WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026— A judge in North Dakota ordered Greenpeace on February 28 to pay damages of $345 million to pipeline company Energy Transfer. The company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline had sued the environmental group for its role in protest actions in 2016-2017. The order is expected to trigger appeals from both sides, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
The verdict, which penalizes Greenpeace for its involvement in Indigenous-led protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, raises concerns about the weaponization of courts against environmental advocates, with major implications for activism and free speech more broadly.
Rebecca Brown, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) issues the following statement:
“This is a textbook SLAPP – a strategic lawsuit against public participation, designed to silence dissent and incapacitate environmental advocates through crushing legal costs. But this judgment is far from the last word. The damage award remains extraordinarily high, and the claims on which it rests, legally baseless, so it will face appeal.
“This case and other abusive suits by the fossil fuel industry underscore the need for strong anti-SLAPP protections to prevent the misuse of courts against climate defenders and to safeguard democratic engagement. What we are witnessing is not simply a dispute over protest tactics— it is a direct attack on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and the right of communities, including the Standing Rock Sioux, to speak out in defense of their land, water, and future without facing financial ruin.
“At a time when environmental protections are being dismantled, and climate harms are escalating, weaponizing the courts to suppress dissent strikes at the heart of democracy. Care for our planet is not extremism or defamation— it is a civic duty. Standing with Indigenous communities defending their sovereign rights is not a crime. We cannot and will not allow the defense of clean water, human rights, and a livable future to be rebranded as wrongdoing.”
Media Contact
Maria Frausto, CIEL Communications Director, or Niccolò Sarno, CIEL Media Relations Specialist: [email protected]