Oil and gas block offers - a path of destruction
"Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges this morning offered up
405,000km2 of land and sea to oil and gas companies committing his
government to further crimes against the planet just two days after the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reiterated once again that
climate change is a reality for communities across the globe. Unless we
immediately deal with our fossil-fuel addiction and stop the extraction of
oil, gas and coal, we are virtually digging our planet's grave" says Urs
Signer, member of Climate Justice Taranaki.
The block offers that have gone out for tender include some 55,000 km2 of
offshore area in the Taranaki Basin and 1200 km2 of land in Taranaki which
together with current permits, engulf nearly the entire region other than
the national park and parts of New Plymouth area. Elsewhere, the block
offers include huge areas offshore of Otago, Canterbury, Wellington and
Auckland coasts; and onshore areas on the East Coast and the South Island
West Coast.
"The government has chosen a path of destruction that doesn't even take
the future of the next generation into consideration. It is squandering
our opportunities for transition to a safe, low carbon economy."
"Note however, that community opposition to the drilling is not futile!
The Parihaka community in coastal Taranaki has written two statements
opposing the government's agenda 'demanding that the government cease the
permitting of petroleum mining and exploration in our environment.' On the
block offer maps, Parihaka now finds itself surrounded by areas released
for tender to drilling companies, yet Parihaka Pā itself has been
excluded."
NZ Petroleum and Minerals states that 'we have removed Parihaka Pā
recognising its importance to the Taranaki Iwi.'
"Communities, hapu and iwi from the far north to the deep south are united
in our opposition to the fossil-fuel agenda. Instead, we favour energy
reduction and renewable energy for a sustainable and just future for all"
concludes Urs Signer.
ENDS