New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration to become a global leader in the fight against climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday, but opponents accused it of “economic vandalism”.

“(We are) taking an important step to address climate change and create a clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The oil and gas industry in New Zealand generates about NZ$2.5 billion a year ($1.8 billion), including NZ$1.5 billion in exports, and employs about 11,000 people.

Ardern said existing drilling and exploration permits would not be affected, meaning no existing jobs would be lost.

She said there would also be limited new on-shore permits around the North Island’s Taranaki region, where most of New Zealand industry is concentrated.

“We’re striking the right balance for New Zealand — we’re protecting existing industry and protecting future generations from climate change,” she said.

The move by New Zealand comes two weeks after the Netherlands announced plans to rapidly cut production at — and eventually close — Europe’s biggest gas field as it too seeks to its slash fossil fuel use.

Ardern campaigned heavily on environmental issues when she won a general election last year and is in a three-way coalition government that includes the Greens.

She said she saw the impact of climate change first-hand last month when she visited the cyclone-ravaged Pacific island nations of Samoa and Tonga.

This, she said, underscored the fact that climate change was real and New Zealand needed to be at the forefront of efforts to address it.

“We’ve been a world leader on critical issues… by being nuclear free, the first to support women to vote,” she said.

“Now we could be a world leader in becoming carbon neutral. We owe this to future generations.”

The government said there were currently 31 oil and gas exploration permits, with 22 of them offshore.

Environmental groups welcomed the move, with Greenpeace declaring “the tide has turned irreversibly against Big Oil in New Zealand”.

“This is a huge step forward for New Zealand and a landmark moment in the transition to a clean-energy economy,” WWF New Zealand chief Livia Esterhazy said.

But the conservative opposition National Party accused Ardern of “economic vandalism” that could put thousands of jobs at risk.

Opposition energy spokesman Jonathan Young said gas helped ensure New Zealand’s electricity supply and when existing reserves ran out in 10 years it would be forced to import emissions-heavy alternatives such as coal.

“This decision is devoid of any rationale. It certainly has nothing to do with climate change,” he said.

“These changes will simply shift production elsewhere in the world, not reduce emissions.”

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said the decision was “a kick in the guts” for the Taranaki region.

“Nobody’s going to be losing their jobs overnight but in terms of the long-term outlook for those industries… people are going ‘my career doesn’t actually have a future’,” he told Radio New Zealand.

Industry group Petroleum Exploration and Production NZ (PEPANZ) said it had been blindsided by the announcement and had not been consulted by the government.

Chief executive Cameron Madgwick said a well-managed trading scheme was the way to reduce New Zealand’s emissions, not “arbitrarily banning” certain fuel types.

“We now join the elite club of Belize, Costa Rica and France that have banned exploration. I don’t think that’s really the way the world’s going,” he told TV3.

Ardern said industry had been given plenty of time to adjust to changes in the sector that were a long-term necessity.

“Transitions have to start somewhere and unless we make decisions today that will essentially take place in thirty years time, we risk abrupt shocks,” she said. </s> Wellington, New Zealand, April 11, 2018 (AFP) - - New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration as part of its efforts to deal with climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday.

"(We are) taking an important step to address climate change and create a clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The oil and gas industry in New Zealand generates about NZ$2.5 billion a year ($1.8 billion), including NZ$1.5 billion in exports, and employs about 11,000 people.

Ardern said existing drilling and exploration permits would not be affected, meaning no existing jobs would be lost.

She said there would also be limited new on-shore permits around the North Island's Taranaki region, where most of New Zealand industry is concentrated.

"We're striking the right balance for New Zealand -- we're protecting existing industry and protecting future generations from climate change," she said.

Environmental groups welcomed the move, with Greenpeace declaring "the tide has turned irreversibly against Big Oil in New Zealand".

"This is a huge step forward for New Zealand and a landmark moment in the transition to a clean-energy economy," WWF New Zealand chief Livia Esterhazy said.

But the conservative opposition National Party accused Ardern of "economic vandalism" that could put thousands of jobs at risk.

Opposition energy spokesman Jonathan Young said gas helped ensure New Zealand's electricity supply and when existing reserves ran out in 10 years it would be forced to import emissions-heavy alternatives such as coal.

"This decision is devoid of any rationale. It certainly has nothing to do with climate change," he said.

"These changes will simply shift production elsewhere in the world, not reduce emissions."

Industry group Petroleum Exploration and Production NZ (PEPANZ) said it had been blindsided by the announcement and had not been consulted by the government.

Chief executive Cameron Madgwick said a well-managed trading scheme was the way to reduce New Zealand's emissions, not "arbitrarily banning" certain fuel types.

"We now join the elite club of Belize, Costa Rica and France that have banned exploration. I don't think that's really the way the world's going," he told TV3.

The government said there were currently 31 oil and gas exploration permits, with 22 of them offshore. </s> Wellington: New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration to become a global leader in the fight against climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday, but opponents accused it of 'economic vandalism'.

 

 "(We are) taking an important step to address climate change and create a clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

 

 The oil and gas industry in New Zealand generates about NZD2.5 billion a year (USD1.8 billion), including NZD1.5 billion in exports, and employs about 11,000 people.

 

 Ardern said existing drilling and exploration permits would not be affected, meaning no existing jobs would be lost.

 

 She said there would also be limited new on-shore permits around the North Island's Taranaki region, where most of New Zealand industry is concentrated.

 

 "We're striking the right balance for New Zealand -- we're protecting existing industry and protecting future generations from climate change," she said.

 

 The move by New Zealand comes two weeks after the Netherlands announced plans to rapidly cut production at -- and eventually close -- Europe's biggest gas field as it too seeks to its slash fossil fuel use.

 

 Ardern campaigned heavily on environmental issues when she won a general election last year and is in a three-way coalition government that includes the Greens.

 

 She said she saw the impact of climate change first-hand last month when she visited the cyclone-ravaged Pacific island nations of Samoa and Tonga.

 

 This, she said, underscored the fact that climate change was real and New Zealand needed to be at the forefront of efforts to address it.

 

 "We've been a world leader on critical issues... by being nuclear free, the first to support women to vote," she said.

 

 "Now we could be a world leader in becoming carbon neutral. We owe this to future generations."

 

 The government said there were currently 31 oil and gas exploration permits, with 22 of them offshore.

 

 Environmental groups welcomed the move, with Greenpeace declaring "the tide has turned irreversibly against Big Oil in New Zealand".

 

 "This is a huge step forward for New Zealand and a landmark moment in the transition to a clean-energy economy," WWF New Zealand chief Livia Esterhazy said.

 

 'Kick in the guts'

 

 But the conservative opposition National Party accused Ardern of "economic vandalism" that could put thousands of jobs at risk.

 

 Opposition energy spokesman Jonathan Young said gas helped ensure New Zealand's electricity supply and when existing reserves ran out in 10 years it would be forced to import emissions-heavy alternatives such as coal.

 

 "This decision is devoid of any rationale. It certainly has nothing to do with climate change," he said.

 

 "These changes will simply shift production elsewhere in the world, not reduce emissions."

 

 New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said the decision was "a kick in the guts" for the Taranaki region.

 

 "Nobody's going to be losing their jobs overnight but in terms of the long-term outlook for those industries... people are going 'my career doesn't actually have a future'," he told Radio New Zealand.

 

 Industry group Petroleum Exploration and Production NZ (PEPANZ) said it had been blindsided by the announcement and had not been consulted by the government.

 

 Chief executive Cameron Madgwick said a well-managed trading scheme was the way to reduce New Zealand's emissions, not "arbitrarily banning" certain fuel types.

 

 "We now join the elite club of Belize, Costa Rica and France that have banned exploration. I don't think that's really the way the world's going," he told TV3.

 

 Ardern said industry had been given plenty of time to adjust to changes in the sector that were a long-term necessity.

 

 "Transitions have to start somewhere and unless we make decisions today that will essentially take place in thirty years time, we risk abrupt shocks," she said. (AFP)



 

(FJR) </s> Wellington (New Zealand) (AFP) - New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration to become a global leader in the fight against climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday, but opponents accused it of "economic vandalism".

"(We are) taking an important step to address climate change and create a clean, green and sustainable future for New Zealand," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

The oil and gas industry in New Zealand generates about NZ$2.5 billion a year ($1.8 billion), including NZ$1.5 billion in exports, and employs about 11,000 people.

Ardern said existing drilling and exploration permits would not be affected, meaning no existing jobs would be lost.

She said there would also be limited new on-shore permits around the North Island's Taranaki region, where most of New Zealand industry is concentrated.

"We're striking the right balance for New Zealand -- we're protecting existing industry and protecting future generations from climate change," she said.

The move by New Zealand comes two weeks after the Netherlands announced plans to rapidly cut production at -- and eventually close -- Europe's biggest gas field as it too seeks to its slash fossil fuel use.

Ardern campaigned heavily on environmental issues when she won a general election last year and is in a three-way coalition government that includes the Greens.

She said she saw the impact of climate change first-hand last month when she visited the cyclone-ravaged Pacific island nations of Samoa and Tonga.

This, she said, underscored the fact that climate change was real and New Zealand needed to be at the forefront of efforts to address it.

"We?ve been a world leader on critical issues... by being nuclear free, the first to support women to vote," she said.

"Now we could be a world leader in becoming carbon neutral. We owe this to future generations."

The government said there were currently 31 oil and gas exploration permits, with 22 of them offshore.

Environmental groups welcomed the move, with Greenpeace declaring "the tide has turned irreversibly against Big Oil in New Zealand".

"This is a huge step forward for New Zealand and a landmark moment in the transition to a clean-energy economy," WWF New Zealand chief Livia Esterhazy said.

But the conservative opposition National Party accused Ardern of "economic vandalism" that could put thousands of jobs at risk.

Opposition energy spokesman Jonathan Young said gas helped ensure New Zealand's electricity supply and when existing reserves ran out in 10 years it would be forced to import emissions-heavy alternatives such as coal.

"This decision is devoid of any rationale. It certainly has nothing to do with climate change," he said.

"These changes will simply shift production elsewhere in the world, not reduce emissions."

New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said the decision was "a kick in the guts" for the Taranaki region.

"Nobody's going to be losing their jobs overnight but in terms of the long-term outlook for those industries... people are going 'my career doesn't actually have a future'," he told Radio New Zealand.

Industry group Petroleum Exploration and Production NZ (PEPANZ) said it had been blindsided by the announcement and had not been consulted by the government.

Chief executive Cameron Madgwick said a well-managed trading scheme was the way to reduce New Zealand's emissions, not "arbitrarily banning" certain fuel types.

"We now join the elite club of Belize, Costa Rica and France that have banned exploration. I don't think that's really the way the world's going," he told TV3.

Ardern said industry had been given plenty of time to adjust to changes in the sector that were a long-term necessity.

"Transitions have to start somewhere and unless we make decisions today that will essentially take place in thirty years time, we risk abrupt shocks," she said. </s> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday all assault weapons and "military-style automatic weapons" would be banned. </s> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday an immediate ban on the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatics in response to the Christchurch terror attack that killed 50 people.

"I am announcing that New Zealand will ban all military-style semi-automatic weapons. We will also ban all assault rifles," Ardern said, while announcing interim measures that will stop a rush of purchases before legislation on the measures takes effect.

She added that high capacity magazines and devices similar to bump stocks - which make rifles fire faster - will also be banned.

"In short, every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country," she said. </s> Barack Obama has permanently banned new oil and gas drilling in most US-owned waters in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, a last-ditch effort to lock in environmental protections before he hands over to Donald Trump.

Obama used a 1953 law that allows presidents to block the sale of new offshore drilling and mining rights and makes it difficult for their successors to reverse the decision.

However, Obama’s ban – affecting federal waters off Alaska in the Chukchi Sea and most of the Beaufort Sea and in the Atlantic from New England to Chesapeake Bay – is unprecedented in scale and could be challenged by Trump in court.

The president-elect has vowed to unleash the nation’s untapped energy reserves and exploit fossil fuels. He has previously questioned the science of climate change, threatened to tear up the Paris climate agreement and appointed climate-change deniers in his cabinet.

This has led to a scramble from environmentalists calling on Obama to impose whatever regulations and executive orders he can to protect his climate legacy.

Tuesday’s move came in a joint announcement by Obama and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who also put a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing in its Arctic waters, subject to periodic review.

Obama, currently on holiday in Hawaii and with only a month left in office, said in a statement: “These actions, and Canada’s parallel actions, protect a sensitive and unique ecosystem that is unlike any other region on earth. They reflect the scientific assessment that, even with the high safety standards that both our countries have put in place, the risks of an oil spill in this region are significant and our ability to clean up from a spill in the region’s harsh conditions is limited.

“By contrast, it would take decades to fully develop the production infrastructure necessary for any large-scale oil and gas leasing production in the region – at a time when we need to continue to move decisively away from fossil fuels.”

In 2015, just 0.1% of US federal offshore crude production came from the Arctic. A Department of Interior analysis shows that, at current oil prices, significant production in the Arctic will not occur. “That’s why looking forward, we must continue to focus on economic empowerment for Arctic communities beyond this one sector.”

Campaigners welcomed the announcement. Jacqueline Savitz, a senior vice-president at the advocacy group, Oceana, told the Associated Press: “This decision will help protect existing lucrative coastal tourism and fishing businesses from offshore drilling, which promises smaller, short-lived returns and threatens coastal livelihoods.

“The people of the Atlantic coast refused to allow their way of life to be compromised and we commend their hard work making their voices heard in Washington.”

Few energy companies have expressed a wish to drill any time soon off the coasts thanks to abundant cheap shale oil in North Dakota and Texas. Exploratory drilling in the Arctic is costly and risky.

But with Trump in the White House, the obscure law could face a challenge. Dan Naatz of the Independent Petroleum Association of America told the Associated Press: “Instead of building on our nation’s position as a global energy leader, today’s unilateral mandate could put America back on a path of energy dependence for decades to come.”

And Erik Milito, upstream director at the American Petroleum Institute, told Reuters: “We are hopeful the incoming administration will reverse this decision as the nation continues to need a robust strategy for developing offshore and onshore energy.”

Canada will designate all Arctic Canadian waters as indefinitely off limits to future offshore Arctic oil and gas licensing, to be reviewed every five years through a climate and marine science-based life-cycle assessment. </s> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that all military-style semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles and high-capacity magazines will be banned in the country following the mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques that killed 50 people.

“Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terror attack on Friday will be banned,” Ardern said at a press conference in the New Zealand capital Wellington on Thursday. “This legislation will be drafted and introduced in urgency.”

Ardern said she hopes the law will be in place by April 11. She encouraged all gun owners who wish to surrender their weapons to start now.

The announcement comes after New Zealand’s cabinet said on Monday that it agreed “in principle” to reform gun laws.

Ardern said that the “worst act of terrorism on our shores” had exposed a range of weaknesses in New Zealand’s gun laws and promised that “within 10 days of this horrific act of terrorism we will have announced reforms which will, I believe, make our community safer.”

Click here for our full coverage on the New Zealand mass shooting. </s> New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has arrived at hospital to give birth to her first child.

An official statement from the prime minister’s office said Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford arrived at Auckland Hospital early this morning.



Winston Peters, the deputy prime minister, is now acting prime minister.

Ardern, 37, will be only the second world leader to give birth while in office – the first being Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto in 1990.

Ardern has said that she will have six weeks maternity leave before heading back to parliament. Gayford, a television presenter, will become “first bloke” and a stay and home father to the child.

Ardern had her last pre-birth day in parliament at the start of the week.

Her last public outing was at the national Fieldays agricultural show where many fans spent the time wishing her well while some tried to touch her stomach.

Since then she and Gayford had posted a photo to social media of Ardern working at her Auckland electorate office

Many will be watching Peters closely, while is acting prime minister - he has already backed away from a hallmark crime and justice policy and revealed he is suing heads of departments of his own government.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bans future offshore oil and gas exploration in New Zealand, leaving existing permits untouched.