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Greenpeace unveils giant Trojan Horse, accuses Big Oil of using plastics to sustain fossil fuel profits – EnviroNews
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Greenpeace International has unveiled a giant Trojan Horse installation in Antalya, Türkiye, accusing the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries of using expanding plastic production to prolong dependence on oil and gas and protect corporate profits.
The six-metre-high and four-metre-wide installation, created in collaboration with Danish artist Thomas Dambo, was launched at Konyaalti Municipality in central Antalya during the ongoing 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31).
Designed as part of Greenpeace’s global plastics campaign, the installation released plastic waste when a trapdoor in its belly was opened, symbolising what the environmental organisation described as the hidden connection between everyday plastic products and the fossil fuel industry.
Carrying the message, “Plastic is Big Oil’s Trojan Horse”, the installation challenges world leaders attending COP31 to recognise the role of petrochemicals and plastic production in sustaining fossil fuel demand.
Greenpeace said the fossil fuel industry was increasingly turning to petrochemicals and plastics as an alternative source of revenue amid growing international pressure to reduce dependence on coal, oil and gas.
According to the organisation, plastic production threatens to lock economies into decades of continued fossil fuel extraction, greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.
The organisation argued that the environmental consequences of plastics extend beyond their disposal, with emissions generated throughout their life cycle, including fossil fuel extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use and waste management.
Speaking at the unveiling, Berk Butan, Social and Economic Systems Campaigner at Greenpeace Türkiye, said the installation drew inspiration from the ancient legend of Troy, using the symbolism of a seemingly attractive gift concealing a dangerous threat.
“The legend of Troy is a striking story deeply rooted in the ancient history of these lands. Just like in the myth, this horse – appearing as a gift from the outside – hides something within that threatens our lives. The fossil fuel industry is using plastic as an escape hatch,” Butan said.
He also challenged Türkiye to demonstrate stronger leadership on plastic pollution, particularly as the country promotes its Zero Waste initiative during COP31.
Butan argued that achieving a comprehensive Zero Waste policy would require governments to introduce limits on plastic production and prevent other countries from using Türkiye as a destination for plastic waste.
“Türkiye is hosting an historic moment. Now is the time to take a decisive stance and fight for true Zero Waste,” he added.
Greenpeace Africa warns against fossil fuel expansion through plastics
Greenpeace Africa warned that the expansion of petrochemical industries could expose African countries to prolonged fossil fuel dependence, pollution and environmental degradation.
The organisation’s Pan-African Political Strategist, Fred Njehu, said fossil fuel companies were increasingly promoting plastic production as a means of maintaining demand for hydrocarbons even as countries accelerate efforts to transition towards renewable energy.
He warned that Africa risked becoming a major destination for continued fossil fuel extraction and petrochemical expansion, with local communities bearing the environmental and health consequences.
“The fossil fuel industry is using plastic production as a Trojan Horse to lock Africa into decades of continued extraction and pollution,” Njehu said.
“As the world rightly demands a shift from fossil fuel sources to renewable energy, Big Oil is aggressively pushing petrochemicals as their escape hatch, exploiting our continent to protect their growing profits.”
He maintained that governments could not effectively address climate change while allowing fossil fuel companies to expand plastic production and maintain investments in hydrocarbon extraction.
Njehu called for COP31 to deliver stronger accountability measures, including a binding international agreement to reduce plastic production at source.
He also urged governments to ensure that corporations responsible for pollution bear the costs of environmental damage across their supply chains, particularly in African communities already exposed to industrial pollution.
“We cannot fight the climate crisis while giving fossil fuel companies a backdoor to keep drilling,” he said.
Artist calls for reduced plastic production
The installation’s creator, Thomas Dambo, said his artistic work focuses on using recycled materials and discarded objects to challenge society’s culture of overproduction and waste.
He explained that the Trojan Horse was designed to reveal the connection between everyday plastic products and the oil and gas industries.
“I build sculptures exclusively from recycled materials and trash to make people think of how we overproduce. Here at COP31, this Trojan Horse reveals what everyday plastic conceals: its connection to oil and gas,” Dambo said.
He expressed hope that the installation would encourage public discussion about plastic consumption and the need to reduce production rather than concentrate exclusively on waste collection and recycling.
“As leaders negotiate our climate future, the fossil fuel industry is expanding through plastics. Working with Greenpeace, I hope this horse sparks curiosity and sends a clear message: a healthier climate means cutting plastic production,” he added.
Calls for stronger Global Plastics Treaty
Greenpeace USA’s Global Plastics Policy Lead, Jacob Kean-Hammerson, also called on governments to confront the influence of fossil fuel interests in international plastics negotiations.
He said unrestricted plastic production was worsening climate change, environmental pollution and threats to public health.
“Plastic is Big Oil’s Trojan Horse – a way to keep profiting from fossil fuels and continued climate emissions and pollution,” Kean-Hammerson said.
He urged governments participating in COP31 and preparations for the next round of Global Plastics Treaty negotiations to resist corporate pressure and commit to reducing plastic production.
According to him, tackling plastic pollution requires a just transition away from fossil fuels, alongside policies that protect communities, human health and the environment.
Greenpeace is calling for a strong and legally binding Global Plastics Treaty that addresses plastic pollution across the entire life cycle, with particular emphasis on reducing plastic production at its source.
Its demands include accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels, supporting reuse and refill systems, and strengthening corporate accountability for pollution.
The organisation maintains that recycling and improved waste management, although important, cannot independently address the scale of the plastic pollution crisis without measures to control the production of new plastics.
COP31 and the next phase of plastics negotiations
The unveiling comes as governments continue climate negotiations at COP31 in Antalya, where the relationship between fossil fuel production, industrial emissions and environmental pollution remains an important part of wider discussions on climate action.
It also precedes the next Global Plastics Treaty negotiations scheduled for March 2027, which Greenpeace says should provide an opportunity for governments to address the root causes of plastic pollution.
The international negotiations towards a legally binding plastics treaty have exposed significant differences among countries over whether the agreement should impose global limits on plastic production or concentrate primarily on waste management, recycling and improved product design.
For environmental campaigners, the outcome will have far-reaching implications for efforts to address plastic pollution, protect marine and terrestrial ecosystems and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with petrochemical production.
Greenpeace argues that governments must address the fossil fuel industry’s growing investment in plastics if they are to achieve meaningful climate action and a transition towards a circular economy.
Through the Trojan Horse installation, the organisation is seeking to draw attention to what it considers an overlooked dimension of the global energy transition: the risk that declining demand for fossil fuels in some sectors could be offset by expanding petrochemical production.
It insists that a healthier climate and a genuine Zero Waste future will require governments to reduce plastic production, strengthen corporate accountability and put public health and environmental protection ahead of fossil fuel industry profits.
