What to Know About Greenpeace, After It Was Found Liable for $650M in Damages in Dakota Access Pipeline Lawsuit

A North Dakota jury on Wednesday found Greenpeace must pay hundreds of millions of dollars to a pipeline company in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

The jury found Greenpeace liable for defamation and other claims and awarded Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access more than $650 million in damages.

The lawsuit accused Netherlands-based Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA and funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc. of defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy and other acts.

Greenpeace said earlier that a large award to the pipeline company would threaten to bankrupt the environmental group. Following the nine-person jury’s verdict, Greenpeace’s senior legal adviser said the organization’s work “is never going to stop.”

The independent global campaigning network has been fighting for a wide array of environmental issues for more than half a century and has a long history of contentious legal battles.

Here are some things to know:

How was Greenpeace founded?

Environmental activists founded the group in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971.

The network’s first action was to work to stop more nuclear weapons tests on Amchitka Island in the Aleutian island chain in southwest Alaska. They took a ship to the island to “bear witness,” which is a Quaker protest tradition.

The U.S. later opted to abandon their nuclear testing grounds on the island, marking Greenpeace’s first major victory.

Where did the name Greenpeace come from?

During initial work to stop the nuclear weapons tests on Amchitka, Canadian ecologist Bill Darnell was leaving one of the group’s meetings when someone held up two fingers and said “peace!” according to Greenpeace’s website.

Darnell, who is now considered a founding member of Greenpeace, replied: “Let’s make it a Green Peace.”

The name was condensed into one word so it could fit on buttons for the group’s first fundraiser.

What does Greenpeace do today?

Greenpeace describes itself as the largest environmental campaigning organization in the world. It is made up of dozens of independent national or regional organizations in more than 55 countries, according to its website.

Its work to preserve and restore valuable ecosystems and push back on fossil fuel corporations is centered on nonviolent action. Its protests have ranged from efforts to stop Shell from drilling for oil in the Alaskan Arctic to demonstrations to put an end to France’s atmospheric tests in the South Pacific to campaigns to conserve Canada’s coastal rainforest.

Greenpeace and its activists have also been the target of charges and lawsuits, including in 2023 when four activists were arrested for scaling the country estate of former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and draping it in black fabric to protest his plan to expand oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. They were later cleared of criminal charges.

Who supports Greenpeace?

Greenpeace is an independent network that does not take money from governments, corporations or political parties, according to its website. Its funding comes from individual contributions, along with foundation grants.

In 2023, Greenpeace USA had about $40 million in revenue and support and about $38 million in expenses, according to its online financial statement.

Its website says it does not consider anyone a permanent friend or enemy.

“If your government or company is willing to change, we will work with you to achieve your aims, its website states. “Reverse course, and we will be back.”