Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise vessel to visit Bulgaria’s Varna
Greenpeace’s iconic icebreaker Arctic Sunrise is to visit Bulgaria’s port of Varna as part of the organization’s efforts to protect the oceans, climate and vulnerable marine ecosystems, the organisation said in a media statement on July 29.
With the theme “A Living Black Sea Without Oil and Gas”, the event will include meetings with journalists and discussions about the future of the sea, and visitors will be able to meet the captain and part of the international crew, as well as learn more about Greenpeace’s campaigns to protect the oceans, the statement said.
The ship will first dock on the Varna coast and will open its doors to visitors on August 7 and 8.
It is from Varna that Greenpeace Bulgaria will launch the “Cities Without Gas” initiative, which encourages municipalities to invest in energy efficiency and local renewable sources instead of new gas infrastructure.
“Because energy security no longer means just enough fuel, but less dependence on imported energy resources,” the organisation said.
The initiative is part of a broader vision for the gradual liberation from fossil fuels and is inspired by examples of European cities that are replacing dependence on gas with clean and sustainable energy solutions.
“The visit of Arctic Sunrise to Bulgaria will remind us how unique the Black Sea ecosystem is,” the statement said. One of the most vulnerable seas in the world, subject to increasing industrial pressure, risks from the transport of petroleum products, from fossil gas extraction, as well as accelerating warming due to climate change.
“The Black Sea is too valuable and sensitive to be turned into a fuel oil corridor and a field for new oil and gas extraction. At a time when the climate crisis is already changing marine ecosystems before our eyes, we need to protect nature and invest in clean energy, not further dependence on fossil fuels,” Meglena Antonova, Director of Greenpeace – Bulgaria, said in connection with the arrival of the ship.
Arctic Sunrise is one of the emblems of Greenpeace. Built to operate in icy waters, it joined the organisation’s fleet in 1995 and has since taken part in expeditions and campaigns around the world – from the Arctic and Antarctic to the shores of the Amazon and Africa.
The ship has been used both to document pollution and destructive industrial practices, and for scientific research related to climate change, biodiversity and the state of the oceans.
Arctic Sunrise’s visit to Bulgaria is an opportunity for more people to encounter the history of one of the most recognizable conservation organizations in the world and learn more about the challenges facing our seas today. The ship will be available for visitors on August 7 from 4pm to 8pm and on August 8 from 10am to noon and 1pm to 6pm.
(Photo: © Badara Preira / Greenpeace)
