New Zealand Deputy PM Under Pressure from Greens on Oil and Gas Mining
The previous government, led by Jacinda Arden, enacted the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act, which prohibited new exploration permits.
Acting Prime Minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters, who is serving in place of Chris Luxon, responded to accusations from the Green Party about his changing stance on oil and gas exploration. This came in the backdrop of a pledge by the new National-led coalition government to reverse the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration. This move put them at odds with the Green Party, who themselves adhered to a policy aimed at transitioning New Zealand to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 and a more immediate goal of achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2035.
New Zealand boasts oilfields, with a primary location in the Taranki region, that have been producing petroleum since 1865. As of now, there are 37 active extraction permits in the country.
In 2018, the previous Labour-led government, under the leadership of former Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, passed the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act which effectively banned new exploration permits within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, except for a small area of Taranaki. “There will be no further offshore oil and gas exploration permits granted,” had declared Ms. Ardern at that time.
The National Party’s proposed “Rebuilding the Economy” policy intended to issue permits anew, all in order to lessen the dependence on imported coal. About 726,000 metric tons were imported in 2022.
The debate surrounding the previous government’s policy and the new government’s stance was brought up during a deliberation in Parliament, where the Acting Prime Minister, Mr. Peters, defended the government’s intentions, pointing out that it prioritized the future. Conversely, the Green Party’s Co-leader, James Shaw, iterated the importance of doing more to combat climate change, rather than reversing the strategy.
The conflicting dialogues between the government and the Green Party were further highlighted with reference to the remarks from Climate Minister Simon Watts, indicating that New Zealand’s new stance didn’t align with the current global commitment to reducing consumption and production of fossil fuels.
The government’s alteration in exploration policy was addressed by Greenpeace Aotearoa on a website post. Spokesperson Amanda Larsson expressed that the government’s decision to go back on offshore oil and gas exploration contradicts the global push for ending reliance on fossil fuels.
