Blueskin Bay wind decision disappointing

The Green Party is disappointed by the decision to decline consent for Otago’s Blueskin Bay community wind farm project, which shows why Government leadership is needed to help smooth the transition to a more sustainable electricity system.

“This is obviously very disappointing for the local community who have worked so hard to get their own wind farm. They should be congratulated for their vision and their work,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes said.

“The Blueskin Bay community achieved a lot with their fundraising and developing innovative business models for community energy projects, which hopefully other towns can learn from.

“Community scale clean power projects are good for regional economies, can help stop climate change, and support a more resilient electricity grid.

“It's ridiculous that in 2016 the RMA won't allow climate change impacts to be considered when a community wants to create their own clean, local power.

“Unfortunately, as the rest of the world embraces small scale, local, clean power generation, in New Zealand we seem to be going in the other direction.

“The Government should show leadership when it comes to wind energy by developing a nationwide plan to make sure wind farms get built in the right places,” said Mr Hughes.

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

NZ needs strong protection against water privatisation

New Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Nature missing in RMA reform

The Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. 
Read More

Story

Report shows reducing actual farming emissions vital

Evidence shows that relying on offsets to reduce agriculture’s impact on the climate will not work, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Budget 2022: Greens call for urgency with nature-first climate investments

Budget 2022 shows progress on conservation commitments in the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Green Party achievements in the last Government ...
Read More

Story

Nature needs us to act right now

The Green Party welcomes the release of the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and calls on the ...
Read More

Story

Urgent action needed to bring natural environment back from the brink

The release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action...
Read More

Latest Energy and Resources Announcements

Story

Government must stop all new oil and gas exploration

The Green Party are welcoming a pause on all remaining oil and gas exploration, and call on the Government to stop it all together. 
Read More

Story

Crown mineral change does not go far enough

Long overdue changes to the Crown Minerals Act are a welcome step in the right direction but the Government needs to go further to end the nonsensi...
Read More

Story

Fix electricity market to help both climate and cost of living

The four big electricity companies should be required to reinvest massive profits into cutting both household bills and climate pollution, the Gree...
Read More

Story

Luxon risks burning down five years of climate progress

Chris Luxon’s plan to reopen new gas projects in the middle of the climate crisis is about as irresponsible as it gets. 
Read More

Story

Global energy agency calls for end to oil and gas

Fossil fuel corporations claiming gas as a suitable “transition” fuel is jeopardising New Zealand’s chances of achieving its net zero climate chang...
Read More

Story

The search for fossil fuels must come to an end

Following a High Court decision yesterday the Green Party is calling on the Government to amend the Crown Minerals Act to end fossil fuel extractio...
Read More