Greenpeace has slammed Labour leader Jacinda Ardern for refusing to rule out new deep sea oil drilling, despite comparing climate change to our nuclear-free moment a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Ardern made the comments to Radio NZ host Guyon Espiner this morning, after questions about whether she would commit to the Green\u2019s policy of no new oil and gas drilling.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace climate campaigner, Kate Simcock, says Ardern doesn\u2019t seem to have an understanding about the drivers of climate change.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf climate change is our nuclear free moment, then oil, coal and gas are the nuclear bombs. Today Jacinda had an opportunity to walk the talk, but she failed,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe science is clear – we can\u2019t afford to burn the majority of the world\u2019s known fossil fuel reserves if we want to avoid climate catastrophe, let alone search for more. All new deep sea oil reserves need to stay in the ground if we want to keep warming below two degrees. Ending new deep sea oil drilling in New Zealand is the most basic first step you can take when it comes to climate action.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simcock says she was shocked at Ardern\u2019s reasoning for wanting to continue deep sea oil drilling in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\u201cJacinda\u2019s comments make no sense. She says she won\u2019t rule out new deep sea oil drilling because she wants to make sure we have a \u2018just-transition\u2019. But the question is – a just transition for whom? We\u2019re talking about big foreign oil companies bringing seismic blasting and drill ships ships here with their own people, to search for oil at some of the most extreme depths in the world,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe companies snooping around our shores, like Statoil and Chevron, are almost single handedly responsible for what\u2019s happening to our climate. They’re named in the list of 100 companies in the world that are causing 71% of climate change[1].\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not talking about the local onshore or shallow water industry in Taranaki, which will need a just transition. <\/p>\n
\u201cJacinda seems to lack an understanding of these issues. We don\u2019t need \u2018advice\u2019 to tell us that oil, coal and gas are the drivers of climate change and need to be kept in the ground – it\u2019s unequivocal.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeep sea oil is not a domestic emissions question that we can kick to a Climate Commission. It’s an urgent moral question. We can say yes to the science that says this is the oil we must leave in the ground if we want to protect humanity, or we can continue letting these oil giants put our lives and oceans at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
During the interview, Ardern also refused to rule out an end to new coal mines – the dirtiest fuel on the planet – and advocated a transition to gas, another fossil fuel.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace has provided a list of key things that the next Government must do to meet the challenge of climate change.<\/p>\n
ENDS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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