David Ritter

David Laurence Ritter (born 15th May 1971) is an Australian environmentalist, social activist and writer. He is the current Chief Executive Officer of Greenpeace Australia Pacific (GPAP), the regional office of Greenpeace for continental Australia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and numerous Pacific island nations. He is also a prolific commentator and has made an eclectic contribution to academia.
== Personal Life and Education ==
Ritter was born in South Perth, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Paul Ritter and Jean Ritter. He was schooled at Kelmscott, Western Australia, and Lesmurdie Senior High School. He attended the University of Western Australia as an undergraduate, achieving honors in arts and law. He also holds a masters degree in global politics with distinction from the London School of Economics. Ritter married academic Frances Flanagan in 2007. They have two children.
== Legal Career ==
In 1995 Ritter was the associate to Robert French, then judge of the Federal Court of Australia and inaugural President of the National Native Title Tribunal. Ritter subsequently worked as a lawyer at Perth firm Dwyer Durack (1996-99), before being recruited by then CEO Clinton Wolf to become Principal Legal Officer of the Yamatji Land & Sea Council (which later became the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation), the registered native title representative body for the Pilbara, Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia between 1999 and 2006. Ritter has written two books on the law of native title: Contesting Native Title: From controversy to consensus in the struggle over Indigenous land rights and The Native Title Market as well as numerous articles, reviews and case notes.
=== Environmentalism and activism ===
Ritter is a lifelong environmentalist. In 2007 Ritter was appointed to a senior campaigns position with Greenpeace UK. In August 2012 he returned to Australia to become CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, succeeding Helen Gibbons. 
Oceans and forests campaigns
Ritter led oceans campaigns for Greenpeace UK, including to reform the Common Fisheries Policy and to change global tuna fishing practices - the latter of which was assessed as ‘one of the most successful environmental campaigns in years’. In 2012, Ritter was among the environmentalists who collaborated with celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall#Activism|Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on the Channel 4 television series, Hugh's Fish Fight. Ritter later also worked on forest campaigns for Greenpeace UK, including engaging with major purchasers to change their procurement policies for palm oil, pulp and paper, and beef and leather, the major global drivers of deforestation.
Coal extraction and burning
In Australia between 2012 and 2022, Ritter led Greenpeace through numerous campaigns to prevent the mining and burning of coal, because it is the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and globally. Ritter’s book The Coal Truth: The Fight to Stop Adani, Defeat the Big Polluters and Reclaim our Democracy is an extended reflection on the campaign to prevent the Adani coal mine. The Coal Truth was named as one of the ‘Books of the Month’ by the Australian Financial Review in 2018. In 2020, Ritter led Greenpeace into a campaign to persuade Australia’s worst domestic climate polluter, AGL Energy, to become a clean energy company. AGL responded to Greenpeace’s tactics by initiating proceedings for alleged breaches of the company’s intellectual property rights. Ritter gave evidence in the case and was found to be an ‘honest and credible witness’.AGL Energy Limited v Greenpeace Australia Pacific Limited [2021] FCA 625 The case was won by Greenpeace. 
The Great Barrier Reef
Ritter has been a vocal advocate for the need for urgent action to protect the Great Barrier Reef. He has argued that Australian politicians and business leaders have promoted a ‘big lie’ that it is possible to save the Great Barrier Reef from destruction without committing to urgently ending fossil fuel extraction and burning. He also asserts that Australia is in breach of its UNESCO treaty promises to protect the Reef to the ‘utmost of its resources’. 
The Great Australian Bight
In 2017 Ritter led Greenpeace into joining the environmental and social campaign to prevent deepwater oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight. In the summer of 2018-2019 the Rainbow Warrior (2011) transited through the Bight to bring attention to the threat from oil. The campaign was wholly successful, with all major oil companies abandoning any intention to explore in the Great Australian Bight.
Australian Electricity Use: REenergise
In 2019 Greenpeace Australia Pacific began a campaign to convert major Australian electricity users to shift to only purchasing power from renewable sources by 2025 or sooner. The campaign was highly successful, resulting in more than 20 major Australian corporations including Telstra, Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings and Aldi making this commitment. Ritter described this campaign as an example of the emerging tactical alliance of ‘community and capital’.
Response to climate damage
In December 2019, Ritter described the failure of Scott Morrison’s Australian government to adequately respond to widespread bushfires as a ‘Chernobyl moment’. Ritter is an advocate for a universal social safety net approach to responding to the growing climate crisis.
National climate, energy and environment policy
As the CEO of one of Australia’s major environmental organisations, Ritter has been a longstanding advocate for urgent climate action, and for stronger environmental protection in Australia. He has argued that climate progress in Australia is held back by a complex of power known as the ‘Fossil Fuel Order’. 
Woodside Gas Expansion
In 2021 Ritter led Greenpeace to join the alliance of social and environmental groups opposed to Woodside Energy’s gas expansion plans of the north west coast of Western Australia. In May 2022, Ritter publicly clashed with Woodside Board Chair Richard Goyder at the company’s AGM accusing the company of attempting to ‘gaslight the united nations’.
Climate justice and rights of displaced people
Ritter is an advocate for the right to ‘migration with dignity’ for people displaced by climate change. 
Arctic
In 2014 Ritter accompanied Kiribati President Anote Tong on a trip to the Arctic to bear witness to the community of fate shared by the Pacific Island Nations and the Arctic in the face of climate change.
Australia Remade
Ritter was one of the founders of Australia reMADE, ‘an independent, visionary alliance of leaders, thinkers and practitioners tired of just fighting the old systems and toxic politics, and keen to build the new’.
=== Essays and writing ===
Ritter has contributed to various newspapers and periodicals, including Guardian Australia, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, Griffith Review, Arena and Australian Quarterly. He has written three books, Contesting Native Title, The Native Title Market and The Coal Truth.
=== Academic contributions ===
Ritter has held various fractional and honorary appointments at the University of Western Australia, Sydney University and elsewhere and has made an eclectic academic contribution. 
Terra Nullius controversy 
Ritter was an early proponent of a critical legal interpretation of the ‘rejection of terra nullius’ in the Australian High Court’s decision in Mabo (2).
Eichmann trial
Ritter is the author of the only study of Australian reactions to the trial and execution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.
Critique of native title and heritage approvals system.
During his time as an Indigenous rights lawyer, Ritter was known as a staunch academic critic of Australia’s native title system and particularly the National Native Title Tribunal. He advocated a realist interpretation of the functioning of Australia’s native title system as driven by underlying political economy, which was more fully developed in his books on the subject.
Category:1971 births
Category:Australian environmentalists
Category:People from Perth, Western Australia