WCC submission says public need to have a say about deep sea oil

Oil Free Wellington is pleased to see Wellington City Council is listening to the many people concerned about deep sea oil and is urging the Government to do more about climate change.

Last month, hundreds of people urged the Council to use their power to make a submission opposing the expansion of the oil industry through the government’s block offers. The general public are excluded from this process. Late last week, the Council passed and delivered their submission. (1)

Communities all over the country have been lobbying their councils to oppose deep sea oil. The government had given iwi, hapu and councils until 30th October to submit on Block Offer 2016. The block offer process has opened up huge areas of ocean and land to oil companies in recent years. In 2012 and 2014, the government granted permits to companies like Chevron, Anadarko, Statoil to prospect for oil off Wellington's coast. (2)

Oil Free Wellington says there are some very strong messages in the submission, but it does not go far enough.

“Wellington City Council sends some strong messages to the government,” says spokesperson Michelle Ducat. “They make it clear that there is a real public concern about the deep sea oil and the government need to engage in full, formal public consultation.”

“They also acknowledge the catastrophic effect any spill would have on the local community and environment. The submission states “oil and gas exploration should not proceed unless it is clear that this activity will not result in adverse environmental impacts.””

“Wellington City Council also state we need to take the urgent issue of climate change into account and transition away from fossil fuels. They urge the government to research the effect of any expansion of the petroleum industry on climate change and that they should be doing more to transition to an economy which isn't reliant on fossil fuels.” (3)

“However Oil Free Wellington is very disappointed that Wellington City Council did not simply oppose deep sea oil outright. It is clear from recent IPCC reports that we cannot burn all the existing reserves of oil, let alone make new ones available, if we are to have some chance of staying within 2 degrees of warming. New fossil fuels are a huge risk to vulnerable communities,” says Ms Ducat. (4)

“Oil Free Wellington urges Wellington City Council to use future opportunities to send a strong message to central government that expanding the fossil fuel industry for short term economic gains is not acceptable.”

Christchurch City Council and Kaikoura District Council have both sent submissions opposing deep sea oil. (5)

Notes

1) http://emails.toko.org.nz/block-the-offer-wellington/ 2) http://www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/investors/permits/block-offers/previous 3) See copy of submission 4) http://www.climatecentral.org/news/ipcc-climate-change-report-contains-grave-carbon-budget-message-16569 5) http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/72959254/christchurch-city-council-fired-up-over-oil-drilling-plan, http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/73327556/kaikoura-council-unanimous-in-antioil-message

ENDS

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