The activists who took part in the protest are from 6 European countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary. They had banners with the following message: ‘Gazprom = the destruction of the Arctic’ and ‘Release our Activists’.
The Arctic is under serious threat from the oil industry. Gazprom has plans to start drilling for oil there in 2014. The company has a history of a number of accidents during operation, with environmental standards which are not very high. They lack adequate crisis plans to deal with accidents and spills.
An oil spill, threatening the ecosystem and habitats of the Arctic, is almost unavoidable. Its clean up would be impossible – the drilling areas are covered in thick ice most of the year, and the average temperatures are around -50°C.
So far more than 4 million people have supported Greenpeace’s petition in support of the Arctic (savethearctic.org).
‘Drilling for oil in the Arctic carries serious environmental risks and must be stopped. We want the Arctic to be declared a global protected zone – and thus preserved. This northern territory cools our planet and is therefore very important for all of us – commented Denitsa Petrova of the Greenpeace office in Bulgaria.
Today’s campaign is to protect the activists who were detained by the Russian authorities on the Arctic Sunrise ship on the 19th of September, during a peaceful protest. They are in Murmansk at the moment, where the case is being investigated.
[1"> [2"> More information on Gazprom and its attempts at drilling in the Arctic:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/briefings/climate/Gazprom-Media-Brefing-Sep-2013-final.pdf
[3"> More information on the detention of the Arctic Sunrise:
http://www.greenpeace.org/bulgaria/bg/news/2013/press/korabut-na-greenpeace-arctic-sunrise-e-zadurjan-ot-ruskite-vlasti-v-mejdunarodni-vodi/
Greenpeace Activists Block a Gazprom service station in defence of the Arctic
