From toothed whales reminiscent of orcas to the most important residing animal on our planet, the blue whale. It’s no secret that we simply actually love whales.
To assist have fun World Whale Day, listed here are just a few moments over the previous 50 years of Greenpeace preventing to guard the mild giants of the ocean.
1. Greenpeace’s first anti-whaling marketing campaign
Rex Weyler (standing) with Bob Hunter on the suitable, because the Phyllis Cormack and crew return to Vancouver from the 1975 whale marketing campaign. The Vega drifts in distance, to the left.
In the summertime of 1975, Greenpeace set sail on its first anti-whaling marketing campaign within the North Pacific Ocean.
Right here the courageous crew confronted the actions of the Soviet whaling fleet onboard Grenepeace’s first vessel, the Phyllis Cormack.
2. Serving to to ascertain a moratorium on industrial whaling
4 Greenpeace climbers abseil down the entrance of the Auckland Sheraton lodge the place an IWC assembly was happening.
All through the 1970’s, Greenpeace continued to shine a highlight on the whaling trade in a manner that the world had by no means seen earlier than.
And after a decade of dedicated campaigning to ‘Save the Whales’, the Worldwide Whaling Fee (IWC) voted on a moratorium on industrial whaling in 1982 – marking the digital finish of large-scale whaling around the globe.
3. Taking motion towards seismic testing
Greenpeace motion in Australia towards oil big BHP’s seismic testing in 1991. Due to the hassle of the crew, seismic testing was prevented from persevering with on this event.
Sadly, Woodside Vitality’s present deep-sea gasoline proposal on the Burrup Hub is just not the primary time Greenpeace has helped battle off seismic testing in Australian waters.
In 1991, the Rainbow Warrior confronted fossil gasoline big BHP Biliton’s ship, WESTERN ODYSSEY, which was seismic testing for offshore oil on the time.
4. And towards damaging fishing strategies
Greenpeace activists hold a 30 meter lengthy drift internet on the facet of a college ship in 1998
In 1998, Greenpeace activists joined 35 Greenteam youngsters onboard their college ship on the River Danube, Vienna, to protest towards dangerous drift nets.
The Greenteam joined activists in tying paper fashions of various sorts of bycatch, together with dolphins, whales and turtles.
5. Defending the Southern Ocean’s whale sanctuary
Inflatables from the Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza maintain banners and utilise all measures out there in the course of the 2005 Southern Ocean Tour in an try to deliver the whaling hunt to an early finish, and make it the final time the Sanctuary is breached by whalers.
By 2005, Greenpeace continued to doc the undermining of the moratorium on industrial whaling, and the Southern Ocean’s whale sanctuary which was established in 1994.
Throughout the Southern Ocean Tour, Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza fought to show the continued involvement of firms within the whaling trade.
6. Folks vs. Oil within the Nice Australian Bight
South Australian neighborhood representatives and activists inform Norwegian oil main Statoil their oil rigs aren’t welcome within the Nice Australian Bight in 2018
In 2020, Norwegian oil big Statoil-Equinor pulled the plug on its plans to drill for oil within the fragile Nice Australian Bight, one of the vital essential whale sanctuaries on Earth.
This historic win was because of relentless campaigning by coastal communities, Indigenous conventional house owners, NGOs, surfers, the seafood trade, tourism operators, and different native companies.
…Hooray for folks energy!
7. Combating for a World Plastics Treaty
Greenpeace activists current a six-meter tall plastic sculpture of whales in Zagreb in 2018
We all know that plastic is wreaking havoc in our oceans – and sadly which means for whales too.
That’s why Greenpeace has been actively concerned in ensuring our treasured marine life has a voice in the case of plastic waste.
Greenpeace is presently campaigning for a legally-binding World Plastics Treaty, which might restrict plastic manufacturing and use for our human rights, our biodiversity, and our local weather.
8. AND a World Oceans Treaty!
Greenpeace volunteers maintain up giant paper panels saying “Cease unlawful Fishing! Shield the Oceans” in South Korea in 2019
Defending whales and our oceans go hand-in-hand, that’s why Greenpeace is campaigning for a powerful World Oceans Treaty that might see one-third of the world’s oceans shielded from industrial exercise by 2030.
This may construct resilience towards a altering local weather, and guarantee species (together with whales) rebound and flourish into the long run.
9. Shield the Oceans Analysis Expedition
Scientist, Dr Kirsten Thompson, lead scientist on the Arctic Dawn makes use of a hydrophone to pay attention for whales in 2020 in Antarctica
Again in 2020, Greenpeace returned to the Antarctic over the last stage of the polar-to-polar Shield The Oceans Expedition.
Teaming up with a bunch of scientists, Greenpeace helped examine and doc the impacts the local weather disaster is already having on this space.
10. Whales not Woodside
Greenpeace volunteer holds a banner in 1000m deep water in Gascoyne Marine Park, Western Australia in 2022
Proper now, Greenpeace is embarking on its subsequent battle to guard whales in Western Australia, the place fossil gasoline big Woodside Vitality desires to begin seismic blasting as a part of its proposed deep-sea gasoline undertaking within the Burrup Hub.
It’s probably the most polluting fossil gasoline proposal in Australia right now. And if accomplished, Woodside would produce gasoline till 2070.
Become involved within the battle for #WhalesNotWoodside right now.
