. Nor could they. Greenpeace entities don’t have that kind of money. There is no scenario in which Energy Transfer gets paid this ridiculous amount. 

But also, there are many legal steps between this verdict and even the potential enforcement of it, and justice and the facts are on our side. That’s why Greenpeace International has brought a suit against Energy Transfer in the Netherlands: showing that, as a result of their abusive lawsuits, it is actually Energy Transfer that owes Greenpeace International compensation.  

We are prepared to take this fight every step of the way, and we are confident in our ability to correct the record and be made whole.

Why is Greenpeace International suing Energy Transfer in the Netherlands?

KC: Greenpeace International is suing Energy Transfer LP, Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. and Dakota Access LLC to recover all damages and costs it has suffered as a result of ET’s back-to-back SLAPP lawsuits demanding Greenpeace International and the Greenpeace entities in the United States pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The first preliminary hearing in Greenpeace International’s anti-SLAPP suit against Energy Transfer is set for July 2, 2025.

How long might it take for the Dutch case and US appeal(s) to play out?

KC: We don’t know at this point. But in general, legal proceedings take a long time. 

In the US, the appeal to the North Dakota Supreme Court may not even be the end of the legal proceedings. This legal battle with Energy Transfer has already been going on for upwards of eight years (since 2017), but however long it takes, is how long we will stay strong.

The goal of SLAPP suits is precisely that: to tie up resources, to wear us down, and pull us away from continuing to pursue our campaign goals: but unlike many smaller organisations and individuals that face such tactics, Greenpeace International is built to withstand this pressure: our campaigns are as big and bold and impactful as ever before.

Even while representatives from the Greenpeace parties were present in Mandan, North Dakota for the duration of the trial, the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior was being welcomed back to the Marshall Islands to start a six-week mission around the Pacific nation to elevate calls for nuclear and climate justice; and support independent scientific research into the impacts of decades-long nuclear weapons testing by the US government. Forty years earlier, Greenpeace crew evacuated over 300 people from the Rongelap atoll to Mejatto island, after toxic nuclear fallout from the Castle Bravo test rendered their ancestral lands uninhabitable. Across decades and despite many setbacks, the work of the Greenpeace movement continues.    

Do you expect to win?

KC: Our goal has always been bigger: our fight is for the hearts and minds of people to ensure the sustainability of life in all its diversity on this beautiful planet, and when it comes to that fight: we are in it to win it.