History of Greenpeace In 1971, motivated by their vision of a green and peaceful world, a small team of activists set sail

from Vancouver, Canada, in an old fishing boat. These activists, the founders of Greenpeace, believed a few individuals could make a difference. Their mission was to "bear witness" to US underground nuclear testing at Amchitka, a tiny island off the West Coast of Alaska, which is one of the world's most earthquake-prone regions.

Amchitka was the last refuge for 3000 endangered sea otters, and home to bald eagles, peregrine falcons and other wildlife.

Even though their old boat, the Phyllis Cormack, was intercepted before it got to Amchitka, the journey sparked a flurry of public interest.

The US still detonated the bomb, but the voice of reason had been heard. Nuclear testing on Amchitka ended that same year, and the island was later declared a bird sanctuary.

Today, Greenpeace is an international organisation that prioritises global environmental campaigns.

Headquartered globally in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Greenpeace has 5 million supporters worldwide, and national as well as regional offices in 42 countries.

Our core values

Greenpeace's cornerstone principles and core values are reflected in all our environmental campaign work, worldwide. These are:

We 'bear witness' to environmental destruction in a peaceful, non-violent manner; We use non-violent confrontation to raise the level and quality of public debate; In exposing threats to the environment and finding solutions we have no permanent allies or adversaries; We ensure our financial independence from political or commercial interests; We seek solutions for, and promote open, informed debate about society's environmental choices.

In developing our campaign strategies and policies we take great care to reflect our fundamental respect for democratic principles and to seek solutions that will promote global social equity.

What We Do
Stopping Climate Change
Greenpeace India is campaigning for climate solutions that will help us develop without damaging the planet. By starting an energy revolution that seizes the opportunity for low carbon and sustainable growth while ensuring quality energy access to millions who are denied it currently, we can deliver on development and protect our natural world for current and future generations. Everyone knows that climate change is real and happening now. What many people don't know is that we have the solutions in our hands. The world needs: An energy revolution that lets us quit coal in favour of renewable energy sources like biomass, wind power and solar energy Protection for our forests, so they can continue to clean our atmosphere. Responsible IT companies who offer climate solutions, and advocate for good environmental laws.

Campaign story:
On these pages you can learn more about the science of climate change, and the impacts it is already causing. You can read our detailed policy briefings and discover that politicians, businesses and people can all be part of the solution.

PROBLEMS

Climate Impacts Coal Rainforest Destruction

SOLUTIONS

Renewable Energy Can the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) sector show leadership? People Taking Action National Climate Justice

Meet the Campaigners

Vinuta Gopal - Climate Campaign Manager Vinuta Gopal is the climate campaign manager. A chartered accountant, campaigning to make change happen gives her a personal high. In her free time Vinuta enjoys dancing. Ashish Fernandes - Forest Campaigner

Ashish Fernandes leads the palm oil work in India. He has been working on environmental issues for over 10 years. He joined Greenpeace as an oceans campaigner in 2006, and has been leading the campaign against the Dhamra port in Orissa since then. When free, Ashish enjoys watching cricket, cooking, cycling and reading. Abhishek PratapAbhishek Pratap is a Masters in Environmental Science from Pune University. He did his academic research at Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) Mumbai on the disposal of chromium metal in soil. When free, Abhishek enjoys photography, listening to music and reading.

Cutting carbon emissions

Coal fired power plants are the biggest source of manmade CO2 emissions. This makes coal energy the single greatest threat our climate faces. In India up to 40 percent of our current CO2 emissions comes from coal fired power stations. To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, including widespread drought, flooding and massive population displacement caused by rising sea levels, we need to keep global temperature rise below 2C (compared to pre-industrial levels). To do this, global greenhouse gases emission must peak by 2015 and go down to zero from there. India is the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide after China and the US. Its emissions are expected to have significant growth over the next 20 years or so. Our emissions come from various activities but the largest share is from the electricity sector because of the way we produce most of our electricity today. Coal based power plants produce 70 percent of our electricity needs and 40 percent of our total carbon dioxide emissions. If we want to play a significant, responsible role in tackling climate change, we must lead the way by reducing our dependence on coal and finding newer, cleaner ways to produce electricity.

Campaign story:
Our coal campaign highlights the impacts of coal in our energy mix, on the people and environment. We have an opportunity to build the energy infrastructure of the future and must seize it. There is a huge surge in coal mining and the number of coal fired power plants in the guise of meeting electricity demands and development for the country. However coal cannot deliver Indias growth and development aspirations beyond a few years. It is neither a secure nor a sustainable energy option. In fact it is a risky investment for the industries and the government. The campaign will demonstrate that supply of coal is severely limited by social and economical factors, making it a dead investment in the medium and long term. The campaign will also make the case that going down the coal route will be costly for Indias global image and long term development interests.

Limited coal:
A lot of our coal is found under the few remaining heavily forested areas of our country or where there are a large number of people living. To get to the coal we must either cut down the forests and/or displace large numbers of people from these regions. When people are displaced, they need to be rehabilitated to similar places where they can rebuild their lives. Given that land is not easy to come by we will not be able to provide people replacements for what they are expected to lose. So while we theoretically have a lot of coal, there are unacceptable things that may be done to actually be able to use it. Therefore, we must stop looking at coal as an option and start by reducing our dependence on it beginning right now. We will investigate and publicise the true cost of coal and urge people and policy makers to make the right choices.

One of the oldest sal forests of Asia - Mahan, Madhya Pradesh are facing the threat of an absolute wipe out. Giant corporations Essar and Hindalco are after the coal reserves below these forests.

Over 14,190 lives and livelihoods are dependent on the Mahan forests, Madhya Pradesh. Their culture, community and lives are intertwined with the forests that the corporations threaten to destroy. Displacement from their natural habitat is going to be devastating for the indigenous community.

HELP SAVE MAHAN

First Name* Last Name* Email * Mobile City

We'll send you campaign updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Hindalco and Essar want to mine for coal in Mahan. The cost of this mining is simply too high! Short sighted profits have taken over sustainable development. The coal mining companies pose a threat to destroy the lives of the indigenous people of Mahan.

MAHAN IS THEIR HOME AND THEY CANNOT BE FORCED OUT!

Is it fair to destroy one of the oldest forests for coal? Uproot an entire community for greed and profits? Displace wildlife for dirty power?

Our forests, our nature and our people need your support NOW. We cannot let powerful companies wipe out the existence of a community.

THE STRUGGLE

The people of Mahan have come together to reclaim what is theirs. The Mahan Sangharsh Samiti (MSS) was formed in March 2013 to protect the forests and land from coal mining. Since then, the MSS has expanded to 11 villages and garnered the support of the Minister of Tribal Affairs, KC Deo and civil society groups. They have also organised rallies and public meetings to raise awareness of their rights in the region.

Supporting green power

The Energy [R]evolution demonstrates how the world can get from where we are now, to where we need to be in terms of phasing out fossil fuels, cutting CO2 while ensuring energy security. This includes illustrating how the worlds carbon emissions from the energy and transport sectors alone can peak by 2015 and be cut by over 80 percent by 2050. This phase-out of fossil fuels offers substantial other benefits such as independence from world market fossil fuel prices as well as the creation of millions of new green jobs.

In India, because our energy infrastructure is not fully developed as yet, we have the opportunity to make the right choices today. We can choose between abundantly available renewable and sustainable energy that is the way the world is going to be powered in the future or the old, dirty

energy technologies that will drive Indias dependence on foreign countries for supply of fuel, whether it is nuclear, coal or oil.

Decentralised renewable energy:

In an effort to bring about this revolution, Greenpeace India is working to promote Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE). Decentralised energy systems are based on the idea that energy doesnt have to be generated in one giant centre and then transported long distances. It can be generated near the place it is needed, and often under the control of the people who will use it.

As decentralised energy system serves people locally, it will necessarily be smaller than the huge power stations in a centralised system. Renewable energy technologies are ideally suited to this type of small-scale energy generation and have the advantage that they wont pollute the air, water and land of the people who live nearby. Renewable energy technologies also dont generate greenhouse gases and therefore wont exacerbate climate change.

In India, where the vast size of the country and the huge power deficits mean that most people particularly those in rural areas cant rely on their electricity supply, DRE systems are particularly relevant. The beauty of operating on such a small scale means that the energy supply can be designed to exactly suit the needs of the community it serves.

Depending on the natural resources available, people can choose to capture solar power, wind power, the power of moving water using micro-hydro technology, or a combination of all of three. There are many other forms of renewable energy present in the world too, and were getting better at capturing them. Systems can be isolated these are called stand-alone or can even be connected to the main electricity grid these are called grid interactive. Grid interactive systems have the advantage that the owners of the system can actually sell power to the grid if they generate excess, creating another source of income for them, or draw extra power if they find they ever need more.

Examples of DRE systems are cropping up all over India. In Bihar, over one lakh people are using electricity made from waste rice husk. In Ladakh, tribal communities are processing their farm produces with machines powered by micro-hydro. In Karnataka, villagers are cooking food on clean gas flames produced by cow manure. Weve set out to document some examples such as these and will be posting the details soon.

Nuclear energy is unsafe

Greenpeace opposes nuclear power because it poses unacceptable risks to people and the environment. Nuclear power plants cost millions, are unsustainable, and take decades to build. India must recognise this, and build its energy future on renewable sources and energy efficiency.
The truth about nuclear power
Many myths surround nuclear energy. That it will provide energy security; that it provides a solution to climate change;that it is affordable; that it heralds a new age of energy generation that will plug Indias energy deficit. All of these are false. Most crucially, the notion that it is safe is also false. Nuclear energy is an extortionately expensive and unacceptably risky method of power generation. All power plants are vulnerable to human error, natural disasters and design failure. The difference with nuclear is that the risk of an accident carries with it terrible and longlasting consequences, which are vastly disproportionate to the power generated. Apart from the risk of accidents, each power plant also creates a legacy of radioactive waste that will remain harmful for hundreds and sometimes thousands - of years. There is still no proper solution for the storage of this waste. Power and electricity are services, intended to improve peoples lives. They are not tools to endanger lives or compromise health, as they become through nuclear power generation. In India, the risks of nuclear power are made greater by the secrecy that shrouds the industry, and the unwillingness of authorities to heed citizens concerns. Greenpeace calls for a complete and transparent safety review of existing and proposed nuclear plants in India, and a review of Indias nuclear ambition with a refocus to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Ensuring our food security

Since the dawn of civilizations agriculture is one sector that impacts and in turn is impacted the most by environment. Hence sustainability of the human race and this world depends a lot on the environmental friendliness of our agriculture. India is facing a food crisis thanks to the systematic destruction of farmlands and food production systems over the last five decades through uncontrolled use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, mono-cropping and other intensive agricultural practices. Instead of looking at the real problem the government is favouring false solutions like genetically engineered (GE) food crops. Ecological farming is the answer to the problems being faced by agriculture in our country today. It will also keep agriculture sustainable. This form of agriculture conserves our soil and water resources, protects our climate, enhances agro-diversity, ensures biodiversity, meets the demand for food and safeguards livelihoods. In short, it ensures that the environment thrives, the farm is productive, the farmer makes a net profit and society has enough nutritious food.

India has a long history of agriculture. Over centuries, farmers in this country devised practices to keep our farms sustainable. Practices like mixed cropping, crop rotation, using organic manure and pest management kept our agriculture sustainable. But things changed for the worse with the onslaught of a chemical intensive model of agriculture, imposed through the so called Green Revolution in 1965. It was therefore not surprising when the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development [IAASTD], an initiative of the United Nations and World Bank, concluded that small-scale farmers and agro-ecological methods are the way forward if the current food crisis is to be solved. This initiative involved a three year review of all the agricultural technologies in the past 50 years by around 400 scientists across the world. The IAASTD said that to meet the needs of local communities, indigenous and local knowledge need to be declared as important as formal science. This is a significant departure from the destructive chemical-dependent, one-size-fits-all model of industrial agriculture. The report also acknowledges that genetically engineered crops are highly controversial and will not play a substantial role in addressing the key problems of climate change, biodiversity loss, hunger and poverty.

Campaign story:
Greenpeace is not opposed to science nor is it opposed to finding more efficient farming methods. But we will not stand for the wilful destruction of the soil, water and biodiversity for the gains of corporates. Nor will we let human beings be treated as guinea pigs to test new crops. Keeping this in mind the sustainable agriculture campaign is currently focused on the following: Fertiliser Campaign: Degraded soil with diminishing fertility, food full of toxins, huge carbon footprints and empty coffers. This is exactly what chemical fertilizers are doing in this country. Its time to shift from these to ecological means of cultivation proved to be successful in several parts of the country. GE Campaign: Touted as the perfect solution to the food crisis, GE crops will only worsen it. Among other things, they pose a threat to human health and compromise on food safety. GE crops should not be released into the open at any cost.

Meet the Campaigners

Rajesh Krishnan is a sustainable agriculture campaigner. As an aspiring farmer, he was unhappy with the prevalent unsustainable farming techniques. This brought him to work for sustainable agriculture with Greenpeace. When not at work, Rajesh likes cooking, reading, watching films and theatre.

Gopi Krishna is the Manager for Sustainable Agriculture Campaign. A hardcore believer of agro-ecology and systems thinking, he has an inherent urge to campaign for enabling ecologically sound and socially just farming systems. When not at work, he loves to read and travel.

Shivani Shah is passionate about environment and wildlife conservation. She worked with Santuary Asia before joining Greenpeace. Shivani likes reading, sailing, watching birds, learning about handicrafts, photography, watching films and travelling.

Neha Saigal is a sustainable agriculture campaigner. As an environmentalist she has been involved and interested in issues related to sustainable livelihoods and is very passionate about the democracy around food. She likes going for long runs, cycling, reading, cooking and travelling.

At Greenpeace, ordinary people do extra ordinary things. Some climb bridges and buildings, some decipher bulky scientific reports and all of them do it just for the sake of planet Earth. These are human efforts without any influence from Kryptonite or radioactive spiders. Passion for the environment is their superpower. You can make a difference too. Add the extra to the ordinary.

Become a volunteer
Greenpeace India has a network volunteers working in different parts of the country. From taking prints to scaling coal plants, theres loads to be done. We even provide action and non-violence training to folks willing to become activists. As a volunteer you will get to work on different campaigns, participate in workshops, trainings and actions and interact with a cross section of people working to save the planet. For more information write to: volunteer.in@greenpeace.org Don't forget to mention the name of your city in the subject line of your email to us.