Greenpeace Southeast Asia
Encyclopedia
Greenpeace Southeast Asia is the regional office of the global environmental organization
Greenpeace
.
Greenpeace has run successful campaigns in the Philippines, Taiwan, India, Indonesia and Thailand, often working with other local environmental groups. In late 80's and early 90's, Greenpeace has developed its presence, and first established an office in Japan in 1989 and then China in 1997. Because of the region's vital importance, initial investigations were also initiated focusing primarily on Philippines and Indonesia.
Greenpeace has thoroughly campaigned in industrialized countries to reduce and eventually eliminate environmental pollution and degradation knowing that those efforts can easily be reversed as some multinational companies export dirty technologies resulting in environmental destruction in the region. In 1999, Greenpeace led the campaign to push for the passage of Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise known as "The Philippine Clean Air Act" which includes an unprecedented national ban against waste incineration. In recognition of the region's vital importance, Greenpeace Southeast Asia was formally established on March 2000 with its head office in Bangkok, Thailand and branch offices in Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia --- major cities in the region that are among the most polluted cities in the world today.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia is firmly rooted within the local environmental communities around the countries where it operates. Licensed to use the name "Greenpeace" by Stichting Greenpeace Council, Greenpeace Southeast Asia contributes financially to Greenpeace International, campaign locally, participate in international campaigns, and help shape the international campaign program.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia's work in the region includes stopping hazardous waste imports, opposing radioactive shipments, campaigning against forest destruction, lobbying governments on sustainable energy issues and drawing attention to the dangers of waste incineration. It uses tactics of non-violent direct action to draw attention to what it considers significant threats to the environment, and then forces solutions.
In 2005 the Rainbow Warrior II ran aground on and damaged the Tubbataha Reef
in the Philippines while inspecting the reef for coral bleaching
. Greenpeace was fined $7,000 USD for damaging the reef and agreed to pay the fine saying they felt responsible for the damage, although Greenpeace stated that the Philippines government had given it outdated charts. The park manager of Tubbatha appreciated the quick action Greenpeace took to assess the damage to the reef.
As a regional organization, Greenpeace Southeast Asia focuses on bearing witness to the impacts brought by global warming
, and increasing public awareness of the problems it poses. Campaigning to effect changes in the direction of the region's energy policies for the future, the group encourages governments to turn away from fossil fuel
dependency and embracing renewable, sustainable and clean sources of energy.
Environmental organization
An environmental organization is an organization that seeks to protect, analyze or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation or lobby for these goals....
Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
.
Greenpeace has run successful campaigns in the Philippines, Taiwan, India, Indonesia and Thailand, often working with other local environmental groups. In late 80's and early 90's, Greenpeace has developed its presence, and first established an office in Japan in 1989 and then China in 1997. Because of the region's vital importance, initial investigations were also initiated focusing primarily on Philippines and Indonesia.
Greenpeace has thoroughly campaigned in industrialized countries to reduce and eventually eliminate environmental pollution and degradation knowing that those efforts can easily be reversed as some multinational companies export dirty technologies resulting in environmental destruction in the region. In 1999, Greenpeace led the campaign to push for the passage of Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise known as "The Philippine Clean Air Act" which includes an unprecedented national ban against waste incineration. In recognition of the region's vital importance, Greenpeace Southeast Asia was formally established on March 2000 with its head office in Bangkok, Thailand and branch offices in Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia --- major cities in the region that are among the most polluted cities in the world today.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia is firmly rooted within the local environmental communities around the countries where it operates. Licensed to use the name "Greenpeace" by Stichting Greenpeace Council, Greenpeace Southeast Asia contributes financially to Greenpeace International, campaign locally, participate in international campaigns, and help shape the international campaign program.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia's work in the region includes stopping hazardous waste imports, opposing radioactive shipments, campaigning against forest destruction, lobbying governments on sustainable energy issues and drawing attention to the dangers of waste incineration. It uses tactics of non-violent direct action to draw attention to what it considers significant threats to the environment, and then forces solutions.
In 2005 the Rainbow Warrior II ran aground on and damaged the Tubbataha Reef
Tubbataha Reef
Tubbataha Reef is an atoll coral reef located in the Sulu Sea of the Philippines. It is a marine sanctuary protected as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park...
in the Philippines while inspecting the reef for coral bleaching
Coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is the loss of intracellular endosymbionts through either expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation.The corals that form the structure of the great reef ecosystems of tropical seas depend upon a symbiotic relationship with unicellular flagellate protozoa, called zooxanthellae, that...
. Greenpeace was fined $7,000 USD for damaging the reef and agreed to pay the fine saying they felt responsible for the damage, although Greenpeace stated that the Philippines government had given it outdated charts. The park manager of Tubbatha appreciated the quick action Greenpeace took to assess the damage to the reef.
As a regional organization, Greenpeace Southeast Asia focuses on bearing witness to the impacts brought by global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, and increasing public awareness of the problems it poses. Campaigning to effect changes in the direction of the region's energy policies for the future, the group encourages governments to turn away from fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
dependency and embracing renewable, sustainable and clean sources of energy.
See also
- GreenpeaceGreenpeaceGreenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
- Greenpeace ChinaGreenpeace ChinaGreenpeace East Asia is an office serving the East Asia region of the global environmental organization Greenpeace. It is one of the largest international NGOs in China.-History:Greenpeace East Asia's first China office was opened in Hong Kong in 1997...
- Greenpeace Aotearoa New ZealandGreenpeace Aotearoa New ZealandGreenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand is one of New Zealand's largest environmental organisations, and is a national office of the global environmental organisation Greenpeace.-History:...
- Von HernandezVon HernandezVon Hernandez is a former literature professor and environmental activist from the Philippines. He has spoken up against the processing of imported garbage, when waste incinerators pump out clouds of dioxin and other harmful chemicals...