DOCUMENT 30.4
Environmental Organizations, 2012–2013
Environmental groups and organizations were among the first to place local problems and concerns in a global context. Greenpeace grew out of an effort in the late 1960s and early 1970s to halt underground nuclear tests in the Alaskan archipelago by the U.S. government. The 1970s environmental movement also gave rise to Green parties, first in Germany in 1980, and then in countries throughout the industrialized world. As you read the Greenpeace mission statement and the Global Greens charter, focus on the similarities and differences between the two visions. What principles do they have in common? How might they differ in the strategies and tactics used to achieve their common goals?
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
How do Greenpeace and the Global Greens characterize their relationship to existing political systems and structures? How do they propose to influence the decisions made by political leaders and officials?
What unique challenges are faced by political parties like the Greens that are focused on global issues? How do such parties differ from more traditional political parties?