Greenpeace disappointed by failure to break IWC deadlock

Greenpeace says it is disappointing governments have failed to break the IWC deadlock over the future of the world’s whales.

Greenpeace New Zealand Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid said it was important whale conservation governments, like New Zealand, continued to work together to find a way to end commercial whaling.

“They’ve had a shot at breaking the deadlock but they can’t give up now if they’re ever to achieve a positive outcome for whale conservation,” she said.

“No government can walk away from the IWC meeting thinking they’ve done the right thing as yet again nothing has happened. The status quo is not a step forward.”

Greenpeace Japan Programme Director Junichi Sato said thousands of whales would be killed as a result of the talks stalling for another year.

“Governments at the IWC should be ashamed they retreated behind closed doors to hide the bickering that has ensured the shameful status quo for another year,” he said.