At COP30, the Rainbow Warrior flies its colors for Indigenous peoples

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🗞️ Driving the news: As COP30 unfolds in Belém, Brazil, Greenpeace has anchored its flagship vessel, the Rainbow Warrior, at the port of the Federal University of Pará
• The ship, a long-standing symbol of environmental protest, is now serving as a platform for Indigenous voices from the Amazon
• While French President Emmanuel Macron visited nearby scientific boats, Greenpeace displayed a banner reading “Macron: good cop or bad cop?” — a pointed reminder of the group’s history with France

🔭 The context: The Rainbow Warrior has a storied past, particularly in France
• In 1985, French intelligence agents bombed the original vessel in New Zealand to stop it from protesting nuclear tests in the Pacific — a scandal that still resonates
• Today, Greenpeace is using the latest Rainbow Warrior iteration to support Indigenous movements and demand stronger protection for the Amazon, placing frontline communities at the heart of climate diplomacy

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Indigenous peoples steward 80% of global biodiversity and play a critical role in conserving the Amazon, a major carbon sink
• By giving visibility to Indigenous demands during COP30, the Rainbow Warrior reinforces the link between human rights and environmental protection
• As deforestation, land conflicts, and extractive industries threaten these communities, amplifying their voices is essential to meeting global climate goals

⏭️ What's next: Greenpeace will host forums and public events aboard the vessel throughout the conference, focusing on land rights, biodiversity, and deforestation
• Their presence challenges official delegations to act on climate justice, not just emissions targets
• France, among others, faces scrutiny over its environmental diplomacy and its historical role in colonial and nuclear legacies in the Global South

💬 One quote: “Macron: good cop or bad cop?” — Greenpeace banner at COP30, invoking accountability in climate leadership

📈 One stat: The Amazon Basin is home to over 400 Indigenous groups, many of whom are at the frontline of climate impacts and forest defense

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Greenpeace and its peers like the Rainforest Alliance, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

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