A team from Greenpeace International fly huge ocean themed kites together with a banner reading “Protect The Deep Sea” outside the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston. The event happened during he International Seabed Authority (ISA) council and assembly meeting from the 7th- 25th July 2025 Greenpeace is calling on governments at the ISA to stop deep sea mining before it starts and protect the deep sea. © Kinematix Studios / Greenpeace Kingston, Jamaica (July 26, 2025) – On the penultimate day of the 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the United States delivered a provocative statement dismissing the authority of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as it pertains to deep sea mining for the U.S. The remarks also rejected the principle of the “common heritage of humankind,” signaling a legally dubious and troubling claim that the U.S. is free to pursue unilateral mining of the international seabed, at the expense of what is globally viewed as a commons meant to benefit all humanity.   The move drew immediate criticism from Brazil, France, and China, which called on the U.S. to halt its unilateral push and reaffirmed support for multilateral governance. The rebuke comes as the Trump Administration continues its efforts to fast-track the launch of deep sea mining under Cold War-era domestic legislation—bypassing the ISA’s global regulatory framework—a maneuver widely condemned by governments, civil society, and frontline Pacific Island communities.  Greenpeace USA’s recent report, Deep Deception, reveals how deep sea mining corporations have exploited geopolitical tensions and national security and defense concerns to push forward a dangerous and unnecessary industry. Yet even as the DSM industry tries to cloak itself in national security rhetoric, the report found no prior interest from the U.S. defense sector for deep sea minerals, undermining industry claims of strategic necessity.  Arlo Hemphill, Greenpeace USA’s project lead for the Stop Deep Sea Mining campaign, who attended the meeting in Kingston, said: “The U.S. statement confirms what Deep Deception has already exposed: The Trump Administration’s pursuit of deep sea mining isn’t about global stewardship—it’s about sidestepping it. By rejecting the ISA’s authority while claiming environmental responsibility, the U.S. is trying to have it both ways—and in doing so is advancing a “smash and grab” agenda that puts ocean health and international cooperation at serious risk.  “By refusing to recognize the ISA’s authority while laying the groundwork for a lawless frontier, the U.S. has chosen corporate interests over international law and the concept of the international seabed as Common Heritage meant to benefit all people. ISA member states must draw a clear line: ocean governance cannot be rewritten to serve the few at the expense of the planet. Governments must not allow this rogue colonial strategy to dictate the future of our shared ocean commons.” Earlier this week, the ISA Council launched an investigation into whether mining contractors, including TMC’s subsidiaries Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. (NORI) and Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML), are complying with contractual obligations to act in accordance with the international legal framework. ISA Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho later warned against the unilateral seizure of the seabed, reiterating that the deep-sea belongs to no single country or corporation, and cautioning that efforts are underway to prevent it from becoming “the Wild West” of exploitation.Major General (U.S. Army, Ret.) Randy Manner, said: “I find it deeply troubling to see national security being used as a smokescreen to justify the dismantling of multilateral governance in the deep ocean. True security is rooted in global cooperation, not unilateral resource grabs. There is no strategic national security requirement driving deep sea mining—only a financially motivated one driven by greed. And that makes it all the more dangerous.” Support for a moratorium continues to grow with Croatia becoming the 38th country to call for a ban, pause, or precautionary approach. While high-level representatives from Palau, France, and Panama attended the meeting to rally the international community to defend the deep, the session concluded on Friday without a legal barrier in place to stop mining from proceeding.  Hemphill continued: “Governments must secure a moratorium that leaves no room for a desperate industry to force through a Mining Code. The science is not ready. The legal framework is not in place. The world must not be bullied into an irreversible mistake for the benefit of a few.”  Photos available HERE Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, tbrooks@greenpeace.org   Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa. The post Governments reject Trump’s deep sea mining power grab but fail to adopt moratorium on deep sea mining appeared first on Greenpeace.

AWI Celebrates the Life of Dr. Jane Goodall, a Revolutionary Animal Advocate aalberg Wed, 10/01/2025 - 19:01 photo by Animal Welfare Institute October 1, 2025 Washington, DC—Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned scientist and passionate advocate for animals, has died at the age of 91.“Dr. Jane Goodall was a force of nature,” said Susan Millward, executive director and chief executive officer of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). “For decades, she tirelessly sought to improve the public’s understanding of animal behavior—work that shaped generations of animal advocates, scientists, students, policymakers, and more.”As a longtime friend of Christine Stevens, AWI’s founder, Dr. Goodall was a confidante and colleague. In 1987, AWI awarded Dr. Goodall the Schweitzer Medal for her lifetime of work as a defender of chimpanzees. When Christine died in 2002, Dr. Goodall attended her service in Washington, DC, and said, “Christine was a giant voice for animal welfare. Passionate, yet always reasoned, she took up one cause after another and she never gave up. Millions of animals are better off because of Christine’s quiet and very effective advocacy.” Most certainly, one could apply Dr. Goodall’s gracious words that day to her own indefatigable spirit and unparallel legacy.This past May, Dr. Goodall reached out to ask for AWI’s support in the launch of an International Declaration on Abolishing Trophy Hunting—for presentation at the 2025 UN General Assembly—to coincide with the 10th anniversary of Cecil the lion’s death at the hands of an American trophy hunter. AWI agreed without hesitation, joining a core group of cofounding signatories.AWI sends our condolences to Dr. Goodall’s family and friends, including the staff of the Jane Goodall Institute. We remain deeply inspired by her passion, her rigor, and her steadfast belief in the importance of ensuring animal welfare—which, together, built a legacy that will endure for many years to come. Media Contact Information Kim Meneo, Animal Welfare Institutekim@awionline.org, (202) 446-2116 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

Greenpeace US Democracy Director Folabi Olagbaju addresses a rally. © Tim Aubry / Greenpeace WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 2, 2025) – Today, as more than 3,700 organizations from all sectors of civil society across the U.S. release a letter rejecting presidential attacks on nonprofit organizations, Folabi Olagbaju, Democracy Campaign Director, Greenpeace USA, said:  “For 50 years, we have pushed back against  powerful interests — corporate and government alike — to defend the environment and human rights. Greenpeace USA will continue to do so. We are proud to be united with the broader nonprofit and philanthropic community to say loudly and boldly to this administration that we will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated or obey in advance — and will continue to resist efforts to revoke our constitutionally protected rights and halt our mission-driven advocacy work.   “We need to be crystal clear about what this administration has done to our democracy and basic rights. In less than a year it has seized all levers of power, moved to deregulate agencies and rules that protect people and the planet, and rolled back social and environmental progress from over the last seven decades. It has massively enriched its billionaire cronies at the expense of everyday people, while silencing dissent and free speech. And these most recent attacks are yet another move to weaponize key government agencies to go after perceived enemies.” “At Greenpeace we have been down this road before, and no corrupt authoritarians or corporate bullies will deter us from speaking up and doing what is right for people and the planet. This moment is a test — not just for environmental and nonprofit groups, but for every organization and individual who believes in free expression, civic engagement, and the power of movements. This administration, big oil, and billionaire bullies have a playbook for attacking our movements: coming after us in court, trying to revoke our tax-exempt status, and trying to pit us against each other. But we also have our own playbook for resistance and solidarity. We urge our allies, our supporters, and everyone who values democracy to speak out and resist these attacks.” Contact: Madison Carter, Greenpeace USA National Press Secretary, mediausa@greenpeace.org Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa. The post Greenpeace USA rejects presidential attacks on nonprofits, urges resistance appeared first on Greenpeace.

We mourn the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall

Uncharismatic Species are Unsung Rainforest Heroes

Honoring a Giant:Rainforest Trust Staff Reflect on Dr. Jane Goodall’s Impact on Their Conservation Journeys

AWI Awards Safe Havens for Pets Grant to Support Unhoused People and Pets in DC aalberg Mon, 10/06/2025 - 11:13 photo by kerkezz October 6, 2025 Washington, DC—This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is pleased to announce a $15,000 grant to the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) to support pet owners experiencing domestic violence and homelessness in Washington, DC.The grant, funded through AWI’s Safe Havens for Pets initiative, will support HRA’s Safe Haven Program, which assists domestic violence survivors by providing temporary placement for their pets so that they can seek safety themselves. The grant will also help the organization expand its services to assist unhoused individuals with pets, filling a critical resource gap for those experiencing homelessness with a companion animal in the nation’s capital.AWI, a DC-based national nonprofit, launched the Safe Havens for Pets initiative in 2011 as an online database to help domestic violence survivors in the United States find sheltering resources for their companion animals. Earlier this year, it expanded the database to include sheltering services for unhoused individuals with pets; the Safe Havens for Pets directory now contains more than 1,200 listings across all 50 states. AWI, however, could not identify a single resource in DC for unhoused individuals seeking shelter with their companion animals.“It is our hope that this grant will enable the Humane Rescue Alliance to further its important work protecting animals and helping local families in crisis,” said Claire Coughlin, director of AWI’s Companion Animals Program. “No one should have to make the impossible choice of leaving a pet behind when seeking shelter and safety. The Animal Welfare Institute is proud to support HRA’s efforts to fill this critical resource gap and assist people and their companion animals right here in DC.”Sadly, animal cruelty, domestic violence, and homelessness are often interconnected. In fact, domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women, and the very real threat of violence to companion animals only exacerbates the crisis. Nearly half of National Domestic Violence Hotline callers report being worried that their abuser would harm or kill their pets, while 97 percent state that keeping their pets with them is an important factor in deciding whether to seek shelter. When appropriate resources are absent, survivors with companion animals are that much more likely to end up unhoused, pets in tow.For individuals experiencing homelessness in DC with pets, help is urgently needed. A directive to “fight[...] vagrancy” and clear encampments in the city—included in an executive order issued by the White House in July—could severely impact resource availability. According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, there are more than 5,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in DC. Among these are adults with families, nearly half of whom say they have experienced domestic or intimate partner violence at some point in their lives. More than three-quarters of this latter group, in fact, indicate that it directly led to their current episode of homelessness. Local safe haven resources are essential for supporting survivors and their family members—companion animals included.“For people in crisis, a pet is often a lifeline—a source of unconditional love, nonjudgmental support, and, most importantly, family. But there are still no pet-friendly domestic violence or homelessness shelters in DC, forcing people to choose between safety and the animals they love,” said Kelly Whittier, director of public affairs at HRA. “With AWI’s support, we can break down the practical, prohibitive, and costly barriers to both temporary and permanent shelter by covering veterinary care, vaccinations, emergency boarding, and even short-term pet-friendly hotel stays so people and pets can stay together when they need each other most. As winter approaches, this work becomes even more urgent. Until the District creates pet-friendly shelter options, this grant helps ensure that no one is left behind.”Learn more about housing insecurity with pets and AWI’s work to support people and pets in crisis. To locate a safe haven near you, visit safehavensforpets.org. Media Contact Information Kim Meneo, Animal Welfare Institutekim@awionline.org, (202) 446-2116 The Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org) is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1951 and dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn for updates and other important animal protection news.

This blog is a collaboration between two Greenpeace USA supporters based in Oxnard, California. The story we are about to tell is a violent and potentially triggering one. Much of the information outlined here, told to and relayed by the authors, comes from first-hand accounts of the people in attendance and/or a recounting by their family members. Their names and other information have been changed for privacy.  The events that follow are something that pain us to recount, even weeks later.  Last month, on July 10, two farms on the central coast of California were simultaneously raided by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Both were Glass House Farms – one in Carpinteria and one in Camarillo, just outside of Oxnard. The month prior, on June 10, ICE attempted to raid the farm in Camarillo, but was stopped by security, who rightfully barred them from entering private property and requested they come back with a warrant. These words came back to haunt them – exactly one month later to the day, ICE came back with a warrant.  The day was a blur. We drove on a small highway that cuts through endless fields, before turning on a small dirt road to a cluster of cars. As we arrived, we were greeted by tear gas and children’s screams. Many of these kids were waiting for family members who were trapped inside of their workplace, all the while inhaling the mysterious gas. I witnessed a little girl vomiting after being exposed. A local professor got arrested after kicking a tear gas canister out from under the wheelchair of a woman.  ICE lined up on the small road that leads to the farm, blocking any protestors from reaching their family members. Meanwhile, groups of ICE agents were inside, allegedly torturing workers. Other agents reportedly beat up people who were hiding. They threw tear gas in the building’s air vents as workers cowered in fear inside; they turned off the air conditioning; they made people delete any footage off of their phones prior to being allowed outside. One worker, Jaime Alanís Garcia, died days later in the hospital due to his injuries related to the raid. Jaime was the main breadwinner for his family here and in Mexico.  The crowd was trying to hold its own line on the dirt path to prevent any vehicle – other than medical or fire – from entering and any ICE vehicle containing workers from leaving. The crowd began to chant at the agents, “Quit your job! Quit your job!” No reaction. Someone looked one of the masked agents in the eyes: “History will remember you for this. You don’t have to do this. Don’t just blindly follow orders until it’s too late.” No response. They robotically deployed more tear gas at the crowd. A man drove a tank by, shooting pepper balls down at the crowd.  Oxnard is an agricultural city in between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. It is 78% Chicane/Latinx. It is the leading strawberry producer in the United States, and plays a crucial role within California’s strawberry industry, shipping millions of strawberries worldwide. The city is a vibrant community with a long history of labor struggles and resistance between the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) and Chicane communities – like the historic 1903 Oxnard sugar beet strike, a joint effort between Japanese and Mexican workers who formed the Japanese-Mexican Labor Association (JMLA). The strike, which began in February 1903, saw 1,200 workers participating and led to a near-complete shutdown of sugar beet farming in the area as they protested against exploitative labor practices by the Western Agricultural Contracting Company (WACC). The strike is notable for its cross-cultural solidarity and its impact on the American labor movement.  Many of the farmworkers here in the central coast are Mixteco, mostly from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Some of them speak only Mixteco, a language whose roots can be traced back to around 10,000 years ago – eons older than the United States and the English language. Most of them have been displaced from their ancestral homelands, and many of them have moved from plantation to plantation since they were children to find work, often ending up here in Oxnard.  Earlier in the day, we had joined a call about, ironically and fittingly, the intersection of climate change and immigration. The topic is becoming more and more popular these days – but what do “climate justice” and “intersectional issues” really mean? What does it mean to contextualize this fascistic rise in brutal deportations within the environmental justice movement? According to the World Resources Institute, “Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold or manage 54% of the world’s remaining intact forests.” What does it mean for the environment if hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people are kicked off their land and out of their rivers, and the earth has been poisoned with chemicals?   The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, was signed into law on December 8 1993 and took effect on January 1, 1994. A year prior to NAFTA’s implementation, however, the Salinas government violated one of the most sacred articles in the Mexican Constitution and privatized communally held lands, known as ejidos. It was no coincidence that after the passing of NAFTA, these lands were taken from small farmers and given to megacorporations – the same ones that poison the streams, the earth, and the air.  Logically, the effect of displacement is migration. Many displaced peoples migrated inside of Mexico, and many came to the United States looking for survival. ​​Migration from Mexico to the United States was around 350,000 per year before NAFTA – it was around 500,000 per year by the early 2000s.  Fast forward to Camarillo on July 10, 2025, when ICE terrorized the very people who were displaced from their homelands. The United States is using our tax dollars to throw tear gas at children and deploy military tanks to a farm. Why does it seem like the government has endless money to fund tanks, tear gas, and pepper bullets to deploy at unarmed civilians who are just trying to make sure their loved ones can come home safely after a long day’s work? Why isn’t this money instead going toward clean energy, green jobs, and equitable healthcare? Why does it seem that the government always has endless money for violence, but we are barely able to fund crucial programs for our collective wellbeing?   We then went to Carpinteria’s town hall meeting, where we were met with an overwhelming crowd. The joy of seeing so many community members out there and the intensity of the day began to hit us. This joy was swiftly interrupted by calls from people back at the farm asking for assistance.  We returned to Glass House where the crowd was now bigger, and the National Guard was now there helping hold the line. Most of the officers were Brown and seemed young – almost too young to be there. To us, it seemed like most of them did not want to be there, standing off against their own communities. We saw something in their eyes: could it be confusion, pain, anger, or a longing to be on the other side?  “Quit your job!” The crowd kept chanting. We hope they considered it, though we know they are just following orders. Rank-and-file Nazis were also “just following orders.”  We’ve been asking ourselves: how far can humans be pushed? What horrors in humanity have been committed because people blindly follow orders? Fleeing slavery, being Jewish, even opening a bank account as a woman have all been illegal in our not so distant past. The law, while binding, cannot always be our guiding light towards moral truth.  We urge everyone to critically analyze this historical conjuncture. What historical parallels can we find in this emerging moment? What should we do to prevent future atrocities? What does it mean for the environmental and climate movement if it turns a blind eye to the displacement of peoples from their lands?  This year alone, we saw the construction of Alligator Alcatraz, a detention center that was built in a mere eight days and will cost taxpayers around $450 million annually to operate. The project was built on sacred Miccosukee land, but according to the developers, this land was “empty.” There have been reports of inhumane conditions. We also saw the conversion of the Los Angeles Immigration Detention Facility, which has been a prison since 1999, into a large-scale immigration detention center. We have heard first hand reports from inside this facility that the rooms are so frigid, people sign self deportation orders just to escape. People rarely get fed. People do not get access to their medications. One of the detainee’s wives told  us that her husband had called, telling tales of his own broken jaw and other physical abuse by agents.  We are seeing history repeat itself in front of our eyes. If we don’t fight this now, when will we? We can’t wait until it’s too late! We’ve both kept hearing the haunting refrains of this poem recently: First they came for the CommunistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a CommunistThen they came for the SocialistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a SocialistThen they came for the trade unionistsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a trade unionistThen they came for the JewsAnd I did not speak outBecause I was not a JewThen they came for meAnd there was no one leftTo speak out for me The poem by German Pastor Martin Niemöller, written in 1946, reminds us that any resource going towards the violence and pain of anyone is a resource taken away from all of our collective wellbeing. What does it mean to make their struggle our struggle? Are we going to stand by and watch as the hardest workers in our communities – who are already facing the worst effects of climate change – get kidnapped? What are we fighting for if not each other?  These are not separate struggles and it’s on us to fight back against this in whatever capacity we can. We need everyone in this together – and there is a role for each one of us. You can join your local rapid response network, help with your local food distribution network, help distribute useful information, join Greenpeace USA, and donate to your local mutual aid network. The more we comply with this abuse, the more this administration will continue to get more aggressive. It can be easy to fall into a hopeless despair, but we have more agency than we think.  We urge you to take your power back and stand up for the things in which you believe. Any small step is better than none.  They won’t stop with immigrants. This moment is a threat to our shared humanity.  The post Turmoil, teargas, and tyranny: two climate activists and one ICE raid in California appeared first on Greenpeace.

Corporate giving is a valuable part of the nonprofit funding ecosystem. Companies large and small have incorporated philanthropic efforts into their overall business plans, from matching gifts to sponsorships to corporate volunteer programs. But how can your nonprofit more effectively secure these sources of support for your own mission? This article will address four current… The post The Future of Corporate Giving: How Nonprofits Can Prepare appeared first on America's Charities.

We’re excited to announce that America’s Charities President, Jim Starr, and Board Member, Fernando Lorence of JP Morgan Chase, will be speaking at the Workplace Fundraising & Volunteering Summit, hosted by Double the Donation. Their free, virtual session — “Workplace Volunteering Strategies for Nonprofits: Insights from the Corporate World” — takes place October 30th at… The post Join Us at the Workplace Fundraising & Volunteering Summit! appeared first on America's Charities.