Kia ora tātou,
It has been another busy and productive month.
First up, thank you to all those who joined or supported us in our blockade outside Todd Energy on 12 June. To avoid embarrassment and bad press, the Energy Resources Taranaki Forum, a gathering of mostly fossil fuel and associated companies, was moved online. So we moved to blockading the Todd Energy House in Ngāmotu / New Plymouth instead, to show that the industry has “no social license to continue harming our communities and our planet…” Read why we blockaded the industry here.
On 14June, our group spoke to the Parliamentary Environment Committee about our serious concerns on the Fast Track Approvals Bill, the last day of oral submissions hearing. Here is what we said.
On 30 June, we submitted to the Parliamentary Committee for Primary Industry in opposition to the Resource Management (Freshwater & Other Matters) Bill. The Bill attempts to further weaken freshwater and biodiversity protection, ease the consenting for coal mines and erode democratic participation. It is foolhardy as it risks escalating impacts on human health and environmental integrity, both of which are key to economic sustainability. Many farmers across Aotearoa are already doing the right thing and transitioning to low impact and regenerative agriculture. There is a momentum that would create cascades of positive change at multiple levels from environmental to socio-economic and animal welfare, if the government would just stop sabotaging it.
A Fast Track Hijack
With the Fast Track Approvals Bill threatening everything we care deeply – te taiao, whanau and democracy, it is important for us to speak up against it, educate those who are still unaware of what’s coming, and to work together. Our researcher wrote an opinion piece for the Taranaki Daily News which got published on 20 June, then challenged and defended. It is one way of engaging the public and bringing to light what is at stake and what are the alternatives. A few excerpts:
“Our energy transition is being hijacked by a government in thrall of polluting vested interests… With so much at stake, granting TTR a Fast Track Approval would destroy any trust in the legal system and engender community backlash across the motu…
Industries and corporate friendly politicians are skilled in privatising profits and socialising losses. They tell us that we need more coal mines and fossil gas for energy security, and search for so-called ‘critical minerals’ to decarbonise. But that is only part of the story, and a very misleading one… The truth is there are real biophysical limits that restrict how much natural resources we can extract, consume and pollute… Even if it is possible, trying to replace all fossil fuel energy with renewables to satisfy our desires for ever more stuff will destroy the biosphere that sustains us, our co-inhabitants and our economy. Living within our means is an imperative…”
Greenpeace also got an article published which highlights the hypocrisy of the government with its push for fossil fuels and mineral mining.
Check out Community Against Fast Track website on what action you can take:
Submissions
MBIE Proposed minerals strategy to 2040, closing 31 July
According to the Minerals Strategy, the Ministry for Business… wants to double NZ’s mineral exports to $2 billion by 2035. This would involve scaling up current exports (gold, coking coal), getting into new mineral mining (e.g. vanadium, lithium), some domestic processing and refining, and potentially “ten significant mining operations“.
Some of the key actions from this strategy include the Fast-track Approvals Bill and amendments to the Crown Minerals Act 1991 and Resource Management Act 1991 and its national direction to “improve consenting processes” and provide “an enabling and enduring framework for responsible minerals development.”
This is an extremely dangerous combination, risking irreversible damage to our life-supporting environment while stripping away participatory democracy and ignoring the alternatives of an extractive economy. As KASM Chair Cindy Baxter put it, “Trashing the environment to tackle the climate crisis is not a solution.”
We encourage you all to tell MBIE what you think about their minerals strategy. Get in touch if you would like some assistance in preparing your submission or collaborate in any way.
Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Bill, closing 28 July
This bill would amend the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to remove agriculture activities from the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme.
TRC Next steps for our freshwater, closing 2 August
The Taranaki Regional Council is seeking our views on targets for E. coli, nutrients and sediment, and limits and targets for water allocation, which will help inform the Land and Freshwater Plan.
Events
Palestinian Solidarity Taranaki rally, every Sat
The weekly rallies and protests in support of a free Palestine continue to carry the message for peaceful solution, humanitarian aid and immediate ceasefire through the streets of New Plymouth. Watch this to understand how Palestine solidarity is connected to the climate justice movement. Gather at Puke Ariki Landing every Saturday at 1pm. More on PSNA fb.
Revive Taranaki Expo, 13 July
Organised by Sustainable Taranaki, this expo will showcase many community groups and initiatives.
Taranaki Community Energy hui, 31 July
Remember the Climate Action Now community gathering we held successfully in May? One of the action groups formed during the gathering had their first hui on 20 June, to share members’ visions and discuss values around developing Community Energy initiatives in Taranaki. Their second hui will be on the 31st July. Get in touch if you’re interested to attend or advise aspects of this initiative.
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Thanks heaps for your ongoing support. We really appreciate it.
Kia kaha, kia maia, kia manawanui!
Climate Justice Taranaki 