Right now our focus is on the first of these 14 mines – Te Kuha, an untouched bushclad mountain ridge visible from the small town of Westport and from the beautiful West Coast tourist highway. Stevenson Mining have been granted consent to destroy Te Kuha for coal. Coal that, if we were responsible global citizens, we would not burn.

Forest and Bird, with support from CANA, has appealed the West Coast Regional Council’s decision to grant consent for Te Kuha in the Environment Court. CANA will provide an expert economic witness to argue against the mine on economic grounds.

That’s where you come in. Can you help? We need to raise funds to pay for that expert witness.

Every donation – no matter how large or how small – will help us pay these costs. Regular donations are also great. Please donate whatever you can afford to:

Coal Action Network Aotearoa
(Kiwibank) 38 9011 0484435 00

It’s 2018; we shouldn’t need to be still doing this! But we will, for as long as it takes. Every dollar donated is a dollar spent at the coal face of ending fossil fuel extraction in Aotearoa. With your help we will stop this mine.

The post Fundraising Appeal: Help Us Save Te Kuha appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Sarah Thomson and her lawyers now have a firm date for the hearing of her judicial review: It will be at the High Court, 2 Molesworth Street, Wellington, from 26-28 June, start time 10am.

Sarah is encouraging people to attend the hearing to show their support for the need for action on climate change. Do contribute to the important national conversation on climate change in any ways that you can.

Sarah explains her case and why she’s taking it:

As part of the Paris Agreement, the NZ Government adopted a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the NDC). My case claims that this target is unlawful.

I’m arguing that the Minister for Climate Change Issues failed to take into account relevant considerations when deciding the target – the Minister considered the cost of reducing emissions in the short term, but not the cost of climate change in the longterm if we fail to act. I’m also arguing that the target is irrational because it’s well below what’s needed to strengthen the global response to climate change.

I’m taking the case because action on climate change is urgent, and it’s going to affect everyone and every aspect of our lives. Failure to reduce emissions will result in more extreme weather events, which will put our homes and health at risk, make food prices rise, and have a significant impact on the economy.

The best outcome would be for the Court to order the Minister to reset the target in line with what’s needed on a global level to keep warming below 2°. At the very least, I would like to see the Court order that the target is unlawful and needs to be reviewed.

The hearing is set for 26-28 June 2017 at the Wellington High Court and starts at 10am. Be there if you can to support Sarah’s stand for the climate!

The post Stand with Sarah for the Climate: High Court, Wellington, 26-28 June appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Sarah Thomson and her lawyers now have a firm date for the hearing of her judicial review: It will be at the High Court, 2 Molesworth Street, Wellington, from 26-28 June, start time 10am.

Now there’s a rally as well: The rally is planned for just before the start of the case on Monday 26th June. Meet outside the High Court on Molesworth St at 9.15am. Sarah will address the rally, and CANA will be taking part as well.

Sarah is encouraging people to attend the hearing to show their support for the need for action on climate change. Do contribute to the important national conversation on climate change in any ways that you can.

Sarah explains her case and why she’s taking it:

As part of the Paris Agreement, the NZ Government adopted a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 11% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the NDC). My case claims that this target is unlawful.

I’m arguing that the Minister for Climate Change Issues failed to take into account relevant considerations when deciding the target – the Minister considered the cost of reducing emissions in the short term, but not the cost of climate change in the longterm if we fail to act. I’m also arguing that the target is irrational because it’s well below what’s needed to strengthen the global response to climate change.

I’m taking the case because action on climate change is urgent, and it’s going to affect everyone and every aspect of our lives. Failure to reduce emissions will result in more extreme weather events, which will put our homes and health at risk, make food prices rise, and have a significant impact on the economy.

The best outcome would be for the Court to order the Minister to reset the target in line with what’s needed on a global level to keep warming below 2°. At the very least, I would like to see the Court order that the target is unlawful and needs to be reviewed.

The hearing is set for 26-28 June 2017 at the Wellington High Court and starts at 10am. Be there if you can to support Sarah’s stand for the climate!

The post Next Monday, 26 June, Stand with Sarah for the Climate: 9.15am, High Court, 2 Molesworth St, Wellington appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.

Sarah Thomson is taking the Government to court over its climate change target

• Already know you want to help? Go to Givealittle and help fund the legal costs of Sarah Thomson’s judicial review of the Government’s climate change target.

The good news: it appears that, in 2015, carbon dioxide emissions will actually drop – mainly thanks to China’s falling coal consumption.

The bad news: New Zealand’s emissions continue to rise steeply. The New Zealand’s Government pathetic lack of action on climate change, and its equally pathetic contributions to international climate negotiations, keeps earning New Zealand Fossil of the Day awards at the Paris climate talks.

New Zealanders aren’t taking this lying down, as the great turnout for November’s climate marches in 35 centres around the country showed. While groups like CANA campaign against New Zealand’s worst sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such as Fonterra, law student Sarah Thomson is taking a different approach.

Sarah is launching a judicial review of the New Zealand Government’s completely inadequate emissions reduction targets – and you can help her fund that legal action. A similar action in Holland was successful recently – please donate to ensure the Government can be held to account.

• Make a donation to help fund Sarah Thomson’s judicial review of the Government’s climate change target

The post Stand With Sarah For The Climate: Help Fund Her Legal Action Against The NZ Government appeared first on Coal Action Network Aotearoa.