Greenpeace is an independent, non-governmental environmental organisation which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions for the green and peaceful future. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Greenpeace has 2.8 million supporters worldwide and holds national and regional offices in 45 countries. The executive director of Greenpeace is elected by the board members of Greenpeace International.
Each regional office is led by a regional executive director elected by the regional board of directors. The regional boards also appoint a representative to The Greenpeace International Annual general meeting.
The global organisation receives its income through the individual contributions of estimated 2.8 million financial supporters, as well as from grants from charitable foundations. It does not accept funding from governments or corporations.
Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1971.Taking its name from the slogan used during the protests against the United States nuclear testing in late 1969, the Committee came together with the objective of stopping a second underground nuclear bomb test codenamed Cannikin by the United States military beneath the island of Amchitka, Alaska. The first ship expedition was called the Greenpeace I; the second relief expedition was nicknamed the Greenpeace Too! The test was not stopped, but the organisation of the committee laid the groundwork for Greenpeace later activities.
Greenpeace is known for its campaigns to stop atmospheric and underground nuclear testing. In later years, the focus of the organisation turned to other environmental issues, including bottom trawling, global warming, ancient forest destruction, nuclear power, and genetic engineering.
In addition to such methods as lobbying politicians and attendance at international conferences, Greenpeace has a stated methodology of engaging in nonviolent direct actions to attract attention to particular environmental causes.
Throughout the world, ancient forests are in danger. Many of the plants and animals that live in these forests face extinction. And many of the people and cultures who depend on these forests for their way of life are also under threat. Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.
Questions for discussion:
Text 7: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
One of the well known and powerful international organisations of the world is NATO. It was formed as a result of the North Atlantic Treaty, which was signed by 12 countries on April 4, 1949, in Washington, D.C. The 12 countries were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
NATO headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, and the organisation constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. The staff at the Headquarters is composed of national delegations of member countries and includes civilian and military offices and officers or diplomatic missions and diplomats of the partner countries, as well as the International Staff and International Military Staff.
NATO has a civilian branch and a military branch. The civilian branch includes the North Atlantic Council, the highest authority in NATO.
The Council consists of the heads of government of the NATO members or their representatives. The meetings of the North Atlantic Council are chaired by the Secretary General of NATO. A Secretary-general is an international diplomat who serves as the chief official of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. A European has always been chosen for this post.
NATO's military branch includes three commands: Allied Command Atlantic, Allied Command Channel, and Allied Command Europe. Allied Command Europe has traditionally functioned as the heart of NATO. In the military structure of NATO, a U.S. general is always commander-in-chief of NATO forces so that the U.S. troops never come under control of a foreign power.
Official languages are English and French. The body that sets broad strategic goals for NATO is the Parliamentary Assembly (NATO-PA) which provides a link between NATO and the parliaments of its member nations. The Assembly’s governing body is the Standing Committee, which is composed of the Head of each member delegation, the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Treasurer and the Secretary General.
Questions for discussion:
1. When was NATO founded?
2. How many countries were the original members of NATO?
3. What is the primary goal of NATO?
4. Where are the headquarters of NATO? What is the composition of NATO staff?
5. What do the civilian and military branches of NATO include?
6. What is the highest authority in NATO?
7. What country representative is always the commander-in-chief of NATO military forces?
8. What are the official languages of NATO?
9. What is the Parliamentary Assembly responsible for?
10. Who serves as the chief official of NATO?
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