Hi John,

Antarctica is our planet’s last true wilderness. It’s a near pristine ecosystem, largely untouched by humans. Yet in the 1980s governments wanted to carve it up so fossil fuel bosses could profit.

But after years of dogged determination, our campaign triumphed. Today, Antarctica is off limits to the fossil fuel industry.

It was a victory that wouldn’t have happened without the sheer people power of Greenpeace supporters. And every time I feel like our planet faces impossible challenges, I remind myself of what we achieved – and how we did it together.

This is the story of how we won. It shows how we can win again. So I wanted to ask if you can help Greenpeace keep going? In the face of the unprecedented emergencies our planet faces, we need to aim bigger – and be bolder – than ever. We can only do it with your support, John:

CONTRIBUTE MONTHLY:
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Antarctica’s frozen landscape might not be first to mind when you think of important ecosystems. But in reality, this vast, ice-covered continent is teeming with life.

As many as twenty million penguins nest, dive and forage for food there. Whales migrate thousands of miles to fill up their bellies with krill in the freezing waters. [1]Even today, new Antarctic species are still being discovered. [2]

But beneath the ice, there’s something else… Oil. Hundreds of billions of barrels of it. [3] That’s why in the 80s, governments and companies were gearing up to drill, even though a single oil spill could devastate the area.

We had to act. Antarctica is one of few places on earth that’s unspoilt by humans. Keeping it that way helps scientists to understand our planet, and the impact we’re having on it.

We knew that governments could only lay claim to Antarctica if they built a base there. So to gain a place at the negotiating table, we set about doing the same.

In 1987, we set sail. We were told it was ridiculous. And at first, governments viewed Greenpeace’s Antarctic base with outright hostility. But after seven years of campaigning, Greenpeace went from being despised, to becoming a respected player in negotiations for the future of the continent.

Gradually, more and more nations signed up to the ban on drilling for fossil fuels. And in 1991, a 50-year minimum ban on Antarctic oil and mineral extraction was put in place.

As Greenpeace marks turning 50, this is a moment we can look back on what we’ve achieved together. In Antarctica, we stood our ground - and we proved that when we band together, we can win huge victories to protect our natural world. Will you chip in each month so we can keep going, and keep expanding Greenpeace’s work?

CONTRIBUTE MONTHLY:
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Thanks to the changes we won to the Antarctic Treaty, instead of being carved up and polluted, Antarctica is set aside for science. Research taking place there today plays a huge role in helping us to understand the climate crisis and biodiversity.

When I think about the climate and nature crisis we face today, I remind myself of the protections we won in Antarctica. It taught me that even when odds are stacked against you, and even in the face of the power of the fossil fuel industry, it is still possible to win. But most of all, it taught me to never lose hope.

Today, Greenpeace is pressuring governments to go further, and take action to safeguard the Antarctic Ocean too. Already, hundreds of thousands of Greenpeace supporters have called on governments to create a network of ocean sanctuaries -- vital protections that would help keep sensitive Antarctica waters safe from over-fishing and from pollution.

But to stand a chance of creating ocean sanctuaries like these, we’ll need to keep this campaign growing. So please, if you’re able to right now, chip in here to help fund this work >>> [link removed]

Bunny McDiarmid
Ex-Greenpeace ship crew & former Greenpeace International Director

NOTES
[1] Antarctic wildlife - British Antarctic Survey: [link removed]
[2] Scientists Surprised To Find Life Under Antarctic Ice: [link removed]
[3] Why do so many nations want a piece of Antarctica?: [link removed]

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