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Impact Report 2024

Greenpeace UK is one of the world's most recognised environmental campaign organisations, using peaceful direct action, scientific research, legal intervention and mass mobilisation to challenge governments and corporations fuelling environmental destruction. In 2024 the organisation forced Shell to abandon a multi-million dollar lawsuit, contributed to a Supreme Court ruling blocking oil drilling near Gatwick, helped secure Norway's withdrawal from Arctic deep sea mining, and mobilised 223,000 people to pledge a climate vote ahead of the UK general election. Its three ships covered 73,601 nautical miles conducting research and bearing witness to ocean destruction.

Report snapshot
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About

Direct action and peaceful protest; legal interventions and climate litigation support; ship-based scientific research and investigation (Arctic Sunrise, Rainbow Warrior, Witness — 73,601 nautical miles in 2024); grassroots organising (Project Climate Vote); parliamentary and government lobbying; media and communications campaigns; investigative journalism (Unearthed); Big Plastic Count citizen science; anti-racism and allyship programme; global network collaboration Custom geography from upload: UK-wide / Global

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 223,000 people pledged to vote with climate in mind ahead of the 2024 UK general election; Project Climate Vote saw supporters knock on 54,000 doors, make 14,000 phone calls and organise 1,300 events
Key Metric 2 Shell backed down and settled its multi-million dollar lawsuit against Greenpeace without receiving any supporter funds; 250,000+ people signed the open letter to Shell's CEO; government dropped legal defence of Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil fields following Greenpeace-supported court case
Key Metric 3 Norway reversed plans to open 280,000 sq km of Arctic waters to deep sea mining following Greenpeace campaigning; 32 countries supported a moratorium on deep sea mining; 200,000+ people signed the petition against deep sea mining; Unilever lobbied for plastic production cuts at Global Plastics Treaty talks following sustained Greenpeace campaign targeting Dove

Key Outcomes

  • Government lifted ban on new onshore wind developments in England following years of Greenpeace lobbying backed by 150,000-signature petition; September 2024 renewable energy auction secured £1.5bn in new clean energy projects with potential to power 11 million homes
  • Rainbow Warrior documented 84 sharks killed in 25 hours of longline fishing in the North Pacific, generating global headlines; Arctic Sunrise eDNA sampling in the Sargasso Sea led Bermuda government to back calls for an ocean sanctuary; 21 countries have ratified the Global Ocean Treaty
  • 224,000 people took part in The Big Plastic Count, revealing UK households throw away around 1.7 billion pieces of plastic a week; Jacob Collier and AURORA Arctic performance film raising awareness of deep sea mining was watched 1.4 million times

Geography

Other

Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
61,819 native oysters deployed across UK restoration projects in 2024/25
Key Metric 2
15,064 people participated in the Beachwatch beach clean programme, submitting 1,256 litter surveys — the highest in the programme's 31-year history
Key Metric 3
17,613 young people engaged through in-person or online youth programme sessions
£11.5 billion Ofwat investment package secured for storm overflow cuts in England and Wales following sustained MCS advocacy
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
191,000 cats and kittens helped — 525 a day (2023: 184,000); 29,000 cats rehomed; 168,000 cats neutered including 13,000 feral cats; 93,000 cats microchipped
Key Metric 2
£96.9 million total income (2023: £89.3 million); £108.5 million net assets; £50.1 million legacy income; 9,800 volunteers (2023: 9,200)
Key Metric 3
430 cat owners helped to flee domestic abuse with 750 cats given temporary foster homes (Lifeline) — up from 229 in 2023; 5.9 million...
Mandatory microchipping for cats in England came into force June 2024 — direct result of years of Cats Protection campaigning; Pet Abduction Act came into force August 2024 making cat theft a specific criminal offence; Cat Manifesto sent to every election candidate with 111 newly elected MPs having responded
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
32,000 people participated in learning activities; 65,000 volunteer hours contributed; 250,000 biodiversity-boosting plants and bulbs planted; 24,000 snowdrops planted by Royal Parks Half Marathon...
Key Metric 2
94% of public rated their visit as good or excellent; 5 consecutive years all 8 parks awarded Green Flag; 160,000+ members making 300,000+ visits;...
Key Metric 3
1,000 free plants donated to local charities, community groups and schools; 200 old noticeboards and maps replaced; 12,500 enquiries handled by visitor support team;...
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at Regent's Park received planning permission and is progressing — opening Spring 2026; Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground renewal received planning permission — opening Spring 2026; Greenwich Park flagship restoration project completed — new meadows, shrubs, community facilities
Impact Snapshot
Key Metric 1
2,876 ha of land under direct influence for nature, with 7 species recovery projects at or near implementation
Key Metric 2
17,935 wilder community engagements in 2024–25 (67,935 cumulative since 2020); 55 wilder initiatives established in schools and public spaces
Key Metric 3
Over 25,000 individuals engaged through skills training, community rewilding events and nature-based programmes
7 species recovery projects delivered including beavers returning to Derbyshire for the first time in 800 years, Atlantic salmon restoration on the River Ecclesbourne, and white-clawed crayfish ark sites