Luxon’s bonfire of natural capital leaves New Zealand poorer – Greenpeace

Prime Minister Luxon’s plan to burn natural capital in a desperate bid for short term GDP growth will leave us poorer, says Greenpeace.

Luxon is due to give his State of the Nation speech today which will once again prioritise the War On Nature. These destructive policies, including the fast track law, have become one of the trademarks of his first year in office.

“Luxon’s relentless War on Nature burns the natural capital of Aotearoa for short term GDP growth,” says Dr Russel Norman, Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director.

“The quick sugar hit of more coal mines, more polluted rivers, more gas guzzling cars and more climate pollution might produce a short term GDP hit, but it will destroy the natural capital of Aotearoa and leave us poorer.

“Since being elected, Luxon has waged a war on nature to allow big polluters – the dairy, fossil fuel, fishing, and mining industries – to wreak havoc on New Zealand’s environment, removing local communities’ right to have a say on developments in their backyards.

“What makes New Zealand such an amazing place to live is nature.

“Moreover, what attracts talented people to New Zealand is nature, and those people are critical to our economic success, especially in the service sector.

“Our export industries are built on protecting the natural environment.

“International tourists come here for nature, not coal mines. The green movement’s successes in protecting nature over the decades is the ‘infrastructure’ of international tourism.

“Our export food industries rely on the perception of ‘clean green New Zealand’, a perception that the Luxon Government daily tarnishes with its anti environment policies. New Zealand businesses will face increasing scrutiny for their green claims.”

“Already our free trade agreements with the EU and the UK are being put at risk by Luxon’s anti-environment policies, as confirmed by the leaked advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“It is remarkable that the clean up costs of one contaminated coal mine are greater than the full year royalties paid by the coal industry to the government. Luxon’s new coal mines are liabilities not assets,” says Dr Norman.

“Passing on a series of toxic waste dumps and a scarred landscape will make us all poorer.

“People are unhappy with a Government that is radically anti-environment. Already people are responding by taking to the streets, the courts, and putting their bodies on the line to prevent big polluters from destroying the places we hold dear.”

“Greenpeace and others will fight Luxon’s War on Nature because it is the right thing to do but also because it is the economically sensible thing to do.”

A full list of the first year of Luxon’s War on Nature can be found here.