26 March, 2018

Opening Ceremony Sunflower for Climate Justice

Today 350 Aotearoa ran the Opening Ceremony of the Rally for Climate Justice that gathered a diverse group of people united against new oil and gas in Aotearoa. The group comprising tangata whenua, doctors, church leaders, grandparents, students, and many more, constructed a giant sunflower to represent the communities and groups all across New Zealand who are standing against oil and gas. The group will join the blockade of the oil conference tomorrow.

“We are at a turning point in history - we’ve seen our hottest summer on record, sea level rise accelerating, cyclones pounding; with climate change bearing down we need to steer New Zealand away from any new fossil fuel projects immediately,” said Niamh O’Flynn, executive director of 350 Aotearoa.

“People from all walks of life, all across Aotearoa are demanding an end to new oil and gas. It’s time for our government take the bold stance on climate change that they were elected for and end oil, so we can build our fossil free future.”

Sunflowers are often used globally as a symbol the climate movement, as it represents both resistance to oil and gas expansion, and the vision for a brighter future, powered by the sun and wind.

The event was the opening ceremony for The Rally for Climate Justice, which has been initiated by Oil Free Wellington. Tomorrow hundreds of people are expected to blockade the oil conference.

Ends.

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