But unbelievably - like mining plans - the Government does
actually think drilling for oil and digging up coal in the 21st
century is a good idea.
Greenpeace New Zealand climate campaigner Simon Boxer said burning oil had a
serious effect on climate change and the risks from drilling - such
as the ongoing Gulf of Mexico oil disaster - highlighted how our
dependency on fossil fuels damaged people, economies and the
environment.
Despite feeble assurances from the John Key, in the Herald
today, offshore drilling is not safe. The BP disaster in the Gulf
of Mexico shows that it is extremely difficult to control
activities in the deep sea," he said.
If the president of the wealthiest and most powerful country in
the world can't stop an offshore oil spill then how is John Key
going to?
The Government has awarded the drilling contract to Petrobras
that has a shocking safety and environmental record as its oil rig
disaster of 2001 demonstrates." (1)
We only have to imagine a Louisiana-style oil spill along New
Zealand's coastline and the spectacular East Cape to understand
what is at stake here. Significant fisheries, fragile coastal
ecology and birdlife, a tourism hotspot and New Zealand's clean,
green reputation will be put at risk.
One gulf of Mexico type oil disaster in New Zealand could cause
permanent ecological harm and cost the economy billions.
This is not the right direction for New Zealand. These sorts of
extractive 19th Century industries like coal mining and
oil drilling are boom and bust economics - they earn money for a
few international corporations and leave a big mess for the rest of
us. The cost
benefit equation just doesn't stack up."
Boxer said that in the era of climate change New Zealand should
be investing in clean technologies not regressing to 19th century
extractive industry of dirty old oil and coal.
For more information
Simon Boxer, Greenpeace NZ
Senior climate campaigner, 021 905 579
Suzette Jackson, Greenpeace
Communications manager, 021 614 899
(1) Petrobras's floating oil platform sinks. The biggest
platform in the world http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ americas/1233083.stm