MEDIA RELEASE: Further oil and gas drilling in Taranaki – disappointing

MEDIA RELEASE: Further oil and gas drilling in Taranaki – disappointing
DATE: 12th April 2018 – for immediate release

“Climate Justice Taranaki welcomes central government’s decision to issue no more offshore oil and gas exploration licenses. Finally, the government have listened to iwi, hapū and communities from across Aotearoa in not releasing any new offshore permits for oil and gas drilling. However, we are also deeply disappointed that it is considering releasing 1,703 square kilometres of land for new onshore drilling here in Taranaki. We all know that fossil fuels need to stay in the ground – offshore and onshore!” says Urs Signer, a member of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“The government says it will consult with hapū and iwi to identify areas of sensitivity or significance that the Minister needs to be aware of. However, a potential 23% of onshore Taranaki land could be available to companies wanting to drill, which will further contribute to the climate crisis and destroy the local environment.”

“Companies have been drilling for oil and gas in Taranaki since the 1860s and fracking since the early 1990s. They discharge toxic drilling waste back into old wells or spread it onto paddocks in so-called landfarms. Communities living around wellsites bear the brunt of noise and traffic impacts. The local councils are allying themselves with the industry to resist the basic safeguards for human health and safety. It is real sad to see the central government continuing to sacrifice Taranaki for political trade off.”

“The government can’t pretend to be proactive on climate change while at the same time enabling further drilling in Taranaki. The time for action on climate change was yesterday. Let’s get together in our communities, hapū and iwi and keep pushing the government and build our collective capacity to oppose further drilling and develop a truly sustainable and just economy” concludes Urs Signer.

Map source: NZPAM website, 12 April 2018

Media coverage:

Govt tells oil industry: ‘The world is changing’, Radio NZ 13 April 2018

No new offshore oil and gas exploration, Otago Daily Times 13 April 2018

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MEDIA RELEASE: Taranaki people headed for Petroleum Conference blockade

“Taranaki people, residents and whānau with concerns for our global climate are travelling to Wellington next week to participate in the Rally for Climate Justice and the blockade of the annual Petroleum Conference” says Urs Signer, member of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“Last year, 200 people successfully blockaded and delayed the Petroleum
Conference for several hours when it was held in New Plymouth. Since
then, opposition to further fossil fuel extraction has grown hugely
across Aotearoa. We all know that coal, oil and gas needs to stay in the
ground to avoid catastrophic climate change.”

“PM Jacinda Ardern has asked for more time to figure out what to do with
the oil and gas exploration block offers. It really isn’t that
difficult. If this is our nuclear free moment, then an end to fossil
fuel extraction is the only path forward.”

“To create a socially just and ecologically sustainable society is not
an easy task but the time for waiting is well and truly over. It’s time
for community action: together we will shut down the Petroleum
Conference; together we will bring an end to the fossil fuel extracting
industry; together we will ensure that the earth we are borrowing from
future generations has an intact climate and strong and healthy
communities” concludes Urs Signer.

More information about the Rally for Climate Justice and blockade can be
found here https://www.rallyforclimatejustice.nz/

Media coverage: Petroleum protester plan to attend the country’s biggest oil and gas conference in Wellington, TDN 22 March 2018

Anti-oil protest heads to NZ Petroleum Conference, Te Karere TVNZ, 26 March 2018

Protests at the New Zealand Petroleum Conference, RNZ, 26 March 2018

Press release: Climate Justice Taranaki vindicated by the Advertising Standard Authority

Three months after Climate Justice Taranaki (CJT) filed its complaint on the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association (PEPANZ)’s seismic survey website, the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) announced its Decision today.

Press release: Electricarna – Sat 24 February

Climate Justice Taranaki cordially invite Taranaki locals and visitors to the inaugural Electricarna this Sat 24 February, 3-7 pm at the New World carpark on Courtenay Street, New Plymouth.

The event will showcase a variety of electric vehicles (EVs) which are becoming popular alternatives to petrol guzzlers. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet passionate EV owners eager to share their knowledge and experience on their electric cars and bikes.

“We are so excited to work with local EV enthusiasts who have made this event possible. The amount of energy and expertise is amazing!  It is clear that awareness on climate change is growing and people are embracing alternatives to fossil fuels.  Transport and agriculture are the biggest greenhouse gas emitters in New Zealand.  As more drivers shift to EVs, individually or community owned, and public transport also becomes electrified, New Zealand will come closer to becoming carbon zero,” said Catherine Cheung, spokesperson of Climate Justice Taranaki.

Stephen Hobo-Tuck, founder of Naki EV Owners Group and co-organiser of Electricarna, wanted a more personal and hands-on experience for EV owners in New Plymouth, so Electricarna is a way of meeting that need.

“EVs are popping up in all sorts of places, being used as business vehicles and second family cars. The most popular model is the Nissan Leaf (LEAF stands for Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable Family Vehicle) which comes in hatchback and van and has been around for 8 years now. BMW have the i3 model which is also well regarded, being more powerful and having more range than the Leaf. Top of the range is, of course, Elon Musk’s Tesla, with blistering performance and huge range, with a price to match. No matter how you look at it, electric vehicles are here to stay, so come along on Saturday and LOOK, LEARN and LOVE the new electric vehicles: the future of transport,”said Stephen Hobo-Tuck.

The organisers thank The Better NZ Trust – Leading the Charge, for their logistics support, New World for providing us with the venue, and Taranaki Environmental Education Trust for promotion.

https://www.facebook.com/events/230159787528621/?active_tab=about

Media:

New car event quietly cruises into town (TDN, 25 Feb 2018)

Electric spark to car events (EV Talk, 26 Feb 2018)

Press Release: Ocean Killers: OMV, Schlumberger, Amazon Warrior

“In the last 42 days, the seismic survey ship ‘Amazon Warrior’ has been forced to stop 28 times according to reports from iwi marine mammal observers onboard because the ship has come too close to whales, dolphins or seals.” said Climate Justice Taranaki spokesperson Emily Bailey. “That’s threatened or endangered species in harm’s way every one and a half days in OMV and Schlumberger’s irresponsible pursuit of oil”.

Photo: The Amazon Warrior’s path of destruction, from Google Earth KMZ

“Climate Justice Taranaki fully supports the actions of Greenpeace protectors who locked on to the Amazon Warrior’s support ship yesterday in Port Taranaki. We have a proud history of civil disobedience by brave people who are willing to stand up for what’s right. Schlumberger and OMV should be ashamed of their backward operations at a time when our seas are dying and climate chaos has begun.”

“New research has proven seismic blasting kills off zooplankton and krill out to at least 1.2 kilometres from every hydrophone trailed behind the survey ships. These tiny animals underpin whole ocean productivity and are why the Southern Taranki Bight provides important feeding and nursery grounds or migration corridors for some 36 cetacean species including critically endangered Maui dolphins and endangered Blue Whales. It is part of one of the two most biodiverse areas in the world – and a hotspot for commercial and recreational fishers.”

“Together with the Cook Strait, the South Taranaki Bight is also an internationally recognised Important Bird Area, identified by Forest and Bird. Research on our ‘At risk-declining’ Little Blue Penguin has shown that some birds swam all the way from Marlborough to feed in the South Taranaki Bight. A new study on the breeding endangered African Penguin revealed a strong avoidance of their preferred foraging ground during seismic blasting, affecting their reproductive success.”

“The Iwi Chairs and Taranaki iwi and hapu came out in full against this seismic survey along with thousands of New Zealanders who don’t think the destruction of our planet is worth the price of oil. Some Taranaki iwi have also declared they want no more of this industry at all in their rohe and are demanding complete removal of all infrastructure.”

“While two other companies in the seismic industry have just gone bankrupt, Schlumberger has now declared it’s financially unviable to continue seismic surveying but they are to complete their current contracts. OMV nears the end of this survey, coming in close now to Taranaki’s coastal Marine Mammal Sanctuary. It’s time OMV, and next on the list: Todd, pull out of these contracts and do the right thing for the future of Taranaki and our planet.”

 

Sources:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-06/uot–nrr062217.php
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/71327531/marlboroughs-amazing-little-blue-penguins
http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/important-bird-areas
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03014223.2017.1302970?journalCode=tnzz20
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16569-x

—
Climate Justice Taranaki

http://climatejusticetaranaki.info
https://www.facebook.com/climatejusticetaranaki/

Photos from the Rally on the Water

Here are some photos from the protest in New Plymouth against the seismic survey, held on 30th December 2017.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Climate Justice Taranaki regrets EPA drilling decision

“We are deeply disappointed by the Environmental Protection Authority’s decision to grant Shell consents to 2050 for the use of a jack-up rig and discharge of harmful contaminants off the Taranaki coast.

“As we stressed repeatedly at various hearings, cumulative effects from the proposed and existing activities have not been assessed properly. The way applications are assessed in isolation, with no regards to the total harm and consequence on the environment and marine species, is ludicrous.  You can’t keep adding stress to the system and expect it to be fine! Based on the precautionary principle, the application should have been declined” says Catherine Cheung, researcher of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“We are supposed to protect the environment, the marine life and the climate. Drilling for more fossil fuels is the last thing this or future generations need.  Future generations will look back at this time in disbelief as to why we keep putting the future environmental stability of this planet at risk for short-term monetary gain.

Climate change is a reality now. The time for action was three decades ago. So why does the EPA have its head stuck in the sand?  Our group will continue to organise on the front-lines of climate change for a just transition towards an ecological sustainable society” concludes Urs Signer, spokesperson of Climate Justice Taranaki.

Media coverage:

EPA ignores wide picture in Taranaki oil consent (Waatea news, 19Jan18)