Greenpeace won’t rock the boat in Copenhagen.

By Isabelle Tolhurst

In past years, Greenpeace boats Rainbow Warrior, Arctic Sunrise and the Beluga have been used to support daring and outlandish activity in the hope of preventing environmental destruction and promote awareness.

They have sided up to huge whaling ships, scaled the legs of oil rigs and cut through sheets of thick ice in the Arctic circle, to name just a few of the crafts adventures.

However, this time it appears that two of the Greenpeace boats, Arctic Sunrise and The Beluga will remain anchored at Nyhavn port in Copenhagen city.

‘The boat is here as part of the big Greenpeace family and we are here to help in this pushing the delegates to really achieving a legally binding agreement that is really needed, ’ says Rosso Filippini, an environmental activist and crew member of the Arctic Sunrise for over ten years.

Presence as Protest

Greenpeace have been clear in their ambitions for the conference, and will insist through various initiatives for binding legislation between governments and delegating bodies. According to their website, Greenpeace are in Copenhagen ‘to bear witness to the decisions being made about our future. We’ll also be on the front lines of the demonstrations in Copenhagen – taking action and bringing your voice directly to world leaders as they shape our future.’

However the boats will use their sheer presence as a protest, particularly the Beluga, fortified with a huge yellow banner bearing the words ‘Stop Climate Change Here.’

‘We will open the boat to the public, talk to the public, and really make them feel our presence…but sometimes our presence really does achieve something. A month ago in France we stopped the transport of nuclear waste from France to Siberia…just by being there. We didn’t move a finger…everything just stopped,’ continued Filippini.

But Greenpeace continues to work actively around the city in a number of different capacities.

‘There are shows and exhibitions run by Greenpeace …and together with a good amount of organizations we are meeting regularly, trying to reach delegates…in this way we are already telling them not to lose time. I’ve already seen the glaciers; they are half of what they were 20 years ago…’

Global Problem, Global Response

Despite the boats remaining docked for the duration of the conference, and returning to the Netherlands for reparation when talks conclude on the 18^th, Greenpeace still believe it’s all hands on deck when with regards to action climate change.

‘We all have responsibilities, me too…I’m not an angel! Climate change is a global problem, and needs support from all global citizens,’ Filippini admitted.

‘At the moment we are waiting in hope…of course there are already people speaking loud and we have good strong declarations…but we’ll see. With so many countries involved, with so many voices and so many interests it can seem contradictory but it is the outcome that is important…but we are a stubborn positive people,’ he concluded.