Greenpeace is an international network of campaigning organizations working to reduce climate destruction. President Trump’s anti-climate stance has become a large hurdle for the non-profit as it now finds itself liable for $660 million in “damages.”
This landmark decision may just push Greenpeace to bankruptcy as the organization staggers under the milestone ruling. Greenpeace has come out with a statement: “$660 million USD is more than double the entire operating budget of Greenpeace Canada for our entire 54 year history.”
Energy Transfer: the company who brought the case has been called a puppet company as its leader has been identified as a Trump donor. The company itself is a multibillion dollar oil and gas company. Greenpeace has commented that the lawsuit liabilities, while staggering for them, are only 4% of Energy Transfer’s 2024 profit.
The lawsuit itself centers around the Dakota Access Pipeline, which stretches 1,172 miles underground from the oil fields in North Dakota’s Bakken region to an oil terminal in Patoka, Illinois. The Pipeline was controversial from genesis for proximity to water sources and then to ancient burial grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The Pipeline eventually was built and currently pumps about 750,000 barrels of oil per day. So, why the lawsuit? Energy Transfer is now suing Greenpeace for “organizing and funding unlawful activities during the protests, including trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy, and defamation.” Greenpeace has denied all such allegations claiming that “the organization merely expressed solidarity with the movement and that it did not coordinate any unlawful activities.”
This landmark case may mark the end of Greenpeace as a force for advocacy. However, Greenpeace has vowed to appeal the case and hopefully get the verdict overturned. Unfortunately, if this verdict stands true, there may be nothing to stop Greenpeace’s ruin. The true concerning aspects of this case remain the heavy political influence. As such, we must all consider what this may mean for future cases brought to a court that are meant to be impartial in matters of politics.