Climate Justice Taranaki criticises the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)’s proposals to enable vast expansion of renewable energy generation and transmission by removing policy barriers.

“The proposed national policy statements require regional councils, territorial authorities and decision makers to recognise the supposed national significance and benefits of increasing renewable electricity generation ‘at any scale and in any location’. The statements even enable such development to impact on significant natural values and areas. This is totally unacceptable,” said Catherine Cheung, researcher of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“For sure, we need to decarbonise, but renewable energy development should only occur at the right scales and in the right place, or else we risk losing land for food production, degrading our dwindling natural areas and coastal environments.

We are in the twin crises of climate change and ecological collapse. The two are intricately linked. Policies for one must support the other, not worsen it. Healthy ecosystems store carbon dioxide effectively for free. They are our allies in mitigating climate change. Why would we destroy or damage them just to make new electricity?” continued Cheung.

“Indeed society needs energy. But more importantly, we need to ensure energy equity, democracy and resilience for community wellbeing. Building more and larger renewable generation capacity does not equate to these, especially when precious new energy is squandered by energy-hungry and profit-driven industries. Fundamental reforms of our energy and electricity markets are needed to change things for the better. Unlike large, centralised energy generation dominated by a few money-spinning gentailers, many local, small-scale or community-based renewable energy systems would foster energy participation, equity and resilience, especially in times of extreme weather. Integrating such distributed energy systems with shared electric vehicles would generate further co-benefits and flexibilities. Rather than working in silos, we need to recognise the linkages and make policies and projects that produce synergies and co-benefits.

The reality is that globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand, planetary boundaries including greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, nitrogen and phosphate pollution, have already been breached, while social thresholds, notably equality, continue to fall short. ‘Degrowth’ involves reducing frivolous energy and material demands while investing in community wellbeing. Greater support for public services covering health, housing and transport, local foods, nature restoration, resource circularity and unpaid care workers, offer solutions that the current extractive and exploitative economy cannot,” concluded Cheung.

Background reading:

https://climatejusticetaranaki.files.wordpress.com/2023/06/cjt-submission-on-mbie-consenting-renewables-1june23-.pdf

https://goodlife.leeds.ac.uk/

https://environment.govt.nz/publications/a-safe-operating-space-for-new-zealandaotearoa-translating-the-planetary-boundaries-framework/

https://www.treasury.govt.nz/news-and-events/our-events/wellbeing-report-seminar-series-doughnut-economics-action-perspectives-aotearoa

https://www.degrowth.nz/

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