On Monday 16 March, climate activists are scheduled to literally hang the government’s climate failures out to dry outside the Wellington High Court. From 8am, laundry items will be displayed, each emblazoned with one of the 30+ climate policies scrapped in New Zealand’s second Emissions Reduction Plan – ERP2.

The visually striking protest will coincide with a major High Court case, where the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) and Lawyers for Climate Action (LCANZ) will challenge Climate Minister Simon Watts on the legality of the government’s emissions reduction plan.

“New Zealanders are facing floods, storms and rising costs driven by climate inaction. A transition away from fossil fuels would have shielded New Zealanders from this month’s war-driven oil spikes.” says Rachael Andrews from Climate Liberation Aotearoa.

“This government is looking after their corporate mates, while our communities are paying the price.”

350 Aotearoa campaigner Adam Currie adds; “Instead of cutting pollution at the source, the government has scrapped over 30 climate policies and is now trying to prop up its climate plan with pine offsets.”

“Their climate strategy is about as credible as trying to hold up the sky with a broomstick. Pine trees get chopped, burnt, and toppled. You can’t cheat physics. It shouldn’t have to be said; but the only reliable way to lower emissions is to reduce high-emitting activities.

“The climate’s day in court has come. On Monday, the government’s dirty laundry will be aired out in court for all to see.”

The activists argue the government’s climate position is a ‘flip-flop’, referencing a 2019 quote from Minister Nicola Grigg; "The National Party position is that we are concerned about the level of planting required and what that will mean for dirty polluters to actually change their behaviour and not just continue to offset that with planting."

“Frankly, it’s embarrassing for the Luxon’s government to be forced into court defending the very position the National Party campaigned against in opposition. How are New Zealanders supposed to know which National Party statement to believe?” 

On Monday, ELI and LCANZ will argue that the government unlawfully dismantled parts of New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan, replacing them with a second plan that relies heavily on forestry offsets instead of cutting emissions at the source. A key issue in the case is the ERP’s ‘questionable’ claims of equivalence between carbon offsets and emissions reductions at source.

The laundry-line demonstration begins at 8am, Monday 16 March outside the Wellington High Court. The legal hearing starts at 10am; Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

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