Marsden B activists arrested: Pirate climate rescue radio Heatwave FM continues

Ruakaka, Saturday 4 November 2006, 2.30pm: Three Greenpeace activists who earlier this morning scaled the 60m Marsden B power station which is planned to convert to coal, have been arrested. Michael Simpson, Emma Giles and Katarina Tamaira were arrested after police broke onto the roof of Marsden B. All activists have been charged with unlawfully being on a building.

However Greenpeace is still beaming the pirate "climate rescue radio", Heatwave FM from a secret location, on the internet on www.heatwavefm.net and to Whangarei on 88.3FM and are collecting names for an open letter to the New Zealand Government demanding urgent action on climate change as part of a Global Day of Action.

The Global Day of Action on climate change will see people from many groups all over the world demand that world leaders take the urgent action needed to prevent the catastrophic destabilisation of our global climate. It is timed to coincide with the United Nations Climate meeting on the Kyoto Protocol, in Nairobi from 6-17 November.

Celebrity DJ `Bomber' Bradbury and musician Steve Abel are hosting Heatwave FM and broadcasting online to the world. They are getting first hand accounts of Global Day of Action activities not only in New Zealand, but also from Bangladesh to Belgium.

"Obviously we are disappointed that the activists have been arrested but not nearly as disappointed as we are at the lack of action from the New Zealand Government and international community in tackling climate change - the greatest threat to the planet - and in Mighty River Power for wasting money investing in coal when they should be leading in solutions like renewable energy. However, we are continuing to get the message out through our pirate climate rescue radio station Heatwave FM," said climate campaigner Vanessa Atkinson.

Greenpeace will be hosting a climate rescue picnic outside the front gates of Marsden B tomorrow 12-3pm, encouraging people to sign onto a banner of the open letter to the New Zealand government.

"Last weekend, Helen Clark told the nation it was `time to be bold on climate change'. She also said `New Zealand [could] aim to be the first country in the world which is truly sustainable."

"Marsden B is obviously the first thing that the Prime Minister should be axing - and any other new coal-fired powers stations. Truly sustainable electricity generation comes from renewable energy: sun, wind and water. Not dirty old coal."

If Marsden B goes ahead it would release over 2 million tonnes of climate polluting gases into the atmosphere every year.

"You can't call that sustainable", concluded Ms Atkinson.

Greenpeace has launched an open letter to the New Zealand Government and its representatives calling for action on climate change now (1). People can sign onto the open letter by texting 898 with their name and town or through the Heatwave FM website.

Names can be added until 6pm on Monday 6 November after which a copy of the letter will be delivered to the New Zealand delegation at the meeting in Nairobi.

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