Global Green is the English-American affiliate of Green Cross International, an international non-governmental organization founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993 to "foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future."[1] Green Cross International operates in over 30 countries and enjoys consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Global Green USA is on a 10 year mission to "lead a global response to keep us within planetary boundaries" and to "bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace".[2] GCI is an admitted observer organization with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. It also cooperates directly with the UNEP/OCHA Environmental Emergencies Section, UN-HABITAT and other international organizations.[3] Celebrity advocates include Leonardo DiCaprio, Yoko Ono and Pat Mitchell, who serves as an Honorary Board Member. [4]
William Bridge serves both as Chairman of Green Cross International and CEO of Global Green USA.[5]
History
In October 1987, five years before the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Mikhail Gorbachev addressed a gathering in the Arctic city of Murmansk, and for the first time linked the concepts of environmental protection, nuclear disarmament, broader security concerns and development.[6]
On 19 January 1990, in Moscow during an address to the Global Forum on Environment and Development for Survival, Mikhail Gorbachev suggested creating an “international Green Cross that offers its assistance to States in ecological trouble.” In other words, the world needed a body that would apply the medical emergency response model of the International Committee of the Red Cross to ecological issues, and expedite solutions to environmental problems that transcend national borders.[6]
On 6 June 1992, six months after leaving office, the Rio Earth Summit civil society delegates appealed to Mikhail Gorbachev to create and launch Green Cross International. At the same time, Swiss National Council parliamentarian Roland Wiederkehr, founded a “World Green Cross” with the same objective. The organizations merged in 1993 to form Green Cross International.[6]
Green Cross International (GCI) was formally launched in Kyoto, Japan, on April 18, 1993. On the invitation of Mikhail Gorbachev, many renowned figures joined and continue to serve on its board of directors and Honorary Board.[6]
The first Green Cross National Organizations (GCNOs) formally joined GCI in The Hague, The Netherlands, in the Spring of 1994. These included Japan, The Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Switzerland, and the United States.[6]
In 2007, Starbucks and Global Green have teamed up to launch Planet Green Game, an online game where "players can explore a virtual world and learn how everyday decisions by individuals, cities, schools and businesses can impact the climate and environment."[7]
In 2022 Global Green USA agreed to advance US$20.5 million to the Make It Right Foundation and to oversee the distribution of the funds following the settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the latter foundation.[8] The Make It Right Foundation was founded by Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and others following Hurricane Katrina to rebuild homes in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana. Those houses had problems with construction and the residents sued the Make It Right Foundation and Brad Pitt.[8] Global Green's CEO William Bridge was quoted by The Times-Picayune newspaper as saying that Global Green “had a great relationship with Make It Right and Brad Pitt” and that his organization's board of directors' goal was “to plug it (the money) back into the community.”[8]
Today, Green Cross International is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland with member countries in Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada (PrepCom), Czech Republic, Denmark, Eswatini, France et Territoires, Ghana, Hungary, Taiwan (Information Office), Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Panama, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States.[6]
