Greenpeace opens first African offices to address emerging issues

Focus on Congo deforestation, climate change and overfishing

Special to The Canadian

Greenpeace opened its first office in Africa today, in Johannesburg, announcing a long-term commitment to building a strong presence in Africa dedicated to tackling the most urgent environmental problems facing the continent – climate change, deforestation and overfishing.

From its humble beginnings with one small office in Vancouver, B.C. in 1971, Greenpeace has grown into the largest environmental advocacy organization in the world. With the opening of the African office, Greenpeace now has offices on six of seven continents. A second African office will be opened on 24 November in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, with the arrival of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and a third in Dakar, Senegal, early next year. These areas are at heart of environmental conflict on the continent.

“While the environmental threats facing Africans are urgent and critical, Africa is in a position to leapfrog dirty development and become a leader in helping to avert catastrophic climate change and protect the natural environment. We are here to help make that happen,” said Amadou Kanoute, Executive Director of Greenpeace Africa.

The launch of the African office comes just weeks ahead of the United Nations climate change talks in Poznan, Poland (1-13 December 2008) where agreements will be made to set the world on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prevent human induced climate change.

While Africa contributes very little to global warming, the region will be one of the first and hardest hit by its effects. Over 180 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone could die as a result of climate change by the end of the century (3). Unpredictable rainfall patterns, lower crop yields and dwindling resources are already causing mass migration, increased tension and conflict.

In the conflict ridden DRC, destruction of one of the world’s last large intact rainforests is proceeding unchecked. The forest is threatened by uncontrolled illegal logging to supply wood products to Chinese and European markets and the DRC risks losing 40 per cent of its forest within 40 years. Deforestation of tropical forests accounts for nearly 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

For full details about the work of Greenpeace Africa see its new website, LINK also available in French. LINK. For further information contact.

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