Player Briefing: Greenpeace

The Greenpeace player actually represents a host of different environmental organizations. Your goal is to increase worldwide attention paid to environmental problems, and to try to address specific problems through publicity campaigns and direct action. You have no formal power, but you believe in the power of your message. In some ways, you are an anti-capitalist organization, as you believe the greatest threat to the planet is an economic system that encourages people to spoil it for profit. Through determination and persistence, you propose to get this message across, and make the world cleaner and more sustainable for the future.

Some history of the environmental movement. There have always been environmentalists. In modern times, the movement has gotten more organized in response to the growing threat to our environment. In the 1950s, authors began to point out growing threats in books like Silent Spring, which catalogued the dangers of pesticides. In the 1970s, the threatened extinction of whales, eagles and other animal species led organizers in the wealthier countries to start their own political organization. In the 1980s, Greenpeace was formed, employing direct action (active, sometimes illegal, campaigns of public disruption) against whalers, sealers and other threats. In one famous incident, a Greenpeace vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, sailed into waters where France was scheduled to hold nuclear tests, in an effort to disrupt the operation. A French sabotage attempt backfired and killed one Greenpeace activist, and the group received international attention. Since then Greenpeace and other organizations have kept up the pressure and campaigned heavily in the developed world. Recently, they have begun to expand their attention to the public in poorer countries, spreading a message that environmental degradation is their problem too.

One of your tasks in this game is to make a list of the worst environmental offenders, in terms of endangering of species, pollution emission, toxic spills, etc. You do this by collecting information on each country beforehand, and by interviewing diplomats during the game. Hopefully, the diplomats will struggle to stay off this list, and may be willing to make concessions. You will have a seat in the environmental room and full rights to speak on any issue, provided you are recognized by the chair. Other countries are not bound to listen, but you will have a few tactics available to embarrass them, such as:

· Occupation. You have one trained group of “environmental commandos” in the region. On your orders, they can move into an area to cause a disruption. For example, you could sail into the Panama Canal and attempt to block the locks, to protest spills in the region. You could try to storm an offshore oil rig, or move into the path of a planned development project, or occupy government buildings. The team would be removed of course, but it would be a success if it got your people on CNN.

· Demonstrations. In coordination with local populations, you could encourage demonstrations against pollution in countries in the region. You have offices in Washington, Brasilia, Buenos Aires and Mexico City, and can set up temporary offices in one country where you wish to become active.

You must pick your targets carefully, as you have limited resources. In addition, too much activity and radicalism may turn the public against you, and undermine your efforts. You need maximum publicity with a minimum of operations. Some of your top issues include:

· Pollution around the Panama Canal waterways and economic zone. This heavily used waterway has always been a problem. Now the government of Panama proposes to add even more industry to the land around the canal.

· Use of chemical pesticides against coca farmers in Colombia by the government, with US funding. US anti-drug efforts now include airborne spraying of coca fields. The pesticides are getting into the water table and endangering the land.

· Pollution in big cities like Mexico City, where smog is affecting public health.

· Pollution along the Mexican border with the US.

· Deforestation in Brazil’s all-important rainforests, and also along mountainsides throughout the region

· Coastal pollution from cities, tankers, sewage etc.

· Loss of fisheries/danger from oil spills and over-fishing

· Endangerment of species/promotion of species diversity

Do a little research and prepare to make your stand. Consider designing posters, chants and demonstrations for your campaign!