PM and Tillerson talks must address the climate crisis
Oil Free Wellington press release
For immediate release
Climate justice group Oil Free Wellington is challenging the Prime Minister Bill English to raise the subject of the
biggest threat to the Pacific when he meets with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson next week.
Spokesperson Michelle Ducat says, "Bill English needs to tell the US Secretary of State that runaway climate change is
the biggest threat we face in the Pacific region. It is far bigger than the threat posed by terrorism or North Korea"
"Our Pacific neighbours face rising seas and salt water encroachment - and we all face the uncertainty of extreme
weather events."
"This discussion is even more important given Trump's decision to leave the Paris climate agreement."
"Both the USA and New Zealand governments are moving in the wrong direction. Even before his decision to abandon the
Paris climate agreement, Trump had an appalling record on the climate. He plans to open up more land to oil and gas
exploration - and has approved the Keystone and Dakota pipelines. Meanwhile the New Zealand government is opening up
more land and sea to oil and gas exploration every year."
Current estimates show that in order to prevent catastrophic climate change more than half of the current fossil fuel
reserves must be left in the ground.
Oil Free Wellington has no confidence that former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson and the rest of the Trump administration
will ever take climate change seriously. We are in full support of 350 Aotearoa's call for a rally at parliament to
unwelcome Tillerson and we send solidarity to all groups and people organising for peace, climate justice and in
opposition to the Trump administration's destructive policies.
"Both governments need to understand that if they do not halt fossil fuel exploration and work towards a just solution
to climate change then they will face a growing movement for climate justice."
Anyone interested in attending the rally should click on this link http://act.350.org/signup/rex-tillerson-nz
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