“Flaring at Mangahewa D, Todd Energy Gas plant, Taranaki” photo by Fiona Clark

The tobacco industry got nervous when people began to question the health impacts of cigarettes in the 1950s. In response, their marketers invented the filter-tipped cigarette, to screen out tar and nicotine and make the cigarette “safer”. The filters did not stop cancer; people just dragged harder or smoked more to get their nicotine fix, and filter-tipped cigarettes have dominated the market ever since.

Today’s fossil fuel industry is like the nervous tobacco industry of the 1950s. They know the burning of coal, oil and gas is speedily nudging our global thermometer to two degrees. Like their tobacco industry pals they have lied, cheated and even paid the same marketers to confuse us into ignoring the warning signs, continue with our fossil fuel addiction and allow them to make more profits.

And Fonterra has it bad. As the second largest user of coal in the country, Fonterra’s addiction keeps New Zealand’s fossil fuel industry thriving.

The fossil fuel spin doctors are marketing gas as the ‘clean’ alternative to dirty coal. Gas is the bridge to a renewable future. Gas provides ‘diversity’ in our forward-looking energy arsenal, according to Energy Minister Simon Bridges.

Gas: the filter-tipped cigarette of fossil fuel industry.

Most of Fonterra’s North Island milk drying plants are gas-fired, and their new plant at Pahiatua and recent expansion at Lichfield will use more. While the rest of us go electric, ride our bikes and turn off the lights Fonterra just keeps pumping it out, helping keep New Zealanders among the highest emitters per capita of greenhouse gases in the world.

But two problems present themselves to the proponents of coal, oil and gas. The first: a growing awareness, translating into action against fossil fuel expansion worldwide and a fast expanding global divestment movement. The second: facts.

As the Green Party explained in their campaign to prevent Nova Energy’s plans for new, fossil fuelled electricity in the Waikato, “Gas ain’t Green”. True, gas emits around half as much carbon dioxide as coal. This is useful for the oil companies who can virtuously call for a worldwide price on carbon to help wipe out that dirty old coal, give oil and gas the competitive advantage and allow them to continue plugging their filter-tipped climate-destroying product; ‘clean’ natural gas.

And burning gas emits about 75 per cent as much carbon dioxide as crude oil, slowing the climate damage by one year in every four.

But carbon dioxide emissions are only part of the gas problem. Natural gas only emits carbon dioxide after it is burned. Before it’s burned it is mostly methane, and methane leaks. Right now methane appears to be playing a big and immediate part in destroying our climate.

The industry’s ‘Gas is Green’ Iogo comes at a really bad time. At current rates we’ll have two degrees’ worth of human-caused greenhouse gases in our atmosphere as soon as the 2030s. Just when the next twenty years really matter, we’re sending more and more of the most potent greenhouse gas we can get our hands on into the rapidly warming atmosphere.

Methane is 86 times more potent than CO2 over a twenty year period. Yes, it stays in the atmosphere for less time, but it’s the short term that counts if we are to avoid reaching the global warming tipping point described by Dr James Hansen and others, where feedback effects like arctic methane release will just keep the temperature going up irretrievably. Result? Ocean fish stock collapse, Amazon jungle die-off, many metres of sea level rise and more.

The US fracking revolution is not a bridge to clean energy. New research from Harvard shows that between 2002 and 2014 methane leakage from gas production and delivery in the US rose by up to 30%. Gas is delaying the urgent deployment of resources into renewable technologies, leaking dangerous methane into the atmosphere and, scientists confirm, may actually be exacerbating the climate problem.

Let’s not make the same mistake in Aotearoa. While the atmosphere has no borders we can at least learn from the mistakes made in the US and not add to them. There are 2,600 kilometres of high-pressure natural gas transmission pipelines in the North Island (none in the south), including the 307 km Maui pipeline that carries 78% of all of New Zealand’s natural gas. There are also many low pressure pipelines distributing gas to households and businesses like Fonterra. We don’t measure methane leakage here, but take a trip through back country Taranaki and sniff the air; it ain’t all cow shit out there.

Many studies besides the Harvard one find that even a very small amount of methane leakage from gas wells and transport systems can have a large climate impact — enough to cancel out any benefit of switching from coal to gas for a very long time.

Fonterra is getting a bad rap over coal. If they try to “green” up their image by switching to even more gas, we will be ready. We don’t buy filter-tipped.

Fonterra: don’t go there. Coal has to go but Gas ain’t Green.

The post Hey Fonterra: Coal Must Go but Gas Ain’t Green appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Cow in dry weather, Wairarapa. Photo Dave Allen, NIWA

As I flew up the country from Wellington to Auckland this week, on yet another beautiful day, I was struck by the colour of our country.

Brown. Burned to a crisp.  The occasional smattering of green forest, but an island suffering from its  worst drought in 70 years, as I’d heard climate scientist Jim Salinger saying on the radio that morning.

Next I’m listening to Bill English saying farmers can’t expect get the same level of support in future droughts, if they continue to happen with more frequency, as NIWA tells us they will.

Meanwhile John Key is in Brazil pleading with oil giant Petrobras to come back, and an industry-written report tells us we should drill all over the East Coast.

It’s obviously bad. The Sunday Star Times tells us:

“experts warn it could spell the end for farming as we know it and may cost the country billions of dollars in drought relief each year before practices are adjusted.”

It’s taken quite some time for the words “climate change” to enter the national conversation about this drought.  I spoke with NIWA’s Brett Mullan last week and he had some very interesting points to make on the massive and very unusual highs that have been sitting over the country since early February. He’d make a great interview, I thought, but he said no media had called him to even ask.

Climatologist Dr James Renwick wrote an excellent article in The Press, but it’s well away from those in the major drought area.

Our agriculture-based economy is going to feel this pinch more than most in the decades to come.  Indeed the Government is already signalling it may cause a return to recession. What worries me is that our agriculture is increasingly turning to intensive, water-hungry dairy farming, at a time when water scarcity is expected to rise.

In 1981 there were 2.92 million dairy cows wandering our land.  By 2010 this had grown to nearly six million.

In the last few weeks we’ve seen farmer after dairy farmer on the news, having to dry off their herd early, buy in feed and sell cows off to the works as they can’t sustain them.

There are so many ironies in this story that it’s difficult to know where to start.

Federated Farmers and Fonterra fought tooth and nail to keep agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme.  You know, that thing that was supposed to be New Zealand’s response to climate change.  Except it doesn’t, as our ETS is so weak it’s pretty much dead in the water.

The ETS would, apparently, have been too costly for farmers.  Because after all they have to deal with expensive things like – erm – dealing with drought.  Of which there will be more, caused by – erm – climate change.

Some of the extra feed they’re buying is palm kernel, palm kernel that comes from Indonesian plantations on land that used to house peatlands and old growth forest, activities that add a massive chunk of carbon to our atmosphere.

So we don’t act on climate change, and we are now only OECD country to have no specific 2020 target to cut emissions.  And our government is at the forefront of efforts to undermine progress at international climate talks.

We’ve turned our backs on Kyoto, and we’re showing no signs of treating the need for a global climate agreement with the urgency the science is telling us it deserves, instead treating it like a set of trade talks.

This is our worst drought in 70 years, but 2007/8 was almost as bad.  Taking action to curb emissions, the government has argued, would cost the country, but did they factor in the cost of this drought, at $1 billion and ballooning, and the last drought that cost $2.8 billion?

Meanwhile our dairy giant, Fonterra, wants to open a coal mine to operate its milk powder factories.   Coal, that stuff that causes climate change.

But we’re not allowed to argue climate change when coal extraction is being considered.  Heaven forbid. Let’s hope the Supreme Court will listen to the West Coast Environment Network’s arguments this week as they battle Bathurst and Solid Energy in their bid to get the law changed.

Of course I have sympathy for farmers at this terrible time. And of course I don’t blame all farmers for the state of the Government’s climate policy.

We’re all in this climate change business together.  From my own fast-emptying water tanks to the farmers (and associated industries) suffering across the country, we need to turn to a new way of thinking, a new way of operating in this climate-changing world.

If I were a farmer I’d be screaming at the government to take leadership on all counts.  Maps like this aren’t pretty.

Our Government, for the sake of our farmers and all of our futures, needs to wake up, dump its short-term, fossil fuel-based thinking that holds up international action, and, indeed our economy.

Instead of his myopic focus on coal mining, fracking, mining, offshore oil drilling – and indeed, carbon-intensive dairying, instead of kowtowing to the likes of Petrobras,  John Key could be leading our country towards real prosperity.

As a recent Greenpeace report has pointed out, we could be embracing a smart, clean, 21st century economy based on 100% renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport.

All we need is some leadership.

Otherwise we’ll  all have to get used to this “new normal”.

Update:  You couldn’t make this stuff up:  Finance Minister Bill English questions his own scientists’ models on drought, saying in Parliament: “I recall similar predictions made by similar scientific bodies in Australia just 4 or 5 years ago and it has not stopped raining since.”

He missed the fact that Australia has just experienced its hottest summer in recorded history and its scientists say it’s down to climate change. Nice to have a Government so well-informed about the science.

The post Getting used to the ‘new normal’ appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Rob McCreath, our main guest speaker at the 2013 Keep the Coal in the Hole Summer Festival, has kindly agreed to speak in Dunedin on his way south – Wed 16 January 7pm at English Language Matters, Level 2 Evan Parry House, 43 Princes St. 

We’re looking forward to hearing how Rob and Friends of Felton stopped the coal mine and chemical plant in their area. And we’re hoping we can apply what he has learned to our own situation – how best to continue supporting our Southland neighbours, as well as protecting our own coastline and Otago region from more mining.

Tea, coffee and nibbles available. Hope you can make it. Here’s the Facebook invite: http://www.facebook.com/events/445175345537470/

The post Our Land, Our Water, Our Future – Worth Fighting For appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

If the New Zealand cricket team needs a new spinner to replace Daniel Vettori, they need look no further than mining industry lobby group Straterra. Perhaps because Solid Energy is in a tailspin and the mining industry has been coming under challenge all around the country in recent months, they have chosen to highlight a survey carried out, in somewhat mysterious circumstances, by Pauline Colmar, formerly of survey firm Colmar Brunton, which purports to show strong public support for mining.

However, on closer inspection, the survey was worded along these lines:

Survey company: Would you swim with sharks – if sharks didn’t bite?
Lots of respondents: Yes
Survey customer press release: “Majority of New Zealanders say they love swimming with sharks”
(notice the lack of options here for a respondent to say “hang on, but sharks DO bite”).

There’s more on that survey below. We have also more on Solid Energy’s troubles and their future plans; more on the forthcoming Powershift conference in December and 2013 Summer Festival in January; and the latest news on Denniston legal action.

Check out our international section that discusses the links between climate change and the horrific “Superstorm Sandy” in the US this week. Our thoughts are with the families of the people who died,  from the Caribbean to the US and Canada, and with those suffering in the devastation Sandy left in its wake.

Editor’s Note: In February 2011, I took on the job of editing a monthly “Supporters’ Update” for the Coal Action Network Aotearoa. That first update had five items. The September 2012 CANA newsletter had fifteen items, including a number of sub-items. This is a reflection of the breadth, depth and growth of our campaigns, but it’s all getting a bit much for your frazzled editor. So I am taking a break from newsletter editing duties to focus on the other work I should be doing for CANA, but keep on running out of time to get around to!

Along with a change of editor, we’re also going to take another look at how we put together the newsletter, aiming to reduce both its length and the effort required to produce it while still bringing you up-to-date news about our campaigns and the coal industry’s manoeuvres.  Please take part in our upcoming survey.

Regards
Tim Jones
Coal Action Network Aotearoa

1. Coming Events
2. More Spin Than Shane Warne
3. Got Something To Tell Us? Use Coal Tips
4. Summerfest 2013: Registrations Open 5 November
5. Powershift 2012
6. International News
7. TPPA Negotiations in Auckland, December 2012
8. Solid Energy: Still Not Getting It
9. Denniston Update
10. Top of the South Speaking Tour On Lignite
11. Regional Reports: Auckland, Wellington, Top of the South, Canterbury, Southland
12. CANA Social Media
13. Our Blog And Website
14. How To Donate To CANA

1. Coming Events

November

2: Closing date for submission on the Crown Minerals Act review – see this Forest & Bird submission guide at Greenpeace’s draft submission.
3: Auckland Coal Action meeting, 11am start, shared lunch 12.30-1pm, meeting ends 4pm.  Quaker Meeting House, 113 Mt Eden Rd
12: Wellington Ka Nui network meeting, 7pm, 19 Tory St. Contact michelle@ducat.co.nz to confirm venue or for more information.

December

3-12: Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiating session in Auckland. Seehttp://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/ for details of planned actions.
7-9: PowerShift 2012, Auckland. See http://powershift.org.nz/
8: National Day Of Action Against The TPPA. Keep an eye on http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/ for details.

January 2013

18-21: Summerfest 2013, Dolamore Park, near Gore

2. More Spin Than Shane Warne

Tim Jones writes:

I had recently had the dubious pleasure of attending a function at Straterra, the mining industry lobby group that is headquartered on the Terrace, conveniently near the Beehive for those Ministers who don’t like traveling too far from their natural habitat.

Cindy Baxter and I from CANA joined the mining magnates and government officials (surprisingly difficult to tell apart) at the event to hear Pauline Colmar, formerly of Colmar Brunton, discuss the research her firm carried out for Solid Energy.

Her headline message to the miners & their Ministry cheerleaders was that mining was much more popular in New Zealand than the industry thought, and that they should get out and celebrate the fact. But even the most cursory look at the figures she presented shows that the survey achieved its numbers by asking New Zealanders whether they would support coal miningif the environment could be protected, or if it didn’t lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

But here’s the problem: coal mining wrecks the environment and leads to more greenhouse gas emissions. And the survey figures show that New Zealanders don’t want either of those things. So, nice try, wannabe Shane Warnes of the mining industry. But your spin is well wide of the mark.

For more on this, see:

* CANA’s press release: 
* Claire Browning’s column in the Otago Daily Times
* Summer Burstyn’s article on LiveNews, which provoked comments both from pollsters and from the person asked to fill in the survey who alerted us to the whole shebang in the first place:
* Beau Murrah’s piece on how he persuaded the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to take the Straterra press release about the poll down from their site.

3. Got Something To Tell Us? Use Coal Tips

coaltips@gmail.com

Since early 2012, we have been getting interesting tidbits of information from people inside the coal industry. They have tipped us off to health and safety problems which have substantially delayed the opening of Solid Energy’s pilot briquetting plant (see the Solid Energy item below for Solid’s take on this), and also given us some other useful information on Solid Energy’s future plans.

We know that there are a lot of disgruntled people in the coal industry right now, and with good reason. So our message to people inside the industry is this: even if we don’t agree on everything, we might agree that the coal industry and its leading players need to be made accountable to the public.

If you’d like to help us with this process, or if there is some information the coal industry is hiding that you think the rest of the country should know, then all you have to do is drop us an email to coaltips@gmail.com.

You don’t have to give your name or contact details, although of course it would help us if you did. We promise to keep your name confidential if that’s what you want. You can send the message from any email address you like. And, if you’ve got a picture or a document to send us, gmail addresses can handle nice big attachments.

We think the coal industry is in trouble, and we think people inside the industry know it. This is your chance to share what you know.

4. Summerfest 2013: Registrations Open 5 November

In January, the Keep The Coal In The Hole Summer Festival, aka Summerfest, held on Mike Dumbar’s farm near Mataura, was a big success, not least because it led to the formation of a number of regional anti-coal action groups.

The Southland regional group Coal Action Murihiku (CAM) has taken on the job of organizing the 2013 Summerfest. This will be held from Friday 18-Monday 21 January 2013 at Dolamore Park, a beautiful native bush reserve near Gore, just outside the north-western boundary of Solid Energy’s landholdings in the Mataura Valley.

We will be putting the registration form for the 2013 Summerfest up on the website within the next few days. Please look on the site on Monday 5 November for updated information, including the registration form.

5. Powershift 2012

Generation Zero, 350.org and other groups are inviting young people (13-35) to attend the biggest youth climate summit ever held in New Zealand – and you can see all the details and registerhere.

An important part of Powershift 2012 is its outreach to Pasifika youth. 350.org.nz Pacific Outreach Coordinator Koreti Tiumalu takes up the story:

Imagine a community of Pacific youth with the passion, skills and capacity to shape a safe climate future for New Zealand, and speak out for their home Pacific Island nations. 
Over the last six months, we’ve started to make this vision a reality and have run “Pasefika Climate Change Jams” in Auckland and Wellington. Now as we build up to Power Shift NZ-Pacific, our goal is to get 100 young Pacific Islanders living in New Zealand to actively participate in the event. We will harness that energy, to then reach across NZ’s Pacific communities in 2013 and beyond.
It’s time Pacific people found themselves a seat at the table where these things are discussed and tackled – and I am excited to be a part of an organisation who has recognised the valuable contribution that Pacific people can bring to that table. We will bring colour, new ideas, new life and above all else, heart.
I’m really excited, and I’m also daunted by the work ahead. Doing all of this on top of a full-time job is a real challenge, but I’m committed to making it work, as this is just too important for it not to happen.
Your help can make a massive difference. Here’s some of the ways:

• Do you have connections with the Pacific Island communities here in NZ that we can get in contact with? Let me know at koreti@350.org
• Support the Pasefika Climate Change Jam fund – donate $20, $50 or $350 to enable us to keep reaching out to Pacific Island communities through events (or sign up as aregular giver).
• Volunteer with our Pasefika team – we need all hands on deck to build the movement. If you are keen to help us out, just drop me an email to koreti@350.org

6. International News

Superstorm Sandy’s links with climate change. 
Superstorm Hurricane Sandy has left eight US states in a state of emergency, with the death toll in the US climbing, and 39 killed in the Caribbean.  The superstorm shattered records in terms of depth of depression over the US and the storm surges, predicted to peak at 11 feet in New York, reached nearly 14 feet, causing billions in damage. It was a scary night for millions of people, and many of us in NZ were glued to the news as it unfolded, hoping friends and family were safe.  Unfortunately the forecasters got it right this time.  As we said above, our thoughts are with those who have suffered.

But how much of it was caused by climate change? While Sandy wasn’t CAUSED by climate change, there are several things we do know about it:  that temperatures in the Atlantic were higher than normal.  Some scientists suspect that the weather system coming from the Arctic was caused by the melt.
New York Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg have started making the links.

Here’s some links to more in-depth coverage of the issue.
Close Up talked about it with Kiwi climate scientist Jim Salinger.
Hurricane expert, scientist Kevin Trenberth, has a good summary here.  He talks about how all weather is now occurring against a background of a warming world.
The co chair of the US National Climate Assessment Gary W Yohe talks about how this isn’t the “new normal” – because the changes we’re seeing haven’t stopped yet.
Joe Romm at Climate Progress
Chris Mooney, science writer and author of “Storm World” on Mother Jones.
The New Yorker: Watching Sandy, ignoring climate change
You can find much, much more online, but we’ll leave you with this fantastic video, using a “baseballer on steroids” analogy to explain how the background conditions can lead to extreme weather events.

Calls to end the climate silence in the US elections
A growing chorus of NGO’s in the US have been calling for the election race to break their “climate silence” – it’s the first Presidential campaign in the US to NOT mention climate change since 1998. Why? Blame the massive increase in fossil fuel funding of the elections (to the tune of around US$150m), in particular a coal industry-led campaign against Obama’s so-called “war on coal” (never mind that it’s the gas/fracking industry driving down the demand for coal)   It’ll be interesting to see if this silence continues in the wake of Sandy’s wrath.

Australia confirms its Renewable Energy Target
The Australian Government’s newly formed Climate Change Authority has been reviewing the Renewable Energy Target – and has recommended keeping the target at the energy equivalent of at least 20% by 2020, shrugging off intense pressure from the fossil fuel industry. The final decision will be taken in December.

True cost of CCS revealed 
Remember how Don Elder keeps telling us that we can reduce coal emissions to near zero?  Well that would be using CCS – carbon capture and storage – technology. Apparently.  If Don thinks he’s got financial problems now, wait til he faces the cost of CCS.  Australia’s full report on the issue was recovered through official information and it’s not pretty.

UN warns of food crisis
Meanwhile the UN warns of a looming food crisis in 2013 in the wake of record droughts and heatwaves leading to crop failure in the US and elsewhere.

7. TPPA Negotiations In Auckland, December 2012

A parasitic organism is on its way to Auckland in early December. It is designed to grow fat on its hosts and leaves them weakened and more vulnerable.

Sounds nasty? It is. It’s called the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, it is currently under negotiation by 11 countries chivvied along by the US Government, and, if adopted as it stands by the New Zealand Government, it would significantly weaken New Zealand’s sovereignty in a whole range of areas, including our ability to impose environmental standards on foreign-owned mining companies.

The TPPA negotiating circus is coming to Auckland in early December, and a coalition has been organised to protest against these undemocratic negotiations, with a national day of action planned for 8 December. For background on why the TPPA is such a bad thing, and news of planned events and actions, keep an eye on http://www.itsourfuture.org.nz/

8. Solid Energy Struggles To Commission Briquetting Plant, But Wants To Press Ahead With Lignite-To- Urea Plant

In the last couple of newsletters, we’ve reported on Solid Energy’s many misadventures. One that hasn’t been well reported in the news media is the delay in commissioning Solid Energy’s pilot lignite-to-briquettes plant in Southland.

As mentioned under “Coal Tips” above, we’ve heard from industry sources that serious health and safety issues have been uncovered during the construction of the plant, leading to substantial delays in commissioning it and raising fears for the health and safety of the six workers who will be employed at the plant. Of course, that’s not quite how Solid Energy put it in their recent Quarterly Report:

“Plant construction is essentially complete and the plant is working through initial commissioning procedures.  During this process some minor modifications have been required which will delay the timing of first saleable coal.  This is now expected late this calendar year.   At full production, the plant will produce approximately 90,000 tonnes per annum of briquettes.”

However, this hasn’t stopped Solid wanting to press ahead with the next idea Don Elder scrawled on the back of a napkin, his dream of a lignite-to-urea plant:

“The CTF feasibility study to confirm the economic viability, including environmental and social acceptability, of a Southland-based coal to urea development is underway. This phase of the project includes identifying project partners and selecting our preferred development partner.”

Since Ravensdown pulled out of the joint lignite-to-urea project, Solid Energy says it has been working to sign up a new partner but extensive enquiries have yielded no indication that anyone is interested. Using lignite to do what can be done more cheaply from gas doesn’t sound like a winner even in Solid Energy’s terms. However, we are not taking anything for granted, and we’ll be taking a keen interest in where, if anywhere, Solid Energy goes with this.

Note: It’s still possible to make Official Information Act requests to Solid Energy, and here’s a site that makes it really easy to do so. If you have ever wanted to find out anything from or about Solid Energy, now is a good time to ask.

9. Denniston Update

Lynley Hargreaves reports:

The Denniston Court hearing began on Monday 29 October in Christchurch. Bathurst, the district and regional councils, West Coast Environment Network, Forest and Bird, and a brave individual called Terry Sumner will start presenting their arguments at 10am at the Environment Court on 99 Cambridge Terrace. This is open to the public.

Four weeks of hearing have been planned: 29 October-1 November and 5-9 November (Christchurch), 26-30 November (Greymouth) and 3-7 December (Christchurch again). Going along is a great way to get a working knowledge of the RMA and court system and you can contact wcent@riseup.net if you want more details about when particular issues will be heard.

The case is going ahead without climate change evidence, while that battle continues on a parallel course through the courts, but pest control, landscape, invertebrates, social impacts, and biodiversity offsets will all be argued.

Also, you can read this excellent letter by West Coaster Jane Orchard about the real reason for Bathurst’s troubles.

10. Top of the South Speaking Tour On Lignite

Rosemary Penwarden reports from Dunedin:

In 2011 I wrote ‘Just Lignite’, a small booklet about Solid Energy’s Southland lignite proposals published by the Anglican Church Social Justice Commission. 15,000 have been distributed around the country. Dr Anthony Dancer, Social Justice Commissioner, and I were invited to speak on the issue in mid-October in Nelson, Motueka and Takaka. We both really enjoyed speaking with a range of people and exploring this beautiful part of the country.

The issues we face are so big. The association with the Anglican Church brought in some who may have not considered the issues before and was really valuable. Face to face discussions are a big part of what’s needed for change to happen.

Thanks so much to Top of the South group ‘Renewables’ for your hospitality and the fantastic work done in organising the tour, the amazing media afterwards and the other work being done in your region. It was great to put faces to names from the lignite discussion group and make new friends in our work towards a coal free Aotearoa.

Media reports:

Southland Times:  Anti lignite campaign on road 
Motueka online: Lignite mining an ‘international crime’
Scoop: Archdeacon speaks out against coal 

11. Regional reports: Auckland, Wellington, Top of the South, Canterbury and  Southland

Note: A quick way to find contacts of all the regional anti-coal action groups is on the website.

Auckland: Auckland Coal Action

Jill Whitmore reports:

We identified in mid-August that the NZ Symphony Orchestra was advertising an upcoming concert tour of major centres as “The Solid Energy Tour”, sponsored by Solid Energy, and decided  to picket the Auckland performance and put our anti-coal message out to the public. We were concerned not to alienate concert-goers, and also to make it clear that we support the NZSO though we abhor their SE sponsorship. We explained this in a letter to the NZSO management before the event.

Most of us attended the picket, including a “Climate change elephant”, and gave out leaflets to people as they arrived. (Banner: “Love NZSO, but coal cooks the climate”.) We felt the actions (2 so far) were successful, good-natured, and well-targeted, and worth repeating at further concerts sponsored by SE.

Fonterra intends to open a new (small) coal mine near Mangatangi, about an hour’s drive south of Auckland. The coal, which will be very cheap for them, is intended to power their dairy factories in the region. Four of our members attended a meeting which Fonterra hosted for local residents, mainly to gather information. We are seeking initially how we might persuade Fonterra to use wood waste instead of coal for drying their milk powder.

In a similar vein, ACA has decided as part of its coal-free Auckland campaign to try to persuade schools still using old coal-fired boilers, to switch to wood pellets/chips or electric.

Next Meeting, all welcome:  Saturday 3^rd November, 11am start, shared lunch 12.30-1pm, meeting ends 4pm.  Quaker Meeting House, 113 Mt Eden Rd.

Auckland Coal Action was formed in July 2011 following the visit of Dr James Hansen. We recognise that coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels and that its ongoing use will lead to catastrophic climate change. We aim to achieve a coal-free Aotearoa by 2030, initially by opposing the expansion of coal mining. We do this work to play our part in sustaining a benign climate for us, our children and grandchildren.

Our website is at http://aucklandcoalaction.org/ and you can contact us ataucklandcoalaction@gmail.com

Wellington: “Keep the Coal in the Hole” Gatherings

Tim Jones reports:

Our most recent “Keep the Coal in the Hole” two-monthly gathering in Wellington was on 18 October. Dr Anne MacLennan of Ora Taiao gave us an excellent presentation on coal’s many risks to human health, covering both its local effects and the bigger global health risks of climate change brought on, in large part, by burning coal. We hope to be able to make this presentation available in electronic form soon.

We are currently considering whether to keep these separate two-monthly gatherings going, or bring them under the tent of the wider Ka Nui! network on resource extraction issues that is emerging in Wellington. The current gatherings strike a good balance between education and activism; on the other hand, it makes sense to bring together people working on closely related issues. We expect to make a decision on this after talking more with our friends in the Ka Nui! network.

Next Wellington Ka Nui network gathering: Monday 12 November, 7pm, 19 Tory St. Contactmichelle@ducat.co.nz to confirm venue or for more information.

Top of the South: Clean Energy Future Action Group

The Clean Energy Future Action Group, based in Nelson, has set up a Kickstarter-style fundraising campaign for its latest campaign against coal mining. You can check out the campaign, and help it meet its fundraising goal here.

Canterbury: Canterbury Coal Action

Check out this press release from Canterbury Coal Action, “Court Process Deeply Flawed”:

Some key quotes:

“In New Zealand we currently have a remarkable situation in that our premier piece of environmental legislation, the Resource Management Act, can only consider the effects OFclimate change, but not the effects ON climate change.  So the court is not able to learn how every tonne of coal that might be extracted from Denniston will add to an already pressing problem of too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

As such the court process this week is deeply flawed – it is only hearing part of the evidence.

What happened to “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth” ?

Would a murder trial proceed without the key witness?

Would a fraud trial proceed without the accountants?”

It’s well worth reading the whole release. You can contact Canterbury Coal Action atcanterburycoalaction@gmail.com

Southland: Coal Action Murihiku (CAM)

In addition to work on Summerfest 2013, plenty of other things have been going on in Southland, as Jenny Campbell reports:

Coming up 18-21 January Summer Fest at beautiful native bush reserve Dolamore Park near Gore.

Guest speaker Rob McCreath from Queensland who has successfully fronted the ‘Friends of Felton’ will tell us a success story of how they saved their valley from mining and the establishment of a chemical plant there. Rob is keen to connect with local farmers who are being challenged by the possibility of fracking/coal seam gas exploration in Northern Southland. More speakers are being organised to fit in with our theme and as soon as these are confirmed we will enlighten you.

You can find out more about the Felton story here.

Help wanted: we are looking for a person with a passion for organising food for the Summer Fest camp – cooking on gas burners, in a tent…for 120 people – just a wee holiday chore maybe ?

CANA and CAM members are busy organising the programme so hope you are looking at making bookings to come south, make a holiday of it and explore our fabulous scenery and hospitality….

Further information and registrations. 

Briquette plant opening at Mataura: still no date set yet but latest talk from Solid Energy is end of the year. An action is still planned once we get the word.

CAM members went on Solid Energy’s October Newvale mine bus tour. Only one ran as the numbers weren’t as high as expected. CAM member John Purey- Cust reported that on the surface it was hard to see if they were keeping to their conditions – but of course they aren’t taking lignite to the briquetting plant in any quantity yet, so that will change the scale of their operation. We still need to be vigilant.

CAM information stalls were held at Invercargill’s Eco Spring festival 6 Oct and at Gore’s rhododendron festival on Sun 14 Oct. About 400 sign ups were recorded for the Asset Sales petition thanks to keen Green and Labour party members. A few CANA sign ups too.

An excellent front page item appeared in the Gore Ensign with two of our members featuring with local controversial artist Wayne’ Hill’s sculpture about possible fracking and coal seam gas exploration featuring in a paddock at the entrance to Riversdale, close to Gore.
Rangimarie,
Jenny Campbell
Co- convenor, CAM

12. Social Media Rivalry: Facebook Leads Narrowly

In the last month, CANA’s Twitter account has almost closed the gap on our Facebook group. At the time of writing, our Facebook group at
has stalled at 687 members, while our Twitter account has 670 followers.

So, if you’re a Facebook fan, what do you do? You join the group yourself and invite your friends to join!

If you’re in the Twitter camp, then please follow @coalaction, RT our tweets, and encourage your Twitter followers to follow us too.

The race to 1000 is on!

14. Donate to CANA! 

We rely on your generous donations to keep the campaign going. Here are the account details if you want to donate:

Coal Action Network
Kiwibank
38 9011 0484435 00

The post Coal Action Network Aotearoa Newsletter October 2012 appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Join a coalition of local groups at a protest outside the NZ Petroleum summit 2012, and say “Ka Nui, Enough!” to the oil and gas industry.
Industries are literally counting down to this event, where the Energy Minister will speak on the government’s planned expansion of oil and gas extraction in New Zealand.

At a time when we should be transitioning towards clean energy and a sustainable and more equitable society, this government continues to push its “mine it, drill it” vision for Aotearoa New Zealand. This government is supporting an oil and gas industry which pollutes communities and our rural environment while bullying those who resist; all for the profit of a tiny minority.

With many in local communities across Aotearoa locking their gates to get oil and gas out of their back yards, it’s Wellington’s turn to show our support for the communities affected by the expansion of the oil and gas industries in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sustainable future not climate chaos!

Clean waters not toxic oil spills!

5pm, Wednesday 19th September
Outside the Amora Hotel, Wakefield St, Wellington.
Please bring banners, placards, and noisemakers if you wish.

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/257320647720952/

Family friendly. Join us afterwards for a koha dinner and discussion.

The poster is below – if you are able to distribute these to friends/family/workmates/classmates or in local shops or libraries, that would be fantastic.

If you can’t make the event itself, but are willing to make a banner / placard at home, please email frances.mountier@gmail.com. Please see the text above for ideas for wording.

The post Ka Nui! Enough! Protest the NZ Petroleum Summit: 19th September, Wellington appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Drew is a long-term environmental campaigner who has worked closely with farmers, landholders and indigenous communities in Australia. He is the President of the Lock the Gate Alliance.

Now you can learn from Drew’s experience and find out how we can Lock the Gate on fracking, coal mining and Coal Seam Gas projects.

Lock the Gates Tour

Tour schedule

Wellington: 22nd August, St Johns in the City, 170 Willis St, 6.30 pm.

Dannevirke: 23rd August, The Hub, Allardice St, 2pm.

Hastings: 23rd August, Heretaunga Taiwhenua, 821 Orchard Road, 7-9pm.

Gisborne: 24th August, Gisborne District Council Chambers, 2pm.

Te Karaka, 24th August, Rangatira Scout Hall, 7pm.

Rotorua: 25th August, Keynote speaker at Ka Nui Conference, Rotorua Convention Centre 3pm. http://kanuiconference.wordpress.com/

Hamilton: 27th August, Waikato University room S.G.03, 7pm.

Taranaki: 28th August, Norfolk Hall, S.H3 Norfolk (near Inglewood), 7pm.

Gore, 29th August, James Cumming Wing, Ardwick St, 7.30pm.

The post Drew Hutton Lock The Gates Tour, August 2012 appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

So we are holding the Ka Nui! Enough! Conference at the same time to discuss the huge negative impacts mining has on our economies, communities, and environment and what we are going to do about it. And we hope you’ll be able to attend.

Ka Nui! Enough!

Website: http://kanuiconference.wordpress.com/

Location: Rotorua

Dates: Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th August

Speakers: Dayle Takitimu (Te Whanau-a-Apanui) Drew Hutton
(Lock the Gate Alliance Australia), Dr Susan Krumdieck (Canterbury
University) and more . . .

Cost: $25 for the weekend or koha on the day.

Registration: to register email your name and contact number to kanuiconference@gmail.com

Kaupapa

The extractive industries, including fracking, mining & oil drilling, have huge negative impacts on our economies,communities & environment.

We must move past this in a way that is just for all. Join us to learn more and strategise together.

Please forward this invite widely. And please register asap to support those communities on the frontlines, to learn, to share, and to strategise.

The post Ka Nui! Enough! Conference, Rotorua, 25-26 August: How To Attend, Why To Attend appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Why? Well, to address the headline issue first, there have been suggestions that the Government plans to use this review to water down or even remove the provisions in the Crown Minerals Act that currently give private landowners the right to refuse mining companies access to their land. We think this might be quite an unpopular change, not least with farmers.

But there are other, wider matters worth commenting on, as outlined in the excellent submission guide on the Green Party blog at http://www.greens.org.nz/takeaction/submissionguides/review-crown-minerals-act-1991-regime – the following bullet points come from the Green Party submission guide:

• Currently the Crown Minerals Act allows the Government to grant permits for deep sea oil drilling. We suggest amending the Crown Minerals Act to prohibit permits for prospecting, exploration and production of oil in waters greater than 200 metres deep. Deep sea oil drilling is too risky.
• Under the Crown Minerals Act, the Government grants permits for oil and gas exploration that allow companies to use the controversial practice of fracking – pumping water, sand and chemicals at high pressure deep into the earth in order to extract oil and gas. Please tell the Government that oil and gas exploration permits should not allow fracking until the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment can assure the public it is safe.
• Mining and extraction has adverse effects on landforms, oceans, waterways and ecosystems. It is currently prohibited in National Parks and various other types of reserve, but under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 it occurs contentiously in other parts of the conservation estate. Tell the Government to amend the Crown Minerals Act to prohibit new exploration, prospecting and mining on conservation land and reserves.

The Green Party submission guide lists many more aspects of the review that you can comment on, and tells you the ways that you can make a submission. Here is some further information:

Submissions due: 5pm Friday 20 April 2012

Postal address: Resources Policy Group, Ministry of Economic Development, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

Email: CMAReview@med.govt.nz

There are a series of review questions that the Ministry is asking for feedback on, and of particular interest is Chapter 2: Health, safety and environmental (HSE) matters. It is a fairly short chapter to read and worth giving feedback on! Also of interest are Chapter 4: Petroleum, and Chapter 5: Tier 1 Minerals, especially the review questions relating to HSE matters.

The post Do You Want Mining Companies To Have Easier Access To Your Land? appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

West Coast Environment Network Inc, Greenpeace NZ, Forest and Bird and Coal Action Network Aotearoa are pleased to invite you to:

Say No to Fossil Fools

A panel discussion with groups campaigning against fossil fool extraction.

Monday 17th October, 6-8pm
Wellington Central Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott St, Wellington. 

Panellists:

• Jeanette Fitzsimons (former Green MP, concerned grandmother) on Southland lignite
• Rod Morris (wildlife photographer) on the biodiversity rich conservation land of the proposed Denniston coal mine
• Mike Smith (Greenpeace NZ) on the threat of deep sea oil drilling happening off the East Coast
• Robyn Harris-Iles (Environmental researcher) on fracking (hydraulic fracturing)

All welcome
Free entry; koha appreciated

Each panellist will speak for 15 minutes. There will then be 45 minutes for questions and discussion, followed by time to check out the stalls of groups working on fossil fuel / climate change / climate justice campaigns here in Aotearoa NZ. Tea, coffee, biscuits provided.

Join the movement against the destructive expansion of fossil fuel extraction in the lands and waters of Aotearoa New Zealand. Protect our climate / health / conservation land / farmland / seabeds.

For more information, please email: coalactionnetwork@gmail.com

Please note:

• There is a flat entry (no stairs) into Wellington Central Baptist Church via the path to the right of the venue.
• There is free carparking available across the road at the Wilson Carpark – Just say you are at the meeting at the Wellington Central Baptist Church. (The Church has kindly offered for us to benefit from this arrangement with Wilsons Carpark).
• Of course, if you can bus / bike / walk etc to get there, great!

Kind regards,

Frances Mountier

The post Wellington Public Meeting 17/10/11 appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.