Submissions close Friday 20 September at 5pm, so get in quick!
Right now, our Government is consulting on its ten year plan for our petroleum and minerals sector. We need to stand together and make sure our voices are heard above those of the oil sector’s lobbyists.
The Government’s consultation is really simple. It’s a survey which focuses on the values and principles that should guide the future of petroleum and minerals in Aotearoa.
Please make a submission: you can complete it here: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/development-of-a-resource-strategy/resource-strategy-consultation-questionnaire/
It is really critical that government’s are consistent with halting global heating, and that means a rapid fossil-fuel extraction phase out. At the moment the draft strategy includes nothing on this and makes it appear fossil fuels can somehow keep being used indefinitely, which is plain crazy.
Low Carbon Kāpiti have produced a submission copied below and downloadable here. Please have a read and use whatever parts you wish in your response. Note that the online form cannot be saved halfway through – you have to put all your responses in in one go. You are not required to respond to every question.
Many thanks!
Low Carbon Kāpiti response to draft Resource Strategy questionnaire
Vision
Draft vision:
“A world-leading minerals and petroleum sector that delivers value for New Zealanders, both now and in the future, in an environmentally and socially responsible way.”
Do you agree with this vision?
Strongly disagree
WHY?
Fossil fuels have no future. The strategy should explicitly exclude fossil fuels or explicitly set out a different vision for them – namely as a sunset industry.
What is your vision for the minerals and petroleum sector in New Zealand?
That the extraction of fossil fuels is halted entirely within 20 years. That other minerals are extracted with the absolute minimum of environmental impacts and that minerals that have already been extracted are reused to stretch out the finite supply of mineral resources still residing in the Earth’s crust for as long as possible/indefinitely.
How can New Zealand sustainably derive value from its petroleum and minerals resources?
See above. There is nothing sustainable about mineral extraction as reserves are finite, as is the atmosphere’s, oceans’ and biosphere’s capacity to absorb greenhouse gases and other pollution. This is a seemingly intractable problem with modern civilisation, however we can buy ourselves time to figure something out by halting fossil fuel extraction, reusing minerals we have already extracted and conserving remaining resources.
Objectives for the minerals and petroleum sector
Objective for a sector that: “Responsibly delivers value for New Zealand (a) Supporting a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy (b) Supporting New Zealand’s transition to a carbon neutral economy”.
Strongly agree
WHY?
These are all critical values and (b) if correctly interpreted would necessarily mean ending fossil fuel extraction and use and targeting the use of other mineral resources to support the transition.
Objective for a sector that: “Is productive and innovative”.
Neither agree nor disagree
WHY?
It should not be productive of fossil fuels. Productivity of other minerals is dubious also if they are only going to be wasted sooner or later, as is presently the case.
Objective for a sector that: “Is effectively regulated”.
Strongly agree
Why?
Regulation is critical to phase out fossil fuel extraction and to prevent/minimise environmental impacts both at the time of extraction and the ongoing impacts.
Are there any other objectives for the minerals and petroleum sector that you would like us to consider in the strategy?
To end the extraction of fossil fuels completely within 20 years starting the phase-out now.
Guiding principles
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following principles to guide everyone (including the Crown and industry)?
Principle: The environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity are respected now and in the long term.
Strongly agree
Principle: Māori cultural interests are understood and respected.
Strongly agree
Principle: Support the transition to a carbon neutral economy by 2050.
Strongly agree
WHY?
If not sooner – 2040 should be the aim.
Principle: The impact on people, communities and regions are managed in a just and inclusive way.
Strongly agree
Principle: Support a circular economy by meeting resource needs through resource efficiency, recycling and reuse.
Strongly agree
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following principles for the Crown?
Principle: The Crown honours its duty towards Māori as a Treaty partner, adheres to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and its duty to meet settlement commitments.
Strongly agree
Principle: The Crown receives a fair financial return for its minerals and petroleum.
Strongly agree
Why?
This is especially critical as it is inevitable that the Crown will be left to deal with the environmental impacts of these extractive activities and their downstream impacts long after the companies’ extracting the resources have gone. Furthermore the higher the costs of extracting virgin resources, the greater incentive there is to reuse minerals that have already been extracted.
Principle: The Crown regulates in a way that is fair, transparent, reasonable and proportionate.
Strongly agree
Principle: The Crown honours the rights of current permit holders to continue production or exploration activities under existing permits.
Strongly disagree
WHY?
The climate crisis demands a rapid phase out of fossil fuels, such leniency towards activities we know threatens the survival of countless species and our civilisation cannot be justified.
Principle: The Crown makes policy decisions based on the best evidence, and accounting for the foreseeable need for minerals and petroleum, both now and for future generations.
Strongly agree
Principle: The Crown proactively engages and consults with relevant stakeholders and decisions are communicated in a clear and transparent way.
Strongly agree
Action areas
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following Action Areas for the Government?
Action Area: Modernising the Crown Minerals Act
Strongly agree
What future actions would you like us to consider under this Action Area?
Setting an end date for existing fossil fuel exploration and extraction permits. Increasing penalties for breaches of environmental requirements.
Action Area: Securing affordable resources to meet our minerals and energy needs
Neither agree nor disagree
WHY?
Affordability must be thought of holistically, including all the lifecycle impacts and costs transferred to the future.
Action Area: Improving Treaty partnership
Strongly agree
Action Area: Improving stakeholder and community engagement
Neither agree nor disagree
WHY?
Engagement can be used as a ruse to gain social license for fundamentally harmful and unsustainable activities. No amount of stakeholder engagement will remedy the effects of ongoing fossil fuel extraction.
Action Area: Improving industry compliance
Strongly agree
Action Area: Research and investment in better mining and resource use
Agree