350.org Film Evening – Oil & gas – what’s happening?

Get the low-down on oil and gas in New Zealand, plus coal and water bottling.

The wins

• The Petroleum Summit blockade in Wellington got publicity & gave government a clear message .
• Jacinda announces no more new offers of blocks of NZ coastline for oil/gas exploration

The business as usual

• Off shore oil exploration will continue – existing leases run till 2030

• On-land fracking for coal-gas continues in NZ and L&M Minierals holds a permit for coal-gas exploration in Canterbury and South Canterbury
• Fonterra proposes to replace coal with natural gas to heat its milk powder – Jeanette Fitzsimon explains why natural gas is NOT a good alternative to coal
• Coalgate coal mine recently got a derisory fine from ECan for discharging waste into rivers
• Te Kuha opencast mine near Westport may still go ahead – IF Forest & Bird’s appeal against the RMA decision fails and IF the government allows access through DOC land.
• Water bottling for export planned for Belfast, Chch

What we can do

• Celebrate the wins & reinforce good decisions at Hands Across the Sand Saturday 19 May. Family-friendly fun, with a dolphin message for local MP Poto Williams.
•  Keep up the pressure on the decision-makers.  Civil disobedience needs to be backed up by lobbying – join Greenpeace’s campaign for letters to Jacinda, Ministers and MPs. Tell them to stop ALL oil/gas exploration both on- and off-shore, and no more new coal mines.
• Sign the petition against the Belfast water bottling plant – clean water is a climate issue
•  Get informed – sign up to Coal Action Network Aotearoa for in-depth information about coal and gas in NZ

And come to the Friday films – the easy way to find out & debate what’s happening over a cuppa in good company!