Oil companies don’t deserve special treatment - Russel Norman

Tuesday, September 25: Greenpeace Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, says the Government must not cave in to pleas for special treatment by the oil and gas industry by extending drilling permits that are set to expire.

This morning the Government indicated that oil companies could be given more time to decide whether they will drill before their permits run out.

"By allowing oil and gas companies to drill past the used-by date of their permits, the Government would essentially be giving them special treatment," he says.

"When ordinary New Zealand companies sign a contract with the Government they don’t expect to be allowed to vary the terms of the contract just by a bit of public whinging.

"Oil companies don’t deserve nurturing and protection. The fossil fuel industry must rapidly become obsolete if we are to protect this generation and future generations from the terrible effects of climate change.

"The recent super storms we’ve seen in North America and East Asia are just the latest reminder that we are pushing the planet’s climate to an extreme new state that will be dangerous for all humankind."

Norman says the Government should instead be supporting communities around the country to ensure there is a just transition to clean energy.

Last week Greenpeace launched a plan that would see half a million New Zealand homes solarised over the next 10 years.

"With dramatically falling costs of solar, wind, and batteries we now have a clear pathway in New Zealand to electrify transport with renewable energy so that we can call time on the age of oil," Norman says.

ENDS

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