2021 Vision for Global Greenpeace
2020 has been a year of unprecedented challenges and exhausting time; full of pressing crises: a pandemic, violence, climate impacts, racial injustice, economic shocks. There is so much to keep up with, to be wary of, and to factor into the work for a green and peaceful world.
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to upend jobs, health, security, and sense of connection, and for many, it takes our loved ones. Tomorrow’s world is uncertain. Meanwhile, the people behind the most predatory industries are using this moment to enrich themselves and keep wrecking our planet.
Greenpeace’s voice has never been more necessary to amplify the courage and power of the people who are trying to build something better and confront those who would like to lock us into planet-wrecking emissions and unjust economies.
Our global priority – as a Greenpeace network – is to dramatically undermine the fossil fuel sector while it’s weak, and while anger at the system and openness to radical and comprehensive solutions brought about by Covid-19 remains strong in people’s minds and hearts. The opportunity we see is for Greenpeace across the world and our allies to remove fossil fuels legitimacy in our societies (and as a result, remove its funding lifeline) by changing narratives and engaging significantly more people in the context of the health and economic crises and the big plans to ‘fix’ our economies.
In our 50th year as an independent global campaigning network 2021 is set to be a year of extraordinary change. 2021 must be the year when we toxify the fossil fuel industry out of business, turn the page on the era of biodiversity-wrecking industrial agriculture, reestablish global cooperation for the wellbeing of our planet and people, and ally ourselves with all the powerful movements who are fighting for system change to end racial injustices, social inequities, and to make the polluters pay. We will fight together, arm-in-arm, virtually and in person, for a better world. The momentum for a better future is growing, even as the clock ticks down.
We all know that extraordinary events broaden the bounds of possibility, making radical and incredible solutions seem reasonable and achievable – especially if they build on new ways of seeing the world. And the world is radically transforming. Our vision is to react and respond to the changes, to broaden support for the climate movement and talk about seizing opportunities to make a difference. It is clear that we need to be more impact-led and lighter on our feet; closer to our audiences and more agile and responsive. We also need to think holistically about what the current disruptions in the world – whether that be Covid-19 or fighting for racial justice – mean for us.
We must stay true to the bold, courageous, ready-to-risk it all group of individuals who started Greenpeace on this path 50 years ago. We have always been – and will continue to be – values-driven, people-powered and focussed on non violent direct action, and bearing witness. Fundamental to this mission is respecting lived experience and ensuring the unrepresented and underrepresented are heard inside and outside global Greenpeace.
We will be bigger thinkers and smarter risk takers, to find new ways to collaborate and share power. As a global network, we are changing, learning how to pivot and adapt, to continue our work. We all know and feel that we must reach even higher and move faster to increase our impact.
Moving ahead, every month now counts, every intervention into the disruption counts – our earth and its people are counting on us and we have to be there for all the creatures and people – with full intellect, determination, risk readiness and heart.
2021 Vision for Greenpeace International
Greenpeace International (GPI) is committed to continue supporting the global Greenpeace network in 2021.
At GPI we remain tight on strategy, loose on implementation, and tighter than today on evaluation. We coordinate and align global Greenpeace, to ensure most impact.
We are much more responsive than today – connected to the external world, scanning for opportunities, and supporting the independent National and Regional Greenpeace Organisations (NROs) to seize them.
We have a clearer, tighter programme focus and amplify and invest in campaigns that are gaining traction. We help NROs to see global connections, so that we can be more impactful, take risks and innovate. We have a different relationship with the global network – trusted, respected and a valued partner.
We are focused on enabling high-impact-potential projects developing and being implemented by priority NROs.
Our policies and processes are agile and clear – supporting Greenpeace International staff in their work – and we have achieved operational excellence. Our teams are working in collaborative partnership with NROs – constantly improving processes.
We have a more flexible and agile workforce and set of processes including the recruitment and reassignment of staff more easily & rapidly than today – allowing us to refocus our efforts as needed.
This future GPI is more diverse and inclusive internally, constantly changing and is working actively to challenge the system that has created so many, interconnected injustices. Our teams are working to achieve common goals, flexibly on a range of priority projects and initiatives, not limited by their departmental boundaries, and are proud to work at GPI. They can see the impact of their efforts towards a common global goal.
The Function of Greenpeace International (GPI) over the next year (2021)
GPI plays four key functions in the global Greenpeace network:
1. Help direct and align the global Greenpeace network in delivering the Framework
GPI’s function is to facilitate and drive the agreement of the strategic direction of the network as a whole, to identify key struggles and moments for maximum impact in defending ecological limits, changing mindsets and changing systems. This also means GPI needs to assess whether we are strong in the right places to achieve the greatest impact.
2. Enhance global network’s performance, cohesion and alignment through analysis, tracking and evaluation
To be ‘tight on strategy’ GPI must have a clear understanding of how the network of the various National and Regional Organisations (NROs) is performing as a whole. We aim to have strong metrics, ‘business’ information and analytics to be able to say how well Greenpeace’s global programme is being delivered. We will share and collate that knowledge and analysis within the network, to provide a reality check on where Greenpeace has specific strengths, resources and skills and compare that to where they are needed.
Better define impact goals in each geography and globally, built on a theory of change. The inclusion of impact goals, objectives and indicators – usually formatted through a logical framework – will be developed actively, for/by all projects in the Global Programme.
3. Supporting Priority National and Regional Greenpeace Organisations (NROs) and other NROs
GPI’s role is to provide global coordination and effective support to the NROs and systems to deliver the global programme, individually and together.
4. Ensure a highly effective global network
The Greenpeace network is unable to deliver without its people, their support and development are therefore vital.
Within the global Greenpeace network, GPI’s role includes ensuring that the manners in which GPI and NROs work together is fit for purpose. GPI must allow for swift and strategic decision-making within global Greenpeace. GPI’s Board remains central to the success of our cooperation. GPI management will work together with the GPI Board to ensure GPI can deliver what the NROs need in an effective and collaborative manner, fulfilling each of our roles so that together we are stronger. The GPI Board is responsible for decisions on wide-ranging strategic areas: deciding organisational policy; approving the global programme planning process; ratifying Annual General Meeting (AGM) decisions and granting the right to use the Greenpeace trademark to new Greenpeace NROs.
Greenpeace International’s priorities 2021
Priority 1: “Living the new normal”. Greenpeace International (GPI) is more suited for today’s context and a future full of disruptions. We are translating some of our learnings into action and the organisation is adopting new ways of working in order to ensure we have the strategic and operational excellence needed in this climate emergency moment. We are taking some of the work we have already been doing and pushing it as far as it can possibly go.
Priority 2: We are continuing to implement the Global Programme 2020-22 and ensuring GPI is supporting the independent National and Regional Organisations (NROs) to have the significant impact needed in this climate emergency. We are focused on enabling high-impact-potential projects developing and being implemented by priority NROs. Our GPI Programme Team is more integrated, more agile, dynamic and diverse and equipped to tackle the massive economic and societal disruptions in order to avert the worst impacts of climate change.
Priority 3: GPI is strengthening the global Greenpeace network and building global cohesion and resilience. The focus is on developing priority NROs in order to accelerate progress and strengthen their ability to deliver highly impactful campaigns, while providing support for the global network. We are learning from past experience that the Covid-19 experience has accentuated what those needs are.
Priority 4: We are “sailing the talk”. We are working with NROs towards more agile, flexible and green maritime resources. We also recognise that our maritime capacity is one of the unique qualities that we offer to the collective effort of curbing the climate emergency and biodiversity collapse. We are working with NROs to intensify the use of these unique resources in support of our campaigns around the world and ensuring that future investments in our fleet are worth it in terms of programme impact.
Priority 5: GPI is embracing technological innovations. We are deepening our commitment to make best use of appropriate technology and making sure Greenpeace is continuously at the cutting edge. We are evolving and strengthening the cohesive and integrated delivery of global technology systems and solutions in the Greenpeace network while achieving desired levels of innovation.
Priority 6: The GPI People and Culture (P&C) Department is considered an even stronger partner in delivering and adapting to the needs of GPI through continuous improvement and implementation of efficiencies and collaborative partnership with other departments. GPI P&C is seen as a leader in improvement and implementation of internal cultural changes and has significantly advanced the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (E,D&I) agenda amongst all GPI staff with both short-term wins and a clear long-term pathway for internal transformational change.
Priority 7: The GPI Finance Department, through continuous improvement and implementation of efficiencies and collaborative partnership with other departments, continues to play an integral role within GPI and provide the guidance needed to ensure we remain impactful and able to challenge the internal and external system, taking into consideration our resources.
Priority 8: We are the change we want to see. GPI is playing an integral role in delivering on Equity, Diversity, Safety and Justice (EDSJ) commitments and ensuring the Greenpeace network is as diverse and impactful as we need it and want it to be. We are creating a safer, more inclusive and diverse-in-many-ways Greenpeace – and because that will make us more able to engage and shape the world at this moment in history.