Greenpeace is calling foul on NZ Rugby’s decision to sign a sponsorship deal with the oil and plastic polluting petrochemical giant INEOS.

"In the thick of the climate crisis, it’s gutting to see NZ Rugby sign a sponsorship deal with an oil and gas polluting conglomerate like INEOS that is responsible for driving us deeper into the climate crisis, and fouling the oceans with plastic pollution, says Greenpeace campaigner Juressa Lee.

"Just in the past weeks we’ve seen deadly flooding and fires driven by climate change and it’s just a taste of what the climate crisis has in store, especially for our coastal Māori and Pacific communities.

"Many of our rugby players are of Maori and Pacific descent, and come from communities which are on the frontline of sea level rise and extreme storm events. They shouldn't be expected to wear the brand of a climate polluter like INEOS.

"As a Māori and Pasifika person myself, I feel let down. New Zealand Rugby have presented us with an ugly dilemma. Our island nations are on the front line of rising sea levels and extreme weather and we want action on climate, but we also want to see our people living their dreams donning the black jersey, but now they will carry the INEOS brand, and INEOS is one of the world’s worst oil and plastic polluters.

"Oil companies like INEOS know that their time has come and that the world is turning away from fossil fuels and plastic. They are desperate to associate themselves with popular brands like the All Blacks and with New Zealand’s good name - but we shouldn’t let them get away with it," says Lee.

In the past few weeks, over 13,000 people have signed a petition calling on NZ Rugby to walk away from the INEOS deal.

"I think most New Zealanders will be very disappointed that NZ Rugby has chosen to soil the silver fern with the likes of INEOS", says Lee.

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