Energy revolution

GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL: Analysis of communication strategy on the Energy evolution. A development perspective.

Greenpeace International is an organization that looks forward "to change attitudes and behaviour" in order to "protect and conserve the environment" through non-violent campaigning. It has been active during 36 years since it was founded in 1971 . Although Greenpeace is not considered to be a “development cooperation” organization, it undertakes activities within the confines of democratic norms and strives for solutions that “promote global social equity”. This coincides with the perspective of human and alternative development and the core challenge of development, which is “to ensure productive work and a better qualify of life” . Bearing this in mind, one is challenged (and for justifiable reasons) to view Greenpeace within the broader context of development initiatives.

While most people say Greenpeace is built on environmental communication, it is worth stating that the content of their web pages and other media publications are based on scientific facts. Such information helps society to revaluate its position whilst looking at future scenarios to the environment and to emerging technologies . This constitutes the basis of Greenpeace’s “link title” campaign, which speaks of the need to revolutionize energy policies and evolve new ways of energy utilization .

The Energy evolution link title theme is powered by a communication strategy designed to encourage people to take positive action towards saving the environment. First, Greenpeace maintains healthy relations with the media (global/local) and ensures that all its non-violent protests and direct action activities are given media coverage thereby positioning climatic issues on the plane of discourse and start discussions in media and society.

Secondly, Greenpeace boasts a global community of activists in 255 countries and territories and has achieved a high level status among INGOs obtaining Consultative Status Category II (Special) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, i.e., they can access to official UN documentation and can speak on designated meetings . Its activists engage society and policy makers in debates on issues pertaining to the environment and sustainable development.

Furthermore, the organization deplores the use of and its web pages hosts varied media interfaces like: e-zines, downloadable booklets, photographs, video clips, reports, screensavers, web banners, buddy icons, animated games, press releases, wallpapers, discussion forum and blogs. People are encouraged to access the wealth of information available, learn new methods of environmental conservation and share information with their friends.

Landscapes where five hands come up and turn into circulating wind-mills is one of the many illustratives images that show a message of movement and change. It has turned out to be a quite "appropriate intervention" in the way that it searches for the source of the problem, creates public awareness, educates people about possible solutions and puts pressure on policy makers.

Energy evolution's link title communication strategies are carried out in practice through the use of non-violent and sometimes humorous interventions that really seem to be working as over 2.8 million people are now registered as Greenpeace's "rainbow warriors".

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