Calling it ‘strangulation by stealth’ Greenpeace India challenged the government's Ministry of Home Affairs to stop using arbitrary penalties and confirm they are silencing Greenpeace India because of its successful campaigns.

It’s the first time in nearly half a century of campaigning that the environmental group faces having one of its national organisations forcibly shut down.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s decision to block Greenpeace India’s domestic bank accounts could lead to not only the loss of 340 employees of the organization but a sudden death for its campaigns on sustainable development, environmental justice and clean, affordable energy.

The Executive Director of Greenpeace India, Samit Aich today addressed his staff to prepare them for the imminent shutdown of the organisation after 14 years in the country. “I just made one of the hardest speeches of my life, but my staff deserve to know the truth. We have one month left to save Greenpeace India from complete shutdown, and to fight the Home Ministry’s indefensible decision to block our domestic accounts,” said Aich.

Following allegations over foreign funding, Greenpeace India has been the subject of a string of penalties imposed by the Indian government, all of which have been overturned by the Delhi High Court. The latest is blocking access to domestic bank accounts funded by donations from over 77,000 Indian citizens.

While Greenpeace India is currently preparing its formal response to this decision as well as a fresh legal challenge, Aich is concerned that the legal process could extend well beyond June 1st - when cash reserves for salaries and office costs will run dry.

Aich continued: “The question here is why are 340 people facing the loss of their jobs? Is it because we talked about pesticide-free tea, air pollution, and a cleaner, fairer future for all Indians?”

Priya Pillai, a senior campaigner with Greenpeace India whose overseas travel ban was overturned by the Delhi High Court in the month of March was also at the meeting. She said:

“I fear for my own future, but what worries me much more is the chilling message that will go out to the rest of Indian civil society and the voiceless people they represent. The Home Minister has gone too far by blocking our domestic bank accounts, which are funded by individual Indian citizens. If Greenpeace India is first, who is next?”

Environmental charities in Australia are also under attack, with some government MPs calling for their charitable tax status to be revoked.

According to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter, "The Abbott Government is losing the public argument on the Great Barrier Reef, on forests, on climate change and on the wind-back of protections of the natural places that we all love, so they are trying to intimidate environmental charities into silence."

Although Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt should be applauded for fighting for extra Reef protection funding in tomorrow’s Federal budget, this still falls short of the action required to safeguard the Reef and avoid its inclusion on the ‘World Heritage in danger’ list.

The minister's attention must now turn to the massive coal expansion plans on the Queensland coast and the threat they pose to the Reef. If the government halts these projects, it will demonstrate decisively to UNESCO and the world that they take Reef protection seriously.

“The Reef has lost 50% of its coral in the past 30 years and is on a knife's edge. Putting more pressure on the Reef by allowing more coal expansion is unthinkable. Minister Hunt has the chance to step up as a Reef protector and put a halt to planned projects like the dredging and dumping at Abbot Point,” Greenpeace campaigner Shani Tager said.

Tomorrow’s Federal budget is expected to allocate an extra $100 million to Reef protection measures, focusing on water quality, coastal development and fishing activities, but this will not provide the long-term solution to the coal industry threats posed against the Reef. (1)

“This funding is addressing part of the problem, but won’t stop the Reef’s degradation. The largest looming threat to the Reef is the planned coal industry expansions along the Queensland coast, plans that will send more ships through the Reef’s sensitive waters, create a higher risk of shipping accidents and drive climate change,” Tager added.

“Cancelling the planned Abbot Point coal port expansion will be a huge step forward for the Reef. Millions of people across Australia and the world are demanding protection for the Reef. People like Richard Branson have shown their love for the Reef and their concern for its health. A recent poll has shown 85% of Australians would choose the Reef over coal. If Greg Hunt and the Abbott Government are serious about protecting the Reef - as they keep telling the world they are - they should stop this project in its tracks.” (2)

Contact:
Elsa Evers (+61) 438 204 041, Shani Tager (+61) 427 914 070

Notes:
1. www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/federal-budget-2015-whats-in-and-whats-ruled-out-20150508-ggx3n5.html
2. http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/mediacentre/media-releases/climate/85-of-Australians-say-Reef-not-Coal/

Following Tuesday’s Federal budget announcement of cheap loans for ports, pipelines, power and water infrastructure projects, Greenpeace is demanding the government come clean on what the money will be used for, and to rule out using taxpayer money for any coal industry projects that will harm the Great Barrier Reef.

“If the proposed power stations, rail lines and coal ports for the Galilee Basin proceed, they will be disastrous for the health of the Reef,” Greenpeace Reef campaigner Shani Tager said.

“These loans could be a kick in the teeth for anyone concerned about the future of the Great Barrier Reef and the global climate. No taxpayer money should be used to fund coal ports or coal industry expansions. Australians deserve better,” Tager added.

“At a time when 11 international banks have ruled out funding Galilee Basin coal projects, the Australian government must not prop up a dying industry that will harm the Reef. Our money would be better used to help fund a transition to renewable energy.”

Contact:

Elsa Evers (+61) 438 204 041, Shani Tager (+61) 427 914 070

 Thousands of people are still in dire need of emergency shelter and goods, even two months after Cyclone Pam battered the island nation.

“We’re very thankful that Greenpeace is donating its ship, the Rainbow Warrior, to help distribute aid to our remote communities,” Director of the National Disaster Management Office in Port Vila, Shadrack Welegtabit said.

“There are ongoing tireless efforts from many different organisations working to provide relief to Vanuatu and it’s people. But delivering aid to all of the nation's 23 worst affected islands has been a challenge because Vanuatu has limited vessels available to distribute relief to all affected islands and getting supplies around is a slow and tedious process.”

The Rainbow Warrior is due to dock at Port Vila on Sunday morning carrying goods supplied by partner organisations including tools, solar torches, clothing, kitchen utensils, stationery and books. Previous relief donations stuck in the nation’s capital will also be loaded onto the ship and taken to the most affected islands. 

“We’ll be taking things to help people get back to normal life. Aid agencies on the ground have reported a desperate need for solar torches due to the sporadic power and electricity outages Vanuatu is experiencing. This will help provide light and safety to remote areas that have been destroyed by Cyclone Pam,” said Greenpeace Pacific spokesperson Matisse Walkden-Brown.

As a Fiji national, Walkden-Brown believes uniting the Pacific region in response to freak storms like Cyclone Pam is becoming more important as climate change drives increasingly severe weather events.

“Greenpeace is here with the Rainbow Warrior to stand in solidarity with the people of Vanuatu not only to assist with the ongoings efforts to rebuild their home, but to help amplify and multiply their voices,” Walkden-Brown said. 

“Cyclone Pam was one of the most intense cyclones ever recorded. Increasingly severe storms are battering Pacific nations as a result of climate change. As Pacific Islanders, we have a right to stand up and challenge the world’s most polluting companies and nations. They are having a direct impact on our lives and homes,” she said. 

“Pacific Island countries may be vulnerable to climate change, but we are also strong, loud and we have every right to challenge the global governance that has so far failed, putting our existence at risk,” Walkden-Brown said. 

For more information, images or interviews, contact: 

Matisse Walkden-Brown: +678 77 4144 (Vanuatu)

Elsa Evers: +61 438 204 041 (Sydney)

'Australia is the sunniest country in the world and one of the windiest. In a world where action to prevent dangerous climate change is more important than ever, we should be making the most of this natural advantage instead of cutting a successful program like the RET,’ said Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaigner, Nikola Casule.

Since 2001, the RET has delivered over $20 billion of investment in renewable energy and has created 24,000 new jobs. In its current form it is forecast to cut average annual household electricity bills by $50 by 2020, and by up to $140 after 2020.

‘A cut to the RET is a betrayal of Australian households facing rising power prices and a slap in the face of workers in the renewable energy industry some of whose jobs are now at risk.’

The government has also proposed including the burning of native forest waste biomass under the scheme, a measure opposed by Greenpeace and a wide coalition of environmental groups.

‘Right now, the government is formulating Australia’s post-2020 emissions targets, with Labor arguing for greater ambition in reducing Australia’s carbon pollution. Given the substantial reduction in our carbon emissions which will be needed to keep global warming to a safe level, Ministers Hunt and Macfarlane should be doing all they can to encourage more solar and wind power in Australia.’

‘Cutting the RET at this critical time is exactly the wrong thing to do,’ said Casule.

For interviews or more information, contact:  Nikola Casule 0428 769 307

These methods can avoid needlessly killing marine life like sharks, turtles, small whales and juvenile tuna, according to the 2015 Greenpeace canned tuna ranking.

“Most canned tuna in the world is caught using destructive fishing methods that wantonly destroy marine life and put tuna stocks at risk.  Thanks to consumer pressure that no longer applies in the Australian market,” said Nathaniel Pelle, Greenpeace Australia Pacific oceans campaigner.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific launched the sixth edition of its successful canned tuna guide on World Tuna day, 2 May 2014.  For the first time the brands that have converted to responsible fishing methods outnumber the brands who are yet to convert.

“Tuna’s the most popular seafood product in Australia and with several tuna stocks being in a precarious state, the environmental significance of this dramatic change is hard to overestimate,” said Pelle. “When we first introduced the guide in 2010 most brands couldn’t even tell us what species of tuna was in their cans, let alone where it came from or how it was caught.”

“For those brands to have negotiated directly with the fishing companies to ensure they only source from responsible fishing methods is a dramatic turnaround.”

Australians consume over 40,000 tonnes of canned tuna every year, most of it sourced in the waters of our Pacific Island neighbours.  More than 2.5 million tonnes of tuna is caught in the Pacific every year, which contributes over 70% of the world’s tuna catch.  All tuna species are in decline, with the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) and purse seine nets being a major cause.

FADs attract marine life, including tuna, making the fish easier to catch with giant ‘purse seine’ nets, however this method results in a dramatic increase in catch of juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna, and non-tuna species known as bycatch.

All major Australian brands have committed to end the use of FADs with purse seine nets in favour of FAD-free and ‘pole and line’ fishing.

"The best thing Aussie consumers can do is use our canned tuna guide, find a brand that labels its cans correctly, and choose a product that has already switched to using skipjack tuna caught by 'pole and line' or FAD-free fishing methods," said Pelle.

Calling it ‘strangulation by stealth’ Greenpeace India challenged the government's Ministry of Home Affairs to stop using arbitrary penalties and confirm they are silencing Greenpeace India because of its successful campaigns.

It’s the first time in nearly half a century of campaigning that the environmental group faces having one of its national organisations forcibly shut down.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s decision to block Greenpeace India’s domestic bank accounts could lead to not only the loss of 340 employees of the organization but a sudden death for its campaigns on sustainable development, environmental justice and clean, affordable energy.

The Executive Director of Greenpeace India, Samit Aich today addressed his staff to prepare them for the imminent shutdown of the organisation after 14 years in the country. “I just made one of the hardest speeches of my life, but my staff deserve to know the truth. We have one month left to save Greenpeace India from complete shutdown, and to fight the Home Ministry’s indefensible decision to block our domestic accounts,” said Aich.

Following allegations over foreign funding, Greenpeace India has been the subject of a string of penalties imposed by the Indian government, all of which have been overturned by the Delhi High Court. The latest is blocking access to domestic bank accounts funded by donations from over 77,000 Indian citizens.

While Greenpeace India is currently preparing its formal response to this decision as well as a fresh legal challenge, Aich is concerned that the legal process could extend well beyond June 1st - when cash reserves for salaries and office costs will run dry.

Aich continued: “The question here is why are 340 people facing the loss of their jobs? Is it because we talked about pesticide-free tea, air pollution, and a cleaner, fairer future for all Indians?”

Priya Pillai, a senior campaigner with Greenpeace India whose overseas travel ban was overturned by the Delhi High Court in the month of March was also at the meeting. She said:

“I fear for my own future, but what worries me much more is the chilling message that will go out to the rest of Indian civil society and the voiceless people they represent. The Home Minister has gone too far by blocking our domestic bank accounts, which are funded by individual Indian citizens. If Greenpeace India is first, who is next?”

Environmental charities in Australia are also under attack, with some government MPs calling for their charitable tax status to be revoked.

According to Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter, "The Abbott Government is losing the public argument on the Great Barrier Reef, on forests, on climate change and on the wind-back of protections of the natural places that we all love, so they are trying to intimidate environmental charities into silence."

Visit Greenpeace’s new Take Another Look website here: http://www.takeanotherlook.gp/

“The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living thing and Australia is supposed to be its guardian. The vast majority of Australians want the Reef, not more coal expansion (2), but the Abbott government is more interested in propping up a dying coal industry than keeping alive the Great Barrier Reef,” said Shani Tager from Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

The launch comes just a week before UNESCO produces its draft report on the health of the Reef. At its June meeting, UNESCO will give a more definitive judgement on the Australian government’s ability to be a global guardian of the World Heritage Area.

“While the Abbott Government is continuing to back coal port expansions in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, it is clear it cannot be trusted to protect the reef. At this critical juncture for the future of the Reef, we’re urging UNESCO to look at the science and the Australian government’s track record and keep their eyes on the Reef.”

The Take Another Look website will go global on June 15 and galvanise worldwide pressure ahead of the UNESCO meeting in Bonn, Germany on June 29.

Notes:

1. When polling company ReachTEL Australians to agree or disagree with the statement: ‘If I had to choose between protecting the Great Barrier Reef and expanding the coal industry I would choose protecting the Reef’– 85% of respondees agreed.

For interviews or more information, contact: Elsa Evers 0438 204 041

“We will follow due process and respond to the MHA’s claims of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act violations and take the matter to court. But the government has also blocked our domestic accounts and is now preventing Indians from supporting our work for clean air, healthy forests, pesticide-free food and a livable environment. This isn't about Greenpeace India's constitutional and unquestionable right to receive funds from abroad, this is about the government trying to shut us down. The government is simply ignoring the concerns of the hundreds of thousands of Indians that support our campaigns, and the 70,000-plus Indians who support us financially.”

Last week, the MHA had temporarily suspended Greenpeace India’s license to receive money from overseas and served it with a show cause notice for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Greenpeace India gets 70% of its funds from Indians, and the MHA has ordered that these funds be frozen as well. There is no provision in the FCRA Act, 2010 that permits this.

In the five days since news of the FCRA suspension was leaked by the MHA to media, a number of Indians have come forward to pledge their support for the organisation. However, many have seen their attempts to donate to the NGO blocked.

Amnesty International has called the blocking the funds: “… extreme measures taken by the government to disable an organisation for promoting the voices of some of the country’s most powerless people will damage and shame India. Intolerance to dissent will only weaken our society.” 

The proposal will see dredging in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the dumping of dredge spoil next to the Reef and the Caley Valley Wetlands.

“This is the third proposal for Abbot Point and it is still terrible news for the Reef,” says Greenpeace campaigner Shani Tager. “In addition to the direct impacts of dredging and dumping, it will mean more ships through the Reef’s sensitive waters, more coal dust and a higher risk of shipping accidents.”

“The biggest long term threat to the Reef is climate change and this proposal will see more coal shipped through the Reef and burnt, ultimately driving dangerous climate change.”

“If Greg Hunt and the Abbott Government are serious about protecting the Reef - as they keep telling the world they are - they should stop this project in its tracks,” says Tager. “If the Queensland government is serious about protecting the Reef, it shouldn’t be anywhere near this proposal.”

“Scientists are telling us the Reef’s health is already on the brink, and UNESCO is so worried they’re considering putting the Reef on the World Heritage ‘in danger’ list at their next meeting in June”

“When a much-loved Australian national icon is at risk of collapse, Australians expect their governments to pull out all the stops to save it. That is not what is happening. The people of Australia – and our beloved Reef - are being failed by our governments.”

“In a week where China announced a 42% decrease in coal imports for this year, the future of the entire project is in question - why would we risk our Reef when it’s not clear there’s any future demand for the coal?”

For interviews, contact: Elsa Evers+61) 438 204 041 or Shani Tager (+61) 427 914 070

Video footage and photos:http://www.greenpeacemedia.org/main.php?g2_itemId=19586 
Username: photos  Password: green

The Norwegian parliament has recognised the havoc that coal wreaks on our climate and the environment, as well as on investors' bottom line. That’s a clear message for the Australian government - rather than help fund future coal projects in the Galilee Basin, the federal government should put its money elsewhere.

The Norwegian Oil Fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, is one of the best performing investment funds in the world. The decision to divest from coal is a strong warning to anyone thinking of investing in the Carmichael mega-mine and Abbot Point port proposed for Queensland's Galilee Basin."

“With coal on the way out and a coal price in decline, smart investors are getting out. Eleven major global banks have already ruled out investing in the Carmichael mine and it's time for Australia's big four banks to take care of their own investors and the Great Barrier Reef by saying no to this doomed project.”

Contact: Aaron Gray-Block 0437 845 150 or Nikola Casule 0428 769 307 

“UNESCO now joins a long line of scientists, banks, organisations and individuals who are deeply worried about the Reef’s health. The Australian government can’t talk about protecting the Reef while aggressively supporting the licensing of mega-mines and expansion of coal ports along the Great Barrier Reef coast,” said Shani Tager, Greenpeace Australia Reef campaigner. 

UNESCO had been relentlessly lobbied by the Australian government, who have continued to insist that the Reef is fine despite that fact that 50% of its coral cover has been destroyed in the last thirty years. Eminent scientists and environmentalists have warned that the Reef is still in danger from numerous threats, including coal mine and port expansions and climate change. 

“This decision has been described by some as a reprieve for the Reef. It is not a reprieve - it is a big, red flag from UNESCO. Preeminent Reef scientists have said we can either have coal expansion or a healthy Reef, but we can’t have both. The Australian people have made it clear they want Reef protection not more coal. UNESCO has now also sent a clear signal that the Abbott government must fully protect the Great Barrier Reef and that means a reprieve from coal expansion,” added Tager. 

Greenpeace is calling on Tony Abbott to stop trying to prop up a dying coal industry that is killing the Great Barrier Reef and driving climate change; remove port expansion loopholes from the Reef 2050 plan; cancel the Carmichael mega-mine and   the Abbot Point coal port expansion and instead invest in a sustainable energy industry that will provide secure jobs and a sustainable future for Queensland workers and the Reef. 

In addition Greenpeace is calling on financial institutions who are considering investing in the Carmichael mega-mine and Abbot Point coal port expansion to recognise that they will be investing in the destruction of a World Heritage Area, the world’s largest living thing, and should cancel any further financial involvement in the projects.

Contact:

Shani Tager (in Brisbane) + 61 427 914 070

Sara Holden, Greenpeace Communications  (in Sydney) +61 417 329 504

Leanne Minshull, Greenpeace International Political Advisor (Amsterdam)  +31 646162025

Tom Lowe, Greenpeace Communication (Amsterdam)  +31 646 16 20 24

The good news comes on the back of sustained pressure from tens of thousands of Australians who emailed Australian paper supplierOffice Brands demanding an end to the use of APRIL’s paper because it was sourced from Indonesia’s old growth rainforests.

 Greenpeace Australia Pacific  welcomed APRIL’s announcement, and is suspending its campaign to stop Australian businesses buying from APRIL to give the company time to put these new policies into practice.

 “Over forty thousand Australians contacted Office Brands to ask them to stop buying from APRIL until it stopped clearing precious Indonesian rainforest”, said Jessica Panegyres, Greenpeace’s Forest Campaigner.

“Office Brands listened to these concerns and raised them with APRIL, which has no doubt contributed to today’s announcement.” 

 "Indonesia's beautiful rainforests are too precious to turn into paper, and today's announcement shows forest protection is becoming the way forward for business," Ms Panegyres said.

Deforestation for pulp and paper, and palm oil, is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia. If properly implemented, APRIL’s pledge will prove to be another major step by business towards protecting Indonesia’s rainforests and peatlands.APRIL’s parent company, the Royal Golden Eagle group, has also announced that new sustainability policies will be implemented by all other pulp companies in the group, including an end to deforestation.

“We commend APRIL for agreeing to end its deforestation, although we will be watching closely to make sure that today’s announcement leads to real change on the ground,” said Bustar Maitar, Head of Greenpeace’s Forest Campaign in Indonesia. “Today’s commitment from APRIL and the RGE Group is yet more proof that forest protection is the way forward for plantation companies in Indonesia.”

APRIL has agreed to a number of new conservation measures, including using the High Carbon Stock Approach to identify and protect forest areas remaining in their concessions. The company has also agreed to protect forested peatlands and has established a Peat Expert Working Group to help its develop international best practice for managing peatlands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Indonesia’s peatlands store an estimated 60 billion metric tons of carbon. When peatlands are drained for plantations this carbon is released, and the landscape becomes susceptible to smouldering fires which blanket the region in an annual haze.

APRIL has also agreed to work collaboratively and transparently to resolve its outstanding social conflicts and to support development opportunities for local communities that do not involve deforestation.

APRIL’s announcement follows similar decisions by other major players in the pulp and palm oil sectors to protect Indonesia’s forests and peatlands. In September, some of the biggest palm oil producers in Indonesia, including APRIL’s sister companies Asian Agri and Apical, agreed to end deforestation. Equally, there is growing support from the business community in Indonesia for a development model based on forest protection.

“President Jokowi promised to stop plantation companies damaging the environment or harming communities. Yet even though Indonesia’s biggest pulpwood and palm oil companies are moving away from deforestation, the destruction on the ground continues. The government must now act to reform the forest sector so it works for people and the environment,” said Maitar.

Notes to Editors

1.    Largely as a result of the rapid expansion of the palm oil and pulp and paper sector into Indonesia’s rainforests and peatlands, by 2005 Indonesia ranked as the world’s third-highest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Loss of its forest habitat to pulp and palm oil concessions has driven endangered wildlife species such as Sumatran tiger and the orangutan closer to extinction.

2.    Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd. (APRIL) is the second largest pulp and paper company in Indonesia, and one of the largest pulp and paper producers in the world. Its new Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) is available on its website, http://www.aprilasia.com.

3.    Alongside APRIL’s new policy, the Royal Golden Eagle Group has published sustainability principles that are to be implemented by its pulp companies, including Toba Pulp Lestari, Asia Symbol and Sateri. Those principles are available on its website, http://www.rgei.com. The palm oil companies in the RGE Group, Asian Agri and Apical, announced new sustainability policies, including an end to deforestation, in September 2014. http://www.apicalgroup.com/sustainability

4.    APRIL and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) together account for approximately 80% of Indonesian pulp production. APP announced a new Forest Conservation Policy that included an end to deforestation in 2013. These companies were the only large-scale producers of pulp using rainforest fibre. The other pulp companies either use plantation acacia only, or produce very small volumes of pulp.

Summary of APRIL’s Sustainable Forest Management Plan commitments

• An end to further development of any forested land, including peat forests.
• Working with international experts to develop best practice peatland management at landscape level to reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
• Protocols to ensure that communities can exercise their right to free prior and informed consent, and to resolve conflicts with communities affected by current operations.
• Conserving an area of land equal in size to APRIL’s plantations.
• Additional measures to support responsible forest management throughout APRIL’s global supply chain.

Media Contacts

Jessica Panegyres, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Forest Campaigner, 0424 090 396

Bustar Maitar, Global Head of Indonesia Forest Campaign, bmaitar@greenpeace.org, mob. +62 813 4466 6135

Igor O'Neill, International Media for Indonesia Forest Campaign, ioneill@greenpeace.org, mob +62 811 1923 721

Greenpeace International Press Desk, global-commshubs@greenpeace.org, phone: +31 (0)20 718 2470

Photo credit:

Orangutan in Central Kalimantan. Baby orangutan at Orangutan Foundation International Care Center in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan. Expansion of oil palm plantations is destroying their forest habitat.

09/14/2013 © Ulet Ifansasti / GreenpeaceOrangutan Foundation International Care Center in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan.

“We will follow due process and respond to the MHA’s claims of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act violations and take the matter to court. But the government has also blocked our domestic accounts and is now preventing Indians from supporting our work for clean air, healthy forests, pesticide-free food and a livable environment. This isn't about Greenpeace India's constitutional and unquestionable right to receive funds from abroad, this is about the government trying to shut us down. The government is simply ignoring the concerns of the hundreds of thousands of Indians that support our campaigns, and the 70,000-plus Indians who support us financially.”

Last week, the MHA had temporarily suspended Greenpeace India’s license to receive money from overseas and served it with a show cause notice for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Greenpeace India gets 70% of its funds from Indians, and the MHA has ordered that these funds be frozen as well. There is no provision in the FCRA Act, 2010 that permits this.

In the five days since news of the FCRA suspension was leaked by the MHA to media, a number of Indians have come forward to pledge their support for the organisation. However, many have seen their attempts to donate to the NGO blocked.

Amnesty International has called the blocking the funds: “… extreme measures taken by the government to disable an organisation for promoting the voices of some of the country’s most powerless people will damage and shame India. Intolerance to dissent will only weaken our society.” 

The proposal will see dredging in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and the dumping of dredge spoil next to the Reef and the Caley Valley Wetlands.

“This is the third proposal for Abbot Point and it is still terrible news for the Reef,” says Greenpeace campaigner Shani Tager. “In addition to the direct impacts of dredging and dumping, it will mean more ships through the Reef’s sensitive waters, more coal dust and a higher risk of shipping accidents.”

“The biggest long term threat to the Reef is climate change and this proposal will see more coal shipped through the Reef and burnt, ultimately driving dangerous climate change.”

“If Greg Hunt and the Abbott Government are serious about protecting the Reef - as they keep telling the world they are - they should stop this project in its tracks,” says Tager. “If the Queensland government is serious about protecting the Reef, it shouldn’t be anywhere near this proposal.”

“Scientists are telling us the Reef’s health is already on the brink, and UNESCO is so worried they’re considering putting the Reef on the World Heritage ‘in danger’ list at their next meeting in June”

“When a much-loved Australian national icon is at risk of collapse, Australians expect their governments to pull out all the stops to save it. That is not what is happening. The people of Australia – and our beloved Reef - are being failed by our governments.”

“In a week where China announced a 42% decrease in coal imports for this year, the future of the entire project is in question - why would we risk our Reef when it’s not clear there’s any future demand for the coal?”

For interviews, contact: Elsa Evers+61) 438 204 041 or Shani Tager (+61) 427 914 070

Video footage and photos:http://www.greenpeacemedia.org/main.php?g2_itemId=19586 
Username: photos  Password: green

The Norwegian parliament has recognised the havoc that coal wreaks on our climate and the environment, as well as on investors' bottom line. That’s a clear message for the Australian government - rather than help fund future coal projects in the Galilee Basin, the federal government should put its money elsewhere.

The Norwegian Oil Fund, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, is one of the best performing investment funds in the world. The decision to divest from coal is a strong warning to anyone thinking of investing in the Carmichael mega-mine and Abbot Point port proposed for Queensland's Galilee Basin."

“With coal on the way out and a coal price in decline, smart investors are getting out. Eleven major global banks have already ruled out investing in the Carmichael mine and it's time for Australia's big four banks to take care of their own investors and the Great Barrier Reef by saying no to this doomed project.”

Contact: Aaron Gray-Block 0437 845 150 or Nikola Casule 0428 769 307 

Aaron Gray-Block had been travelling to India on an Australian passport to take part in a series of meetings with staff and to learn more about Greenpeace India’s current campaigns. 

Commenting on the news, Divya Raghunandan, Programme Director, Greenpeace India said:

“Our colleague has a valid business visa, and yet he was prevented from entering India with no reason given. We support the free movement of people across the world, which is crucial to the work of business as well as charities. Greenpeace International is a global organisation that helps to find solutions to environmental problems. There is absolutely no reason why one of its staff members should be treated in such an arbitrary way, and we expect the Ministry of Home Affairs to offer a full explanation.”

“We are forced to wonder if all international staff of Greenpeace will now be prevented from entering the country? If the Home Minister Rajnath Singh has a stand on this, then we would like him to state it clearly.”

Gray-Block was denied entry, his passport was seized and he was put on a flight to Kuala Lumpur despite having a valid business visa and documents. His passport was returned to him after he landed in Kuala Lumpur. He is now back in Australia. This is not the first time Greenpeace staff from other countries have been denied entry into India.

Greenpeace is a global organisation functioning in more than 50 countries. Being a global organisation Greenpeace believes in the process of international integration of people, thoughts, resources and ideas. Denying entry to a Greenpeace International employee with a valid visa is yet further proof of the extent to which the Indian Government is prepared to go in violating Greenpeace’s right to freedom of expression under international law and under India’s Constitution.

The treatment of Aaron Gray-Block is just the latest in a series of attempts by the Indian government to obstruct the work of the environmental group.

Greenpeace India faces a coordinated crackdown orchestrated by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs. On 9th of April, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh blocked Greenpeace India's bank accounts for which the environmental group had to seek interim relief from the Delhi High Court. Previously, Greenpeace India activist Priya Pillai was prevented from travelling to London to voice her concerns against a multinational coal company trying to destroy one of Asia’s oldest sal wood forests.

The Delhi High Court overturned this action of the Ministry of Home Affairs and after a four month ordeal, Priya Pillai’s ‘offload’ passport stamp was formally expunged in May.

For further information, contact:

Aaron Gray-Block, (Sydney): +61 437 845 150; aaron.gray-block@greenpeace.org

Anindita Datta Chouhdury, Senior Media Officer, Greenpeace India: 9871515804; adattach@greenpeace.org

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

The video, featuring Gotye’s hit song “Heart’s A Mess”, urges viewers to “Take Another Look” at the Reef. It contrasts the Reef’s natural beauty with the damage already done and the potential for even more if reckless industrial development, mega mine and coal port expansion continue to be advocated by the Australian government.

“The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living thing and Australia is supposed to be its guardian. The vast majority of Australians want the Reef protected, not more coal expansion,” said Jess Panegyres from Greenpeace Australia Pacific. “Tony Abbott’s government is more interested in propping up a dying coal industry than keeping alive the Great Barrier Reef, and the vital, sustainable tourism industry that depends on it.”

The video launch comes two weeks after UNESCO’s draft report on the health of the Reef warned it is in a poor condition and demanded the Australian government report back in 18 months on implementing real protection for the Reef.  

“As a diver I have seen the Reef changing and we must listen to the warnings from UNESCO and environmental groups like Greenpeace,” said Paddy Colwell, marine biologist and founder of Reef Teach – a Cairns-based education centre, dedicated to showing the wonders of Great Barrier Reef. “A healthy Reef is vital for the tourism industry and the government has admitted that without pressure from environmentalists, they wouldn’t have done anything to stop the on-going destruction.” Colwell added.

UNESCO is due to produce its final report in Bonn in two weeks time.

“The Abbott government is still pushing its Reef 2050 plan on UNESCO, but the plan allows for coal port expansion, which is completely contrary to the advice from UNESCO to not approve any projects that impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the Reef,” said Panegyres.

Greenpeace is calling on Tony Abbott to remove port expansion loopholes from the Reef 2050 plan; cancel the Carmichael mega-mine and the Abbot Point coal port expansion and instead invest in a sustainable energy industry that will provide secure jobs and a sustainable future for Queensland workers, support the goals of the tourism sector and help save the Reef.

In addition Greenpeace is calling on financial institutions who are considering investing in the Carmichael mega-mine and Abbot Point coal port expansion to recognise that they will be investing in the destruction of a World Heritage Area as well as threatening the 70,000 jobs in tourism that rely on a healthy Reef and should cancel any further financial involvement in the projects.

Contacts:

Sara Holden, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Media: +61 417 329 504

Jess Panegyres, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Political Advisor

David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace said it is clear that fossil fuel companies have too much power and the Coalition Government makes too many decisions that suit the interests of the fossil fuel lobby.

“Everyone else is coming a distant second to the power of the fossil fuel companies under this government.

“Whether you love our beautiful oceans and forests, or depend on a healthy Great Barrier Reef or good groundwater for your business, job or farm, you are losing out to the fossil fuel lobby under this government.

“The fossil fuel industry campaigns to weaken the environmental laws, as was the case with their Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation campaign to demolish federal environmental protections on their activities.

“Australians deserve an explanation as to how the lobbying activities of the fossil fuel industry work. No tax is paid on their political campaigns.

“They have run campaigns inconsistent with science on climate change, to prevent tax reform, and even to initiate parliamentary inquiries.

“It would be useful to understand how this lobbying leads to government subsidies for the industry.

“Australian taxpayers deserve to know what environmental wreckage occurs from fossil fuel company and lobby group donations to political parties.

“The current revolving door between government and the fossil fuel industry in relation to public servants, political staff and politicians must end.

“The Abbott Government is trying to stand over and silence Australians concerned about the environment on behalf of the fossil fuel industry.

“The fossil fuel industry conducts tax-free political campaigns to weaken environment laws and potentially wreck special places like the Great Barrier Reef.

“The government gives the fossil fuel industry special treatment. There’s the budget’s $5 billion dollar slush fund for projects that don’t have financial or public support, such as the Abbot Point dredging on the Great Barrier Reef.  

“Clearly the fossil fuel industry has too much power over the Abbott Government.

“The government simply abolished the mining tax and the carbon price because it suited the interests of their political supporters.

“It’s time we had a proper inquiry into the influence of an industry that is prepared not only to destroy places like the Great Barrier Reef but to undermine our democracy,” said Mr Ritter.  

For more information contact Siobhan Lyttle 0432 828 004