The New Zealand government announced plans on Sunday to reverse a five-year-old ban on new oil and gas exploration, drawing backlash from environmentalists and political opponents.
New Zealand Resources Minister Shane Jones said the ban slowed international investment and compromised the country’s energy security.
Therefore, a bill will seek to end the ban, which has only allowed new oil exploration in some fields on the country’s North Island.
“Natural gas is critical to keeping our lights on and our economy going, especially during peak demand times,” Jones said in a statement.
“When the previous government presented the ban on exploration in 2018 (…) it also reduced investments in new developments of our gas fields that support our current consumption levels,” he added.
Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick accused the government of “throwing oil and gas on the fire of the climate crisis”.
“We can be a more sustainable and efficient economy by prioritizing clean energy that favors the environment,” he stated.
According to Jones, the oil and minerals sector contributed $1.2 billion to the New Zealand economy in the period 2020-2021.
On Friday, thousands of people protested in the country’s main cities to reject another government initiative to stimulate the economy.
The “Expedited Approvals” project will allow evading several environmental regulations and streamlining consent processes for large infrastructure initiatives.
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AFP
