Sustainable Energy Debate Well Overdue

Auckland, 27 October 2004: Greenpeace today welcomed the Government’s release of the Sustainable Energy Report.

“In New Zealand our energy strategy has been to jump from crisis to crisis, without looking at the long-term energy direction of this country, and it’s high time we had this debate,” said Cindy Baxter, Campaign Manager.

Mr Hodgson rightfully acknowledges that the way we consume energy must change, and the first point in that argument is not in terms of supply, but demand.

“We need to be looking at ways that we can encourage energy conservation, and small scale renewable energy across the country rather than promoting more “think big” projects like coal-fired power stations.”

New Zealand has been described as the “Saudi Arabia of wind”, with a quality and size of the resource to make the rest of the world envious. Now is the time to seize this opportunity.

While Peak Oil might be a “challenge” for some, we know already that we simply cannot afford to burn the oil reserves we currently know exist. If we do, this alone will tip the climate balance over into a point of no return, of dangerous climate change.

“We look forward to discussing these questions in the most important debate this country is facing: energy and climate change, and we welcome the Government’s opening of this debate,” concluded Ms Baxter.

ENDS

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