You would expect a man who has devoted 45 years to fighting for the environment to be optimistic about his life’s work. But Greenpeace icon Peter Willcox is a picture of pessimism. A celebrated Earth hero, the 65-year-old is one of the longest-serving captains for the flagship vessel, Rainbow Warrior.
His deep relationship with Greenpeace started in 1981 when he was 28 and the organisation only had 200 people. It took just three years on the job for his life to be threatened, a caveat that has become part and parcel of working as an environmental activist.