NZ lights the spark for ambitious climate action

Hundreds of people joined climate action groups all across New Zealand on Saturday to take action to call for bold and ambitious climate leadership in response to the Global Climate Action Summit hosted in California this week.

350 Aotearoa and 350 Pacific, co-ordinated the groups to participate in the Rise for Climate mobilisations, in which thousands of people will take action globally.

Events were held in Auckland, Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, each highlighted different demands for local leaders and institutions to act ambitiously on climate change.

The local events sought to build on the climate success of the last year, and empower everyday people to demand stronger action from our leaders. Local 350 and Fossil Free groups focus on removing the social licence of the oil, gas and coal sectors -the most carbon intensive industries.

Niamh O’Flynn, spokesperson for 350 Aotearoa, said: “We can see the era of the fossil fuel industry is coming to it’s inevitable end. “Our groups are demanding a fast and just transition to 100 per cent renewable energy. New Zealand has done this before, and we can do it again.

“As a communities, cities, and as a nation we banded together to make our country nuclear-free, now we’re doing the same with fossil fuels. It’s time for our local institutions and leaders to cut their ties with fossil fuel industry, and stop granting them to social licence to operate.”

In the past year, the coalition government has made considerable steps towards addressing climate change, including the ban on new offshore oil exploration, and rejecting consents to mine coal on conservation land.