Government’s hunt for oil is a dying dream

Shell’s decision to halt oil exploration off the Otago coast is another blow to the Government’s oil obsession, the Green Party said today.

“Shell is joining the likes of Anadarko, Petrobras, and TAG Oil, who have all postponed, cut back, or cancelled their drilling operations in New Zealand waters," said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.

“The Government needs to see the writing on the wall – oil is a sunset industry and we need to be focusing on low-carbon economic prospects.

“We have an incredible opportunity to invest in clean energy and technology, and yet the Government would rather give up our oceans to risky drilling.

“If the world burns all the oil we’ve already discovered, we’re on track for climate catastrophe.

“The National Government is taking a weak emissions reduction target to the Paris climate change conference later this year, and it doesn’t even have a plan to achieve that target. It’s honestly just embarrassing.

“The Government can prove it’s serious on renewables by supporting the Green Party’s Bill to divest government funds from fossil fuel exploration.

“The tide has turned against fossil fuels and the Government needs to stop swimming against it,” said Mr Shaw.

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