Greenpeace Slams Govt LNG Terminal Commitment

Greenpeace Aotearoa says the Coalition Government’s stubborn commitment to an LNG terminal shows it is more interested in protecting fossil fuel profits than lowering power bills or preparing New Zealand for a renewable energy future.

On Tuesday, it was reported that the government had another look at the proposed LNG terminal in the last week of April, in the context of ongoing global instability and high LNG prices, but decided to press ahead with the project.

Greenpeace Aotearoa says the Government’s continued commitment to the LNG terminal is “pig-headed”, warning it would lock New Zealand into expensive and volatile fossil fuel imports when cheaper, homegrown renewable alternatives are available.

Why critics say the LNG terminal makes no economic sense

“The Coalition Government is outright ignoring all the obvious warning signs they need to walk away from this LNG terminal. It is truly a pig-headed decision to continue to support the LNG terminal despite expert report after expert report warning against it,” says Greenpeace campaigner Gen Toop.

“Despite another global gas price shock, they are still planning to burn billions of dollars on a widely discredited project that clearly puts the profits of the oil and gas industry ahead of the cost of living and climate crisis New Zealanders are grappling with.”

“This project is clearly being driven by blind political loyalty to the fossil fuel industry rather than sound economics or climate science.”

Follow the money

A subsidiary of Greymouth Petroleum – one of the country’s largest oil and gas companies – donated $100,000 to each Coalition party in February this year.

“The Government should be investing in renewable energy like rooftop solar that actually reduces power bills and pollution, not locking us into expensive and volatile fossil fuel imports,” says Toop.

Independent analysis from the New Zealand Green Building Council estimates that importing LNG via a terminal could cost $5.9 billion to $8.3 billion over 15 years if fully utilised, while the same energy needs could be met for around $2.5 billion through rooftop solar and heat pump hot water systems.

The OECD has also recently warned that the LNG proposal risks locking in fossil dependence in New Zealand and recommended investment in renewable generation such as pumped hydro and biomass instead. Despite the international renown of the OECD, the Prime Minister called the report  “a load of rubbish”.