#117: We’ve won fights like this before
On making coal mining history
Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!
I’ve been thinking this week about the impact New Zealanders can have to protect our environment when we take action together.
In early 2010 the National government proposed opening up “Schedule 4 land” (our most protected conservation areas) to mining. In May 2010, an estimated 50,000 New Zealanders joined a march through Auckland as part of the successful “Ours Not Mines” campaign against this mining.
The impact of this turnout has endured so that even today, while our government wants to expand all kinds of other harmful mining, Minister Shane Jones still rules out mining on Schedule 4 land.
Now once again, we need to come together to prevent the undemocratic Fast-Track Bill which this government wants to ram through. The act will give three ministers total power to approve short-sighted projects like coal mining and deep sea oil drilling that will pollute our climate and pressure our precious lakes, rivers, forests, and beaches.
We know that this is not the right direction for New Zealand - we need to focus on decarbonising our economy, energy efficiency, renewables and innovation, rather than going back to the 1800s and embracing coal mining.
We have already achieved over 27,000 submissions on the Fast-Track Bill. Now we need to make sure the March for Nature on 8th June is big enough to show our government New Zealanders really care about this issue. See below for actions on how you can help make it big, and see you there!
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was our "enjoy this” link on the man who restored a river in rural Aotearoa.
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Be a good child to Mother nature
Right now our biggest polluters get subsidised to damage our climate through free carbon credit allocations through the ETS. We all need to pay for our pollution to generate funds for decarbonising our economy.
Action: Sign the ‘Don’t subsidise Pollution’ petition before the June 18th handover
🐇 If you have 15 minutes: Climate party on us!
Due 31 May: The Climate Change Commission is consulting on three important pieces of advice to the government, on our 2050 climate targets, future carbon budgets and setting targets for international aviation and shipping. It’s important that they hear from ordinary people, as well as from vested interests, on these consultations.
Action: Give feedback using the submission guides we shared earlier on:
The fourth emissions budget (2036 to 2040)
Or come along to a submission party to write one together:
Online, tomorrow 12pm: On Zoom here with special guest Sam from the Climate Change Commission!
Tāmaki/Auckland, Thursday May 30th, 6-7:30pm: At MakerSpace in the Central City Library (Lorne St) with 350 Tamaki - snacks provided, BYO device!
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Become the poster child for making posters
Online, before June 8th. We need to get as many people as possible to the March for Nature. Here are some ways to help grow the event before the day.
Action: Invite 5 people to join you with this message template
Action: Drop in to a banner painting/postering sessionFor Rangatahi Māori, Tāmaki Auckland, June 4-5: Taaora Ihirangi and Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei are sponsoring a climate summit at Ōrākei Marae.
Action: Register for the rangatahi climate summit
Save the Date
Tāmaki/Auckland & upper North Island, June 8th: March for Nature to protest the Fast-track Bill. Book a bus or organise a carpool if you live nearby!
Christchurch, June 8th: Extinction Rebellion Ōtautahi are organising an event to protest the occupation in Palestine and the Fast-Track Bill. Join the Facebook event for the rally here!
Wins!
Research showed that conservation actions, like protecting areas or pest control, work. A huge mihi to people around the country who put in millions of unpaid hours towards conservation volunteering to protect our precious whenua - check out organisations like Forest & Bird or check out Pest Free 2050 to get involved!
Research has also shown that climate action like marches work to shift public opinion and promote support for climate solutions.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy these handwritten lyrics by great NZ artists like Benee, The Black Seeds, The Naked and Famous, Hollie Smith, and more, which have been donated for auction in support of the anti-Fast Track Ours Not Mines campaign.
See you next week,
Emily & the Climate Club team
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I wish I could join in the March, but I live in the Far North and don't have a car. Nor do we have proper public transport down to Auckland. Or Whangarei for that matter. Everyone seems to assume that NZ stops at Auckland, but there's another 400+ km of Motu to the north, you know!