The amazing participation in the climate strike across New Zealand yesterday showed the depth of feeling about action on the climate and ecological crisis, said a member of Extinction Rebellion Otepoti. Jen Olsen said they now cannot let the Petroleum Conference in Queenstown go unremarked.

“The oil industry is more responsible than any other for the shameful fact that human impacts on climate have gone unaddressed for so long” she said. “They have deliberately obscured the science which tells us that fossil fuels are warming the planet and continue to promote the 'business as usual' approach that slows down the urgent social response that we need.”

Extinction Rebellion members from Dunedin and Central Otago plan to join Environmental Justice Otepoti and other environmental activists from the region to protest the conference, for which delegates will be arriving on Sunday. “Business as usual is not an option”, said Ms Olsen, “we need action to reduce the use of fossil fuels right now”

© Scoop Media