Activists block heliport at Davos to call on governments to tax the super-rich

Davos, Switzerland - Thirteen activists from across Europe blocked delegates arriving at Davos Lago heliport today for the opening of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). As the world's political and business leaders gather, Greenpeace International's peaceful protest aims to hold polluting elites accountable and calls on governments to tax the super-rich to fund climate, environmental and social action.[1]

Clara Thompson, Greenpeace spokesperson in Davos said: "It is an outrage that politicians, CEOs and the powerful elite gather at Davos to debate endlessly on global challenges while the world is burning and people struggle with meeting basic needs and dealing with worsening climate impacts. Inequality, the climate and environmental crises are intimately linked. There is a way forward; the super-rich must pay their fair share of taxes.There's no lack of money to address the climate and environmental and social crisis, it's just in the wrong pockets and it's time to make rich polluting elites pay."

The action today comes as 2024 was confirmed as the hottest year on record, with increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events like the recent Los Angeles wildfires, and inequality on the rise with the five richest men in the world getting richer while five billion people globally are getting poorer.[2][3]

There is enough money to tackle the global challenges. According to a new Greenpeace International tax calculation, €185 billion could be raised from taxing the wealth of the super-rich in Europe alone. Funds that could be invested in social goods that benefit people and the planet, such as energy saving, affordable green housing, public transport, and tackling the climate crisis.

Clara Thompson added: "2025 offers critical opportunities to reform global tax rules and the calls for fair taxation are growing too loud to be ignored. Governments must show true leadership at this time of global need, and go after where the money is."

Greenpeace and allies are calling for domestic and international reforms that will allow for fair taxation on the wealth of the world's super-rich. Greenpeace joins 200 civil society actors and trade unions internationally as well as an overwhelming majority of countries around the world who are supporting a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation, which is currently being negotiated until 2027.[4]

ENDS

Photo and Video from this activity will be available for download via the Greenpeace Media Library (continuously updated)

Notes

[1] Activists did not interfere with the safe operation of flights. The airport authorities (air traffic control and police) were immediately informed by the activists at the beginning of the action and ongoing contact is maintained by the activists in order to avoid any hazardous situation or misinterpretation by airport authorities of the extent and purpose of the ongoing activity.

[2] Copernicus Climate Change Service: 2024 is the first year to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial level

[3] Oxfam International report: Inequality Inc.

[4] In 2023, 54 African countries initiated a process at the UN to change the global tax rules to move decision making power from the OECD to the UN where every country has a vote. The majority of the world voted in favour of the first draft in 2024. More than 220 civil society organisations and trade unions are engaging in the process through the global Tax Justice Network.

Contacts

Clara Thompson, Greenpeace Socio-Economics Campaigner, [email protected], +49 175 8530 226

Mihaela Bogeljic, Greenpeace Socio-Economics campaign communications, [email protected], + 385 92 2929 265

Greenpeace International press desk, +31 (0) 20718 2470, [email protected] (24 hours)