A victory praised and supported by environmental groups. The good news comes from Oceania, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it will ban oil exploration offshore, taking a step towards a new country and a new world with zero carbon emissions.
The announcement was made in the capital of New Zealand. Wellington noted that “unless we make decisions today, which will take effect in 30 or more years, we run the risk of acting too late and causing abrupt consequences to communities and our country.” . While this giant step does not affect the current 22 oil contracts, it prohibits the issuance of new permits for oil and gas offshore extraction. The goal is to address climate change and create a “clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand.”
Photo: Ulysse Bellier
In addition, Jacinda Ardern denies the rumors from the oil industry that ensure their decision will cause millions of losses. The president clarified that the 4500 jobs linked to extractive activities will be maintained for a few more decades, as well as the income. In addition, she emphasizes that her management goes according to what was stated in the Paris agreement and states that it is time to put ideas and plans into real acts.
It should be noted that one of the key promises of the president during the elections that led to her triumph, was to apply a transition from fossil energy generation to 100% renewable energy generation by 2035. Last month, Ardern received and accepted a request from Greenpeace which collected 50,000 signatures that supported the end of exploitation at sea.
Photo: Berardo62
The decision taken last week had many disagreements from opposition political groups, but, then again, much support from organizations and people who see this act as a victory in the battle against climate change. Executive director Kevin Hague of the Forest & Bird conservation group said the ban was a “big step forward … half of the world’s whale and dolphin species visit or live in New Zealand waters, from the dolphin of Maui in critical danger to giant blue whales.”
Without a doubt, a historic moment that we hope will be the initial motivation for other countries to comply with the Paris agreement. What do you think about this avant-garde decision of the Prime Minister of New Zealand?
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