Deep-sea mining is an emerging extractive industry that removes mineral deposits from the ocean’s seabed. If allowed, huge machines that could weigh more than a blue whale will be lowered to the ocean floor where they will strip, dredge or cut deposits from deep ocean ecosystems. It may have a devastating impact and more than 750 scientists have called for a halt to the industry before it starts.
Calling on the UK government to act, each ad reads: “Deforestation is a catastrophe. Deep-sea mining doesn’t have to be another. Our government can help stop it before it starts.”
Ariana Densham, head of oceans at Greenpeace UK, said: “If allowed to start, deep-sea mining would be a catastrophe for our oceans and marine life. The UK government calls itself a leader on ocean protection and yet it’s refusing to back calls from hundreds of scientists as well as other governments around the world for a pause or moratorium.
Greenpeace activists scaled Deutsche Bank’s headquarters in Frankfurt Wednesday and strung up a large yellow banner to protest against the climate investment policies of the German lender and its asset management company DWS.
The action came a day ahead of the annual shareholder meeting of DWS, which is mostly owned by Deutsche Bank and has drawn attention from activists and regulators over allegations it misled investors about “green” investments. DWS has disputed the claims.
Deutsche Bank (DB) said sustainability and climate protection were “strategic priorities,” and that it supports DWS in the development of its sustainability policies and standards.
The German-language Greenpeace banner was unfurled shortly after 6 a.m. local time (midnight ET) and stretched across part of the glass facade on the lower section of Deutsche Bank’s twin office towers. The banner translated as “Force DWS [to] protect the climate!”
At least 102 climate activists from seventeen countries representing Greenpeace, Stay Grounded, Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion and other climate justice groups are still being detained in Geneva, Switzerland 20 hours after a peaceful protest against Europe’s largest annual private jet fair, the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva.
“A unique, European coalition of courageous activists from 17 countries severely disrupted the excessive champagne party of a super-rich elite – Europe’s largest private jet sales event. Their demand is unequivocal, private aviation should be consigned to the history books. We support the activists and demand their immediate release.” – said Klara Maria Schenk, a transport expert for the European Mobility For All campaign.
Activists peacefully occupied jets exhibited at the business event by the Geneva airport and chained themselves to aircraft gangways in order to keep prospective buyers from entering. The protestors held giant tobacco-style health warning label hand banners marking the jets as toxic objects and warning that ‘Private Jets Burn Our Future’, ‘Kill Our Planet’, and ‘Fuel Inequality’. Public service announcements from loudspeakers carried by the activists exposed the devastating consequences of private jets for our planet and revealed the hypocrisy of promoting private jets amidst rising social inequality.
Contrary to several misleading media reports, the activists never entered the taxiways or runways of the airport. The activists make it clear that at no time they intended to disrupt commercial air traffic at Geneva Airport. A spokeswoman for air traffic control agency Skyguide confirmed protestors had not accessed the runway during the incident, according to Aviation International News.
🚨URGENT: We are extremely concerned about the reports of excessive use of force against the climate activists at #EBACE2023 Europe’s largest private jet fair. We demand the immediate release of the 100 detained activists. Updates to come. #BanPrivateJetshttps://t.co/2XTJhImYsypic.twitter.com/Ytf861IAG2
— Greenpeace International (@Greenpeace) May 23, 2023
Protesters from Greenpeace, Stay Grounded, Extinction Rebellion and others chain themselves to aircraft in Geneva
Dozens of climate activists have disrupted Europe’s largest private jet trade fair by chaining themselves to aircraft to protest against the sector’s carbon emissions.
The demonstrators on behalf of Greenpeace, Stay Grounded, Extinction Rebellion and Scientist Rebellion also attached themselves to the entrance gates of the event at Geneva airport in the hope of preventing prospective buyers from entering the annual show.
The activists, who were calling for a global ban on the use of private jets because of their carbon footprint, stuck tobacco-style health warning labels on some of the jets at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) saying private jets “burn our future”, “kill our planet”, and “fuel inequality”.
— Stay Grounded Network (@StayGroundedNet) May 23, 2023
❗HAPPENING NOW❗ More than 100 brave climate activists from @Greenpeace@staygroundednet @extinctionrebellion and @scientistrebellion demand #BanPrivateJets in #EBACE, the biggest private jet sales fair in Europe, an event for private jet users to keep buying and flying in their… pic.twitter.com/JUP7UCZnP2
— Greenpeace International (@Greenpeace) May 23, 2023
