Extinction Rebellion Brings Christmas Cheer In Spite Of The Developing Climate Breakdown

Friday, 12 December 2025, 5:02 pm
Press Release: Extinction Rebellion NZ

Earth Sciences NZ has recorded the highest ever spring temperatures this year. https://niwa.co.nz/climate-and-weather/seasonal/spring-2025. Another record broken, alongside rainfall, droughts, fires and ocean warming. Actuarial risk modelling shows millions of lives at risk within a single generation and the destabilizing of the global economy. This is systems analysis. The climate breakdown is here and now.

This is not alarmist or hyperbole, it is simply the science and reality we are now facing. FENZ observes that over the last ten years the fire season has started earlier and finished later, with more intense fires which are harder to control and extinguish. Tongariro National Park has burnt twice this season already. While we might not yet feel the loss of biodiversity in the National park as keenly as some, we will feel it in our back-pocket. The taxpayer has funded extensive infrastructure repairs following Cyclone Gabriel and the Anniversary Weekend floods, the severity of which was increased due to climate change. The first government payout for the recent flooding in Southland and Otago barely covered the damage on one farm alone.

The fossil fuel industry’s own scientists knew this would happen. The industry lied, denied and sabotaged knowledge of catastrophic climate change for decades. They delayed, used soft language and complacency. They continue, supporting ongoing obfuscation, putting the focus for lowering emissions on individuals and supporting, for example, the upcoming Groundswell speaking tour (https://methane-accord.co.nz/events/will-happer-nz-tour) using the tactic of a retired non climate/slightly relevant ‘expert’ to tell the farming community they do not need to lower methane emissions.

Climate breakdown has begun. The current political system and governments over time have exacerbated the climate breakdown with their austerity economics, created an unacceptable rise in homelessness and a cost of living crisis. The health, education and social welfare systems are being run down. Foreclosures on small businesses are at an all-time high and unemployment has skyrocketed.

Extinction Rebellion holds hope for an economic system for our bicultural/multicultural society that gives everyone a fair chance, provides adequate distribution of wealth and social wellbeing, good health and education and social security systems to support everyone who lives in Aotearoa. We also maintain that the country is rich enough to realise these dreams.

Therefore, we delight in offering ‘Christmas Cheer’ to Tāmaki Makaurau. Rebel Caroling uses traditional carols changing the lyrics for ironic fun in this festive season.

For example: To Hark the Herald Angles sing:

Oh come all ye cyclones, hurricanes & heatwaves

Come ye, o come ye to Aotearoa.

Flood South Dunedin, more floods in Tai Rāwhiti

Oh bugger up the climate, x2

Oh take no action for the climate, none at all.

Reduce public transport, remove the clean car subsidy

Get us back in petrol cars, remove spee-eed limits

Smooth major roads to get more frequent journeys

Increase the use of petrol, x2

Oh bugger up the climate, fast as we can.

Until the government is no longer under the direction of the corporations putting profit above the ability of the ecosystem to support life, Extinction Rebellion Tāmaki Makaurau is morally driven to be taking such acts of civil resistance.

About Extinction Rebellion:

Extinction Rebellion is a global environmental movement rebelling against the corporate destruction of a liveable planet. Life on Paptuanuku, Earth, is in crisis. We have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown, and we are in the midst of a mass extinction of our own making. The governments of the world have failed to protect us.

As with many of the human rights we now take for granted these only came about with a concerted, disruptive, nonviolent campaign. Honouring of Te Tiriti O Waitangi, Votes for Women, Land rights, Nuclear Free NZ, LGBTQ+ rights and marriage, disability rights and more. We are again called upon to compel governments into action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse.

The governments are in the grip of vested interests of large corporations. Extinction Rebellion calls for a new stage of democracy: building on from and with the ten years of consultation by Māori as encapsulated in Matiki Mai Aotearoa working for constitutional change with binding Citizens Assemblies consistent with Te Tiriti O Waitangi.

© Scoop Media