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Stop the Petroleum Conference for good
Today a coalition of groups and citizens, including
Extinction Rebellion, Oil Free Otago, Environmental Justice
Otepoti and others, have gathered in Queenstown to strongly
oppose the 2019 Petroleum Conference in Queenstown. Representatives from some of the world’s biggest oil
extraction and servicing companies are at the Millenium
Hotel from 29 September to 1 October, including Halliburton,
multinational Schlumberger whose vessel Amazon Warrior
seismic blasted in blue whale territory in 2017, oil giant
OMV and Canada’s Greymouth Petroleum along with
Australia’s second biggest oil producer Beach Energy and
NZ’s own Todd Energy. Sessions include criticism of the
government's offshore ban on new oil and gas permits
("Policy on the Hoof"), exploration of methane hydrates or
'ice gas', production of methane derived hydrogen, and
carbon capture and sequestration. The event is
organised by The Petroleum Exploration & Production
Association of NZ (PEPANZ) in conjunction with the NZ
Government (NZPAM and GNS Science). “This week,
just after our Prime Minister talks up New Zealand’s
commitment to solving the climate crisis at the UN, another
part of her government is mingling with the very companies
most responsible for causing it” the group’s
spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden said. "This conference is
all about further expansion instead of stopping its use" The Queenstown Lakes District Council voted 6-5 in
favour of declaring a climate and ecological emergency in
June. July saw Queenstown’s mean temperature double its
average for the month.
“Businesses suffer when
the snow stays away.” Ms Penwarden says “The fossil fuel
industry is most responsible for the slow demise of this
iconic tourist winter wonderland. The burning of fossil
fuels causes global warming and that melts snow. It’s not
rocket science. It’s climate science. It’s plain
physics. This conference should be shunned by the people of
Queenstown.” “Why are they hiding?” Ms Penwarden
asks. “Is it because they know the tide of the climate
movement is rising against them, including hundreds of
thousands of New Zealand school students? “We
tracked them down and are here today to draw the line. NO
MORE fossil fuel expansion. We will not sit by while these
companies keep destroying our children’s future. To
explore for more oil and gas when we can’t afford to burn
what is already discovered is immoral and intolerable. “We demand the government cancel all remaining fossil
fuel exploration permits in Aotearoa. “We demand
an end to the NZ Petroleum Conference for good, and that the
government redirect their money towards an immediate and
swift transition to a carbon neutral, local, fairer economy.
No more empty words.”
After years of disruption from climate
activists in Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington the
conference went underground this year in an attempt to keep
the venue and dates secret. Attendees have been told they
will need to stay in-house for their “safety and
security”.
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