Why Extinction Rebellion are right

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The reports can’t get any more alarming…

‘Decades of denial’: major report finds New Zealand’s environment is in serious trouble

A report on the state of New Zealand’s environment has painted a bleak picture of catastrophic biodiversity loss, polluted waterways and the destructive rise of the dairy industry and urban sprawl.

Environment Aotearoa is the first major environmental report in four years, and was compiled using data from Statistics New Zealand and the environment ministry.

It presents a sobering summary of a country that is starkly different from the pristine landscape promoted in the “Pure New Zealand” marketing campaign that lures millions of tourists every year.

It found New Zealand is now considered one of the most invaded countries in the world, with 75 animal and plant species having gone extinct since human settlement. The once-vibrant bird life has fared particularly badly, with 90% of seabirds and 80% of shorebirds threatened with or at risk of extinction.

Almost two-thirds of New Zealand’s rare ecosystems are under threat of collapse, and over the last 15 years the extinction risk worsened for 86 species, compared with the conservation status of just 26 species improving in the past 10 years.

The scale of what is being lost is impossible to accurately gauge, as only about 20% of New Zealand’s species have been identified and recorded.

David Attenborough Gives Stark Warning in New BBC Climate Change Special

Beloved nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough narrated a BBC documentary on climate change Thursday that Guardian reviewer Rebecca Nicholson said aimed to encourage action around climate the way that Attenborough’s Blue Planet II galvanized the world against single-use plastic.

The hour-long program, called Climate Change—The Facts, marked Attenborough’s strongest warning to date on the dangers posed by global warming, BBC News reported.

“In the 20 years since I first started talking about the impact of climate change on our world, conditions have changed far faster than I ever imagined,” Attenborough said in the film. “It may sound frightening, but the scientific evidence is that if we have not taken dramatic action within the next decade, we could face irreversible damage to the natural world and the collapse of our societies.”

…the truth is that we can not stop the climate change avalanche and all we can do is radically adapt and to force that reality home will require more and more wilful civil disobedience…

Motorists upset by climate change protests will be a lot more annoyed by real climate change, say protesters

A few moments of disruption for motorists in centres around the country is nothing compared to the sort of climate change disruption that is on the way, say protesters. 

That’s the message that hundreds of marchers were trying to get across as part of the Extinction Rebellion action in seven centres on Saturday.

The ‘human wave’ actions were part of the culmination of a week-long global action that has seen hundreds arrested around the world.

Dr Sea Rotmann, spokeswoman for the Wellington march, said affected motorists had largely been receptive to the message, though there were a number who were vocal in their opposition.

…more and more people of conscience are willing to be arrested to force the climate change debate. If every person genuinely concerned about climate change joined Extinction Rebellion protests every weekend and shut down roads and clogged the judicial process with thousands of arrests, the Government would be forced out of their bullshit Carbon Neutral by 2050 complacency.

The time to get off the fence is now.

 

45 COMMENTS

  1. Some are not “on the fence” but actively pushing policies and actions that will make climate change happen faster.

    How many politicians and Business NZ pundits have you heard talk about “GROWTH” as a measure of progress.

    Note them well.

    • +1 JOHN W

      Instead of ‘growth’ our country should be looking at risk and how to keep what we already have as pure as possible, and strategies for the upheavals with more and more climate disruption effecting housing, food, transport and industry which for example tourism might not exactly be the same going forward and be a loser to place all the bets on tourism as a big market going forward. Are people really going to still be flying around with massive storms, terror attacks and aviation/shipping fuel taxes!

      The first thing government should be modelling is their dream figures of millions more people in NZ as the disasters worsen… and how that effects the country. Is having so many luxury high rises on the coast going to be beneficial? Who will pay for it and where are the people going to live as the disasters worsen. They have already thrown the poor under the bridge with their priorities and their dream low wage economy.

      Is Phil Goffs Atlantis underwater stadium a good idea? Blah, blah, the councils and government are the most asleep at the wheel as they blindly consent every polluting idea anyone has or give away assets and sign stupid trade agreements that deliberately don’t mention climate change because it’s going to change everything and they want to be paid out and the winners when more disaster occur.

  2. Meh. I’ll believe the “commitment” of climate change advocates/protesters when they stop having children to “save the planet” which is by far the single most consequential thing thing you can do if you believe this stuff. I don’t have kids, do you?

    • Population reduction is planned by one nation only and that is China.

      I agree about human numbers being a terrible consequence of human stupidity in more than one way.

      MIT gave clear warnings in 1972 about where humans and the planet was heading at that point, and laid out what was needed to change away from the path we are on now.

      That was ignored by governments and made jest of by the business world leaders

      At the time I had many discussion with DSIR scientist assigned to following this work through. The MIT report was well respected across the scientific community and information was emerging in print and programs to use in schools.

      That was all abruptly stopped by Govt in power.

      Since approximately 1800 humans have steadily increased their harnessing of energy sources and that is THE problem. Populations have grown with more food available basically.

      Along with increased harvesting of energy humans have consumed an increasing harvest of Non Renewable Natural Resources which have added to our rate of pollution. Double the harvest of NRNR and you quadruple pollution

      There is much more to the picture of how the interactions are interdependent but the point I am getting at is that the baby boomers and their parent generation have will fully prevented the human race from coming to terms with understanding the mess they were making.

      China is the one example of applied Intelligence about population yet is heavily criticised by the West who have been the greatest polluters the planet.

      The historical accumulated pollution per capita for the USA is 26 times that of China.

      Many younger folk I speak with today are well aware of the mess and do not see the planet being a place to bring children to suffer what lies ahead.

      They protest and we should be right with them rather than tagging behind or criticising their earnest efforts as they face the pain of what we have left for them.

      Don’t blame the kids. Support them.

      Look at your own generation as I look at mine and those who taught the boomers badly.

        • Yes the drive for energy exceeds that needed for food and survival while human numbers decrease.

          Energy addiction has become an economist mainstay while ignoring the consequences both short and long term.

          China is not alone in this respect.

          NZ’s GHG emissions are higher than China’s per capita, and we encourage tourism.

        • China uses one seventh of the energy per capita that the US uses.

          That is about about 0.15 of what energy the USA consumes per capita. Hence the pollution per capita in the US is many times higher.

          Per capita the US uses much more coal than China.

          Why is that ignored.

          China is using and increasing percentage of its energy consumption to manufacturing Photo Voltaic solar energy capture infrastructure, wind power, research and development of other non fossil sources of energy.

          The US is investing in shale oil extraction which is a very dirty process and of course war across many areas of the globe.

      • +1 JOHN W

        As Kiwis move to sustainably and try to just average 2 kids aka keep sustainable levels of population, neoliberalism is crying out for as many consumers here as possible – I’ve heard 35 million is the economists target number for NZ. The neoliberals believe it is all about bums on seats, free market economy, not intelligence to run the economy. 30 years low productivity and increasing poverty, but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

    • @Nitrium, you’re negativity is part of the problem. We’ve got ten years to sort this out and you’re taking pot-shots at the people who are trying to do something about it. Do you understand why you felt the need to do this.

      Frankly you are exhibiting dysfunctional behavior and should see a counselor to find out why you do it. It’s the equivalent of impeding the progress of a fire crew while they’re trying to put out a fire.

      • AARON we don’t have 10 years. If we stopped emissions now the temperature and will still rise for decades and die off will continue to accelerate.

        The current state of species and habitat depletion appears to be increasing as well as a dozen or so other interdependent changes signally a run away separate to just Temperature.

        Humans have had more that 50 years to respond to rising emissions and nothing has been done. But there is much more than just climate we have ignored

        IPCC reports are ultra conservative and heavily modified to the point that much of the message is lost.

        Try and find an quantified analysis on methane release with rising temperature.

        Its in the too hard – can’t agree basket yet no precautionary principle is applied to warnings.

    • NZ needs more kids to sustain our country’s future. It’s the 3rd world that’s the problem. I’ve got two young kids and would have more if i were younger. They will not be brainwashed. They will not make stupid placards. I could care less what some 16 year old Swedish girl, or the marxist pope, have to say. I will not have “climate change” even discussed in my household. There are countless thousands just like me, who are labelled “extreme climate deniers”. We vote too. No way am i giving up driving V8’s or eating NZ beef every single day.

      Been hearing this doomsday bullshit since i was a teenager in the eighties. Didn’t buy it then, and i certainly don’t buy it now.

      • Supernaut.

        You may have been hearing stuff that is misinformation but that is where research counts before dismissal.

        Global peak grain per capita was 1987.

        Mammals in the wild are now down to less than a handful of a percent. Essential wilderness is being consumed by humans with expanding numbers and a growing thirst for energy and resources, much of which is wasted and not necessary.

        The Earth is finite but that may be hard for some to understand. Its not a part of their dream.

        Atmospheric CO2 is rising steadily as is methane escaping from millions of years of capture in the frozen tundra and Arctic sea.
        floor.

        The oceans are rising, warming and acidifying and many fish species on the brink of collapse.

        NZs waterways are being severely damaged by irrigation draw off and over stocking of farm animals. Our biodiversity of species is falling in both species found and concentration while soils are becoming less fertile through over use and fertiliser destroying the natural communities of micro and macro organism that actually make soil.

        Pollution is at an all time high. Micro fibres from vehicle tyres for example are flowing to the sea and present a problem we don’t know where to start solving.

        We continue to use more fossil fuels yearly and consume too much energy with a rising per capita mortgage on our next generations existence.

        We do not need more people more children for a community to to exist but the pattern of how we exist will have to change whether we plan it or just carry on the way we are denying what is clearly observable in the world around us. Change will happen whether we like it or not.

        The economic model we are led to abide by is a problem as it leads to more of the same BAU, until collapse.

        You may not like it but denial may be a way of coping that many take refuse with and become a bigger part of the problem.

        Since when has voting got anything to do with reducing CO2 emissions.

        But you are still reading and commenting which is a part of joining in the learning process.

        We all start with denial initially as our rosey personal world is attacked by what is actually happening.

        Denial and shock are the first stages of the journey which if grappled with, eventually will lead to understanding and acceptance of where we are heading.

        Those kids are many stages ahead of most adults.

        • Atmospheric CO2 is rising steadily as is methane escaping from millions of years of capture in the frozen tundra and Arctic sea.
          floor.

          One NIWA scientist I was discussing this issue with was unequivocal: once that methane from frozen tundra and sea floor escapes into the atmosphere, the consequences will be disastrous.

          It’ll be uncontrollable.

          We are living on borrowed time.

          • Jim Kennet a long time local Kiwi friend was a key player in recognising large scale methane eruption craters in the Cook Strait sea floor from an earlier period of warming.

            Methane bombs.

      • Halving population may be a start but with processes already evident, it can’t stop there.

        Squawking will die away as food supply wanes.

        The countries that have stable or falling birth rates usually have an adequate system of old age support such as pensions.

        Where pensions are run by the state, so guaranteed, then parents do not need to have large families to support them in old age regardless of their wealth status.

        So the Political climate around social support is a paramount indicator of stablising population.

        Where no such state run pension scheme is run, families still tend to be larger especially where life expectancy is not high as families are more likely to loose children before parents old age is reached. So health care is another factor.

        Education has a lesser effect but some emancipation of a woman’s role does help with their making choices about family.

        Put them all together, social support services of health and a pension along with universal free education for all, and population stabilisation and even a fall in population can be painlessly engineered. It is a slow process that China could not wait for. Immigration is and unstablising influence that has to be reconciled.

        Religious and business for profit groups of course find falling population of consumers is not in their interests so they are essentially anti social

    • Good point…this is hardly ever discussed, on the contrary, the propaganda machine encouraging more and more babies is part and parcel of the capitalist system…more wage slave tax payers to keep the system going as is thankyou. Cue the Royal baby-making machine…the endless woman’s magazines, ALL the world’s religions…its the logic of the cancer cell

  3. A very moving sermon indeed. And while we’re on the topic of religion I’m interested in the upcoming Sri Lanka coverage.

  4. You are one of the few onto this important topic and matter, Martyn.

    Sadly most will vote for ‘the economy’ and not the environment in the end, as they fear losing their little bits of comfort and conveniences, being things as affordable (mostly fossil fuel powered) cars, all these nice goods wrapped in endless plastic packaging in supermarkets and other shops, their gadgets, their tools and other products to do easy DIY jobs, their annual holiday in the sun, to which they travel by airplane, and the list can go on.

    We still have not even addressed idiot boy racers that waste energy and pollute the air and streets with their crap behaviour, such as in Christchurch, we still have stock car and other races polluting the air and disturbing neighbourhoods, we still have mass consumerism, filling landfills with thousands of tons of waste, we still have buildings built with supplies and products that also generate waste, much of which can never be recycled in any shape and form.

    It is total madness what goes on, the consumerist human beings all over the world have become addicted to a lifestyle and living standards that will ultimately destroy their own natural environment and their existence.

    So it should be encouraged what a few active minds and bodies do to fight the looming extinction, by confronting the lazy and convenience loving people in denial about what we face.

    The addicts have to be confronted with their addiction and what it does to them, or they will never reform, I fear.

    I prefer non violent and peaceful means, but what shall they do, if that does not work? Civil disobedience has many shapes and forms, perhaps neutralising pollutants, such as cars may become a necessity in the eyes of some activists.

  5. 100% correct Martyn,

    We are witnessing the “she’ll be right” syndrome in ‘sleepy NZ today as a don’t care society we seemed to be reduced to after years of “national brain washing”

    The most important thing Jacinda needs to do right away as the electoral clock is fast winding down is to get her “free to air public affairs TV channel up and running so the government can actually reprogram us all again to care about our environment again as we have lost that now.

  6. To spell it out: China the major factor in Global Warming

    “China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses so we should be particularly interested in the level of its emissions, as well as the success of the practices and policies it pursues to reduce them.

    After all, China’s emissions are likely to have the greatest influence on future global warming and our ability to keep average global temperature rise to less than 2°C above those of the pre-industrial era.

    …Apart from being an ozone destroyer, CFC-11 is also a very potent greenhouse gas with Global Warming Potential 4,750 times that of CO2. Measurement of CFC-11 concentration in the atmosphere show that around 67,000 tonnes of CFC-11, or 0.3 Gt CO2eq. are reaching the atmosphere each year from these sources.

    The Chinese Government has not previously been ‘officially’ aware of these and possibly other emissions when compiling statistics on greenhouse gas emissions.

    In 2017 a London based organisation, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) determined that China was the source of these emissions.

    In 2018 the EIA published its report ‘Blowing It’ which concluded that at least 18 Chemical Companies in 10 Provinces are actively engaged in the production of CFC-11 and that it is used throughout China as a blowing agent for production of insulating foam products used in the building and other industries.

    The reason for its on-going use? It was easier to use and more profitable than use of alternative gasses.

    The production and use of CFC-11 in China could be more widespread than reported by EIA.

    Even if this is not the case, it is difficult to understand how such widespread production and use of CFC-11 could have gone undetected by the Chinese National and ten Provincial Governments for so many years. How could the EIA investigate and compile a detailed report on the matter in less than a year while the UN agency responsible for ensuring international compliance with the Montreal Protocol has yet to offer comment or action?

    Promoting Coal

    In a well researched article, Tiboku Hirochi points to the dichotomy of huge investment made by China in renewable energy (prompted by the need for breathable air in megacities) and the building of large numbers of coal fired power stations, many of them overseas.

    She reports findings from the Urgewald data base which concludes that companies specialising in design and construction of coal-fired power stations are engaged in or propose building 1,600 new power stations in 62 countries. Eleven of the 20 largest companies involved in their construction are either owned or financed by the Chinese Government.

    It is estimated that if all of these coal-fired power stations were built, they would have the capacity to increase global coal-fired electricity generation by 43%, significantly increasing greenhouse gas emissions at a time when the IPCC is calling for their rapid reduction.

    Chinese companies are engaged in designing, building and in some cases owning and operating coal fired power stations in developing countries.

    Many of these investments are part of the One Belt – One Road expansionist initiative of the Chinese Government. Further, over the last 15 years some $50 billion has been invested by China in the production, transport and use of coal.

    It appears to be State Policy to promote increased use of coal both within China and by investment overseas.

    Some of the countries where coal-fired power stations are being built by Chinese companies (eg Malawi, Egypt, Pakistan, Iran and others) will be using coal-fired electricity generation for the first time.

    Rather than speeding-up transition to a decarbonised economy, those building additional coal fired generating capacity are collectively slowing the process and, in so doing, committing the world to average global warming well in excess of 2°C by 2100 and a climate which will be both unpredictable and dangerous.

    A more serious aspect of continued expansion and reliance on coal fired generation is that it adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, increasing the speed with which global warming occurs. Unless the intended increase in use of coal is stopped, it could result in average global warming of more than 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures, possibly as soon as 2050 and over 3°C by 2100. The result could be catastrophic onset of:

    Less predictable more extreme climate events which reduce ability to produce and distribute food and other goods and services.
    Air and Ocean warming increasing the rate of land based ice loss, producing more rapid sea level rise and flooding of coastal land and cities.
    Damage to the cryosphere resulting in uncontrollable release of greenhouse gasses which further increase the speed of global warming.
    There is only one way we can avoid the worst effects of these outcomes and that is by reducing greenhouse gas emission and doing so as rapidly as possible. The most effective way of achieving this is to reduce burning fossil fuels and meeting energy needs from renewable sources. This is being achieved by Australian State Governments which have approved investment in renewable energy on a scale predicted to result in the country meeting 50% of national electricity demand from renewable sources before 2030. If Australia can achieve this outcome, so can Egypt and other African countries now seeking to build coal-fired power stations.

    Counter Action

    Reports that work on building ‘hundreds’ of coal-fired power stations has resumed in China is reported to be associated with a decision of the Central Government to delegate policy implementation and environmental monitoring to Provincial governments.

    The result is generating capacity which, for the time being, far exceeds demand but does keep the workforce fully employed and so contributes to maintaining national stability (Fn).

    https://skepticalscience.com/China-GHG-emissions.html

    • China is NOT the world highest emitter of GHG per capita.

      The USA emits many times that of China per capita.

      Lets keep a perspective of who is actually doing what.

      • And not per capita? Is China the highest polluter as a country? (I don’t know just interested, as people argue about semantics and who is the greatest polluter per country/capita etc, not really moving forward to stopping the issue of pollution.

        Personally aghast that a NZ Green member and Labour and NZ First has given a green light and allowed NZ to send out virtually free water for companies to profit from the issue, contribute to water pollution and keep the wealthier safer and contribute to the plastic burden in the ocean and landfill with the plastic bottles.

        Even if they felt that was the law (which is wasn’t as no significant benefits are there) then the government are not exactly hurrying to change the laws aka with the gun laws recently when found they were inadequate.

        Also as the trade agreements are already keeping the polluters going…
        https://www.salon.com/2016/02/24/profit_over_the_planet_wtos_lawsuit_ruling_could_be_a_giant_blow_to_the_renewable_energy_movement/

        • +100 SAVENZ…China highest polluter per country….and countries really have to get a grip on their overpopulation

          ….should we be trading with countries that are endangering the future of the planet or boycotting them?

        • How many people in NZ buy and use Chinese goods.

          China produces then for us to consume then we complain about China’s emissions on our behalf.

          NZ GHG gasses emission are much higher per capita than China

          • You’ve actually touched on a critical point, John.

            We now have access to cheap, mass-produced goods from low-wage societies. Whereas once upon a time, baby clothes (to take an example) would be passed on to other families; they are now donated to op-shops such as Salvation Army, Red Cross, St Vincents, etc.

            However, the amount of donated goods, as well as adult clothes, shoes, bed linen, kitchen items, cushions, picture frames, framed pictures, light fittings, crockery, cutlery, household decorations, etc, etc, etc is such that most of it is unsold and ends up in skip-bins out the back of these shops. One such shop often has three skip bins at the rear; one for recyclable, crushed carboard; the other two for household goods already listed that cannot be sold.

            We are drowning in disposable consumer goods. These op-shops can’t even sell their goods for a few cents. So it’s dumped.

            The landfills are filling up.

            The cost to our balance of payments must be astronomical.

            And the additional output of greenhouse gases and other pollution, is turning our planet into a cesspit.

            This isn’t the Space Age. Nor the Atomic Age. Or even the Internet Age.

            We are living in the Waste Age.

            • Yes indeed, but the nuclear waste from the Atomic Age is part of that. If we had any sense as a species we would be decommissioning the 450 nuclear power plants now…and also cleaning up the plastic (and how about stop making the blasted stuff to begin with?). That would be our responsible action, so that the Earth could regenerate and its biodiversity can recoup after 2 million years or so, the time it takes when there is no ionising radiation or plastic pollution for life to deal with. As it is, it looks like we are going to leave a lifeless, plastic covered rock, the legacy of the wise ape!

              • Nuclear fueled energy is the most expensive source imaginable.

                In the USA the many nuclear power plants are privately owned and their limited cooling tanks are filling with spent waste.

                It is totally uneconomic for them to process that and the waste from such processing is still a multi generational problem,

                But when it becomes uneconomic to store more then the companies can go bankrupt and leave the mess to whoever has the resources to clean it up.

                But there is no long term answer. nor agency with resources to clean up the created for private profit mess.

                Some idiot still talk of green nuclear power.

      • It’s 30% of the world China and 15% of the world USA.

        But then, China has 4 times the population of USA.

        • The USA uses 7 times the energy per capita compared to China.

          Semantics?

          Comparing the US and China’s population comes ahead of emissions or pollution.

          Historically the USA has accumulated GHG emissions per capita of its present population which is 26 times higher than that of China per capita of its present population.

          Currently the USA uses 7 times more energy per capita than China hence the much higher rate of pollution per capita in the USA.

          So the game of blaming China while we do nothing but increase our pollution is a dumb game as it does nothing to help anyone..

      • Your point about CFC-11 is well made.

        Polystyrene is an environmental curse, non recyclable and should be outlawed in NZ.

  7. Is this really acceptable?

    Walt Disney heir says paying chief executive £50.5m is ‘insane’
    Abigail Disney complains that Bob Iger receives 1,424 times more than company average

    https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/apr/22/walt-disney-heir-abigail-paying-chief-executive-bob-iger-iinsane

    p.s. Disney is one of the companies who want to sue Dotcom but why waste your own money on lawyers when the NZ taxpayers and illegal police action can do it for you? Update found that Dotcom did not breach NZ copywriter laws but apparently NZ taxpayer legal costs still on going to ‘help’ US business extradite him.

    P.s.s Disney is also one of the pro players for TPPA…and even makes their employees contribute to their ‘charity’f or TPPA lobbying.

    Disney CEO asks employees to chip in to pay copyright lobbyists
    Letter boasts of beating Aereo, getting TPP—and wants workers’ help in 2016.

    https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/02/disney-ceo-asks-employees-to-chip-in-to-pay-copyright-lobbyists/

    No wonder the planet is getting extinct with these types of practises and resource sharing becoming the norm!

  8. One of the effective medium-term support options that could be given in NZ to the “Extinction Rebels”, as well as to the youngsters from “Fridays for Future”, would be a new radical Eco-socialist Party.

    Political ecology – in public spaces, civil platforms, all councils and in parliament.

    The march through the institutions.

    https://www.fridaysforfuture.org/

    https://rebellion.earth/

  9. H. L. Mencken:

    “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

    • H. L. Mencken, while supporting many popular views was staunchly pro -war, racist and very much an elitist.

      One might say all strongly American sentiments.

      1880 – 1959 lifespan hardly gave him a chance to understand the consequence of his held views.

      Another fiction writer who drew on literary circles for support and public credibility of the time.

      He stated the belief that politics was not controlled by his “superior”elitist
      set. He was a proud White Anglophile.

  10. ‘Why’ is not required Martyn. Intelligent NZers know. Not talking snootily. 60 %.

    This declaration for a national emergency is as much a PR coup as the Living Wage. We all know its right.

  11. Big ups to all you details-folk above. Vital when we are pointing in the right direction. Can we get there first.

    How about a general strike? Any fucking thing now these marchers have take it out of the masturbatory media. Climate change management is everything.

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