A South African who battled apartheid as a teen, then went on to lead global campaigns to end poverty and protect human rights is the new international head of Greenpeace.
Kumi Naidoo took over on Monday as the environmental group’s executive director. He says climate change makes his new job a logical addition to his resume, because there’s no point in addressing other development issues if the whole planet is under threat.
Gerd Leipold, whom Naidoo is replacing at Greenpeace, says his successor represents a watershed for the organisation. Leipold says Naidoo is the first African to head Greenpeace, and the first to come from outside the organisation. Leipold, a German, once headed Greenpeace’s nuclear disarmament campaign. — Sapa-AP