Greenpeace got themselves a bigger boat…

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 2nd, 2017 - 59 comments
Categories: climate change, energy, Environment - Tags: , , , ,

THE PEOPLE VS OIL

After confronting Statoil and Chevron seismic blasting 50 nautical miles off the Wairarapa coast in small inflatable boats, we put out a call to New Zealanders to help us buy a bigger boat. The response was phenomenal. Within seven days we’d crowdfunded nearly $100,000 and bought a boat! As the newest member of the Greenpeace fleet, it’s got its rainbow stripes, and a new name chosen by you.

Soon we plan to head out again and continue our protest against climate-wrecking oil exploration. Stay with us.

Welcome the MV Taitu.

Taitu is a verb meaning to hinder, impede, deter, and thwart an enemy. As a name for a boat it references the sea (Tai) and Tu means standing, strength, warrior spirit.

More on the name and history here.

 

 

The pre-naming ceremony speeches (video above) were from,

  • Greenpeace NZ Board Chairperson Stephanie Mills on the name and naming process
  • Grant Robertson for Labour
  • Iona Pannett for the Wellington City Council
  • Greenpeace climate campaigner and sailor Kate Simcock on the nautical and non-violence history of Greenpeace including the parallels between our nuclear-free history and climate action
  • Climate activist and Greenpeace supporter Lucy Lawless
  • Greenpeace Executive Director Russell Norman on the oil and coal industry in crisis and the local campaign.

Kate Simcock,

… [the Vega’s] peaceful mission was to protest French nuclear atmospheric testing at the Mururoa Atoll in the Pacific. And so Greenpeace NZ began 44 years ago, with the voyage of a boat. The Vega sailed again in 1973 and in that protest was joined by two NZ navy frigates, the Otago and the Canterbury, which were also on a mission to bear witness on behalf of the NZ government in a peaceful protest against French Nuclear testing.

When Prime Minister Norman Kirk farewelled the crew of the Otago, he said to the crew “Yours is an honourable mission with the power to bring alive the conscience of the world”.

When we painted the rainbow on the side of Taitu… the rainbow symbol reminds us there is hope inherent in action.

Together we ended nuclear testing in the Pacific, and together we can rise up and end the oil age, and together we have the power to bring alive the conscience of the world.

We can follow the MV Taitu on twitter, Facebook, and the Greenpeace Taitu page.

59 comments on “Greenpeace got themselves a bigger boat… ”

  1. Tui 1

    go greenpeace!

    ~ tui

  2. Bill 2

    I guess this comment will irk some people (shrug), but as the stated mission is to continue our protest against climate-wrecking oil exploration the obvious question is – “How is the Taitu powered?”

    That’s not intended as a cheap shot, but given there are multiple non-fossil ways to power boats these days, and given that a boat will have a life expectancy of (guessing) 20 years, and given that we need to be cutting fossil use drastically right now to be fossil free in a few decades (~ 2030)…

    Anyway, I had a quick look and couldn’t see any info on how the Taitu is propelled – which leads me to suspect, that in spite of flettner rotors, hydrogen, battery cells, sails and kites and others all being proven non-fossil methods of propulsion; none of these option were explored.

    And how much better would that message have been? A Greenpeace boat.

    (Given that it took only 7 days to raise the $100 000 for the Taitu, I’m thinking a campaign to purchase a fossil free boat would not only have been do-able, but that the campaign itself would have been a massive boost to the anti-oil message they’re trying to out out there.)

    • Poission 2.1

      Ipsi testudines edite, qui cepistis

    • weka 2.2

      What makes you think options weren’t explored? Seriously, you think that one of the leading climate justice groups on the planet didn’t think about this?

      • Bill 2.2.1

        Short answer to second question – yes.

        On the first question, if they (non-fossil options) had been explored, then I’d have expected some mention of it somewhere in their literature. But there’s nothing.

        And what I suspect (only a suspicion) is that after a moment’s ‘reflection’ they punted for off-setting as though that somehow nullifies their future emissions. (It’s a common enough piece of self deception that people and organisations indulge in)

        • weka 2.2.1.1

          Ok, so you think that the organisation that’s just built one of its main vessels as a green build (including some of the tech you suggested) didn’t think about this boat in terms of climate change? Sorry, but that’s an idiocy.

          Sorry Greenpeace aren’t jumping to your tune, but they got this boat up and running really bloody fast. I can think of a number of things that may or may not have happened in the process, but I’m not playing that game, because (a) we would be speculating on thin air, and (b) we can’t afford this kind of tear em down politics and I’m sick of it. This is an awesome thing that they’ve done, which doesn’t put them above critique but it does mean they’ve earned some support and for that critique to be based on something real rather than just some internet reckons.

          • Bill 2.2.1.1.1

            Ok, so you think that the organisation that’s just built one of its main vessels as a green build (including some of the tech you suggested) didn’t think about this boat in terms of climate change?

            You’re making assumptions on what my knowledge is. What main vessel do they have that was a ‘green build’? If you can provide some info, I’d be appreciative. Never heard of it before.

            Like I wrote below, you’re exaggerating my initial comment (it seems, from where I sit, with a desire to shut down conversation), yet rather oddly, you’re also saying that Greenpeace aren’t above critique.

            Which is it?

            Greenpeace are above reproach – are exceptions on the GW front because they ‘do good things’, or sensible observations can be acknowledged and discussed without ‘everyone’ going all stone throwing defensive?

            • weka 2.2.1.1.1.1

              There’s nothing wrong with well-founded critique (so please stop misrepresenting my view on that), it’s about the how. In this case, you’re speculating based on nothing as far as I can see other than your own reckons (no-one here knows what GP did or didn’t do and we don’t even have any hints about that). You also chose a framing that brings the post down.

              You’re getting plenty of feedback in this thread about what some people find problematic about your approach, if you genuinely want to understand, then maybe listen to them and talk about it, there are good people here who know you saying roughly the same thing.

              Myself, I’m not getting into an argument over it. Your original comment was negative and IMO destructive. There are good points in there, but the framing was only ever going to bring contention and derailment, and IMO that was inappropriate for this post. Given the context of the post I find that pretty disappointing and it necessitates pointing out the thing again about shitting on our allies. I know you probably don’t think that’s what you are doing, but that’s how it came across.

              I can think of ways to have brought up the issue of what Taitu runs on without slagging off Greenpeace. So it’s not about shutting down the conversation so much as calling out the approach.

              It seems a shame for this thread to have been trashed. I’m sure it wasn’t your intention 🙂

              • Bill

                Show me through one piece of quoted text where I’ve “slagged off Greenpeace” in this thread. Just one.

            • RRM 2.2.1.1.1.2

              Ok, so you think that the organisation that’s just built one of its main vessels as a green build (including some of the tech you suggested) didn’t think about this boat in terms of climate change?

              LOL what???

              It’s a POS old wooden motor launch with whatever petrol or diesel engine it was built with back in the good old days.

              I spent a week in Queen Charlotte Sound on something similar once. 9 knots was achievable but the fuel level went down pretty fast, and the whole cabin top sounded like it was rattling itself to bits. 7 knots was a bit more achievable.

              Every morning we had to run the bilge pump for about 5 minutes to get rid of all the water that soaked in between (and through) the rotten old boards.

              This thing will be lucky to even make it out to where the survey ship is operating… let alone intercept it.

          • Bill 2.2.1.1.2

            Okay, just noticed the link you provided below to their “Motor Sail yacht with helicopter landing deck.”

          • Karen 2.2.1.1.3

            +1 Weka.

    • Andre 2.3

      For a vessel that needs to be able to go from random place A to random place B at a reasonable speed at short notice, there simply is no current viable substitute for fossil fuels (except nukes).

      Sails, kites, Flettner rotors are all wind dependent. Without a decent wind speed in a favourable direction, you’re stuck with very slow progress if that’s your only propulsion. So they’re great for supplementary/auxiliary propulsion, but not much use for primary propulsion, unless you’re just doing it for recreation and don’t need to keep a schedule.

      Hydrogen and battery cells don’t have the energy density required, maturity of technological development, nor the infrastructure required to support a vessel that is to be used like the Taiku. Yet.

      All of that is simply a reflection of the low price of fossil fuels. There has simply been no commercial incentive to develop alternatives.

      • weka 2.3.1

        http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/ships/the-rainbow-warrior/

        Then the timing, retrofitting issues etc etc, as a trade off on getting out to sea right now on the campaign that’s happening right now in response to the seismic blasting that’s happening right now. IMO it’s a bullshit argument. It could have been an interesting conversation, but the whole ‘Greenpeace fucked up’ framing, with undertones of they don’t know what they’re doing, is just bizarre and we literally don’t have time for this.

        • Andre 2.3.1.1

          Yeah, there may be times and places where Greenpeace may choose to showcase technology alternatives. A fast response protest support vessel doesn’t look like one of those times it’s sensible to do that.

        • Bill 2.3.1.2

          Who said “Greenpeace fucked up”? That’s your exaggerated framing from what I can see. Yes, they almost certainly missed an opportunity to execute something much better.

          The arse of it is that I don’t think it even crossed their mind. Look at their public statements on ‘off-setting’ and their take on CC and pitch your own probability of that being the case.

          Carbon put into the atmosphere right now is crucially important. It’s that which determines future warming. (Yeah, I know – wee boat.) My point is that the fossil and GW message could have been put out there and monies probably raised for a green option in the process. But hey.

          The argument (or defence) you’re putting up would essentially appear to be one of exceptionalism. That’s something we most certainly don’t have any time for. There are no exceptions. (Physics isn’t a reified something with a capacity to care)

          • weka 2.3.1.2.1

            No, the argument I’m putting up is that this is bullshit because no-one knows why GP have taken this approach, including you. But by all means let’s keep speculating on whether GP did something wrong based on shit we made up in our heads.

            Beyond that, if they chose to not make Taitu ‘green’ at this stage because they wanted to get out there to challenge the Amazon Warrior, then that’s pragmatics not exceptionalism. Which I have no problem with.

            I listened to the speeches. Those people aren’t ignorant or cc stupid. They’re running one of the biggest cc activism organisations in NZ. I’m pretty sure they know far more about how to operate their organisation, including what’s the best use of timing and effort, than you do.

            “Look at their public statements on ‘off-setting’ and their take on CC and pitch your own probability of that being the case.”

            If you want to make that argument you can link. I’m not going to trawl and then try and mind read what you are looking at or how you’re interpreting it. I’ve already called the idea that GPNZ didn’t think about fossil fuels when setting up the Taitu and idiocy and nothing you have said changes that.

          • JC 2.3.1.2.2

            I think you Fucked up Bill. There’s idealism and there’s action! Best you stay home where it’s warm and dry. Then you can theorise to your hearts content… and then deliberate how it could be Best done…
            Then get back in a decade or two! When it’s Too Late!

            Taitu!

          • JC 2.3.1.2.3

            I think you Fucked up Bill. There’s idealism and there’s action! Best you stay home where it’s warm and dry. Then you can theorise to your hearts content… and then deliberate how it could be Best done…
            Then get back in a decade or two! When it’s Too Late!

            Taitu!

      • Bill 2.3.2

        You’re a terrible one for crying ‘impossible’ Andre (and bowing down before market bullshit)

        Flettner rotors do not run on wind.
        Kites are flown at very high altitude…permanent and more or less constant wind
        Hydrogen propels ships just fine. (Just less ‘bang for buck’ for whatever volume of fuel is in the tank)
        Batteries are certainly more suited to short crossing type journeys.
        Nuclear (eek!) works too.

        Hell, Greenpeace could even use bio-fuel in the very short term.

        Wee boat. Many possible combinations for propulsion that obviate the need for fossil.

        • marty mars 2.3.2.1

          Would ANYTHING be good enough for you Bill. Seems like most everything people try to do in these areas is judged not good enough by you.

          • Poission 2.3.2.1.1

            look at the speakers,a bunch of urbanites ,non who have sustained a real job.

            • marty mars 2.3.2.1.1.1

              Politicians, activists and campaigners – yeah they’re real layabouts LOLOLOLOL

            • timeforacupoftea 2.3.2.1.1.2

              I would go further.
              I gave up on Greenpeace a number of years ago.
              Greenpeace has lost it ability for peaceful protests and should be just called the rainbow boat or something else.
              Greenpeace have been acting as a bunch of cowboys and cowgirls on the high seas enough to make me come to the conclusion they are close to being terrorists.
              Whenever they go out I feel this urge to yell “I hope your boat sinks”.

          • Bill 2.3.2.1.2

            Nah Marty. You can frame what I’ve written as negative if you like. But just mind, that’s your framing and not mine.

            • marty mars 2.3.2.1.2.1

              Sure Bill no judgement from you at all jusl all my framing – good you held onto that ‘ get out of jail free’ card innit

              • Bill

                Marty, where did I opine that Greenpeace (or anyone else) opposing seismic testing was a bad thing?

                edit. Go back to my original comment (and some others). I said an opportunity was missed in terms of putting a solid GW message out there.

                I suggested that they may have been able to do that as part and parcel of fundraising for a boat.

                And here’s the thing. Even if that fundraising had fallen short or even if technical barriers had killed off any idea of a fossil free boat, the message – one they are very keen to get out there – would have gotten out there.

                And if they’d managed to get a Greenpeace boat, then…think about it for a second. The never ending public messaging!

                But did they even try? That’s my criticism. They didn’t even try.

                • You don’t know what they considered or tried. You are not basing your opinion on fact and you aren’t seeing what HAS happened and how that continues the movement to what we want to go to. Sure call it constructive criticism if you want it is still criticism and unwarranted in the big scheme of things imo.

                  • weka

                    I wouldn’t call it constructive criticism, it’s destructive criticism, and I completely agree that it’s got no factual basis.

                    The problem now is that Bill and I are equally stubborn 😈

                  • Bill

                    Correct. I don’t know for a fact that they didn’t run a campaign on the back of securing a green boat that had the added and not inconsequential bonus of getting a basic and necessary message about GW out into the public arena.

                    I might have missed it. Oh, hang on – wouldn’t someone here have alerted me to it if that was the case? Or wouldn’t I have found traces of it with some pretty basic google searching?

                    As for what they considered, as I said previously, I’m basing my opinion on reasonable assumptions given lack of mention of any such consideration in their literature, and given their known take on off-setting alongside their publicly available documents on GW.

                    Ie, – build our way out, price carbon and be ‘renewable’ (bio-energy) in the energy sector – ie, not zero carbon … by 2050 on what is essentially a BAU trajectory..

                    You say in your comment they are continuing “the movement to what we want to go”. Well, I don’t want a world of >+2 degrees C. And unfortunately, that’s where Greenpeace’s ideas would take us.

                    Meanwhile. Do I support their opposition to oil drilling etc? Yes. Do I welcome their rejection of promises being made around carbon capture and storage tech? Yes.

                    • weka

                      Yes, that’s what it looks like to me. You disapprove of GP in general and have trashed this thread by focussing on something that has no real basis in fact and can’t be argued with because of that. I’ll just keep saying it, it’s not the content of what you argue it’s the approach and framing. Trashing allies is a losing strategy.

                    • Bill

                      I see. So you’ve concluded that I simply ‘whole sale’ disapprove of Greenpeace and so on that basis, any idea or thought from me about what ‘might have been’ had they gone about their public relations slightly differently (and that could always be borne in mind for similar future scenarios) cannot be discussed or debated and anyway ‘trashing allies’.

                      Wow.

                    • weka

                      No, I don’t think any of that.

          • Karen 2.3.2.1.3

            It is always much easier to criticise from the sidelines than get involved and do the work.

            • Bill 2.3.2.1.3.1

              You’ve no idea what I do or do not do with regards ‘sidelines’ and ‘involvement’ Karen.

              It’s fairly lazy to throw ad homs because a level of ‘cognitive dissonance’ within an organisation has observed and remarked on…much harder to engage in discussion and explore the ramifications of that disconnect though – or to seek ways to bridge the gaps between thoughts and actions, aye?

              But fuck it, you’re right. Far better and much more comfortable to just stand by and unconditionally cheer on our team regardless. Because life’s much easier when we reduce our individual critical faculties to the level of those three senseless wee monkeys and then just revel in a simplified world of black and white.

              • Karen

                You are right Bill, I don’t know what you do. It is just an impression I get from your contributions here, which seem to me to be overwhelmingly critical.

                Of course I don’t think you (or anyone else) should be just a cheerleader – but I often don’t even read your posts or comments because they usually are so negative. I get the frustration and the despair – I feel often it myself – but it isn’t productive I find. Maybe it works for you.

                • Bill

                  Frustration and realism, not despair.

                  As for ‘negative’ posts, well the last one was on not allowing the theft of water from the S. Island. Is that negative?

                  “Trumping Idiocy” was seeing the opportunity that Trump presents with regards GW.

                  “Mosul and Aleppo” was highlighting the hypocrisy of msm.

                  “CIA Hacking Tools” – again, highlighting msm bullshit

                  “Encouraging Signs” – on TOPs attempt at better democratic representation

                  “Heroes” – self explanatory.

                  But hey. You find it all that negative? That’s okay, no-one’s going to make you read the stuff and there are plenty of other, and more prolific, posters around.

        • Andre 2.3.2.2

          Flettner rotors do not require wind to usefully propel a boat? Please explain to me how that works.

          Keep in mind I’m an engineer that’s had reason to do Magnus effect calculations.

          • Bill 2.3.2.2.1

            Begging your pardon. Yes, in the doldrums, flettner rotors would not be able to create the pressure differential.

    • Nick Young 2.4

      Hi Bill –

      Yes Taitu runs on diesel. We explored all options, but in the time that we had, within the budget we had, and to do the job at hand, this was the best option.

      Some say this is hypocritical but if you think about it, there is no hypocrisy in working towards a society that’s free of oil while you live in an oil-dependent society. In fact, it’s all we can do. A precondition for hypocrisy is choice – and it is choice we are fighting for.

      If we are to transition away from oil, we must fight for, and enact policies to end oil dependency even while we are hooked on oil.

      The allegation that we are hypocrites for opposing oil implies that we have no right to do anything towards being oil free until we are actually oil free and that is clearly ridiculous.

      If we fall for this so-called hypocrisy argument, it guarantees that we can never do anything towards being free of our oil dependency. It’s no wonder that the oil industry, oil drilling advocates and their trolls love the hypocrisy argument.

      People once wore clothes made of cotton picked by slaves. But that did not make them hypocrites when they joined the abolition movement. It just meant that they were also part of the slave economy, and they knew it. That is why they acted to change the system, not just their clothes.

      We all do what we can do to lessen our environmental footprint but that alone is not enough. We have to challenge the system that locks us into oil dependency.

      (We’ll also convert Taitu to run on waste vegetable oil.)

      • Bill 2.4.1

        HI Nick – thanks for the response.

        If you care to read my initial comment, you’ll see that I wasn’t accusing Greenpeace of hypocrisy, but lamenting the fact that a more penetrative and broader fund raising campaign wasn’t engaged in – one that would have put a forceful GW message right into the public arena.

        As I commented by way of follow-up, even if that campaign had failed to secure a non-fossil vessel, it would have succeeded in terms of messaging.

        You may also notice from other comments that I support anti-oil initiatives.

        So yeah – your response is a bit of a straw man really, but hey.

        By way of your bracketed end note – do you (ie – Greenpeace) acknowledge that bio-fuels (from a western or Annex 1 perspective) can only be used in the very, very short term and essentially have no part to play in a world that’s serious about seeking to avoid 2 degrees C?

      • Poission 2.4.2

        (We’ll also convert Taitu to run on waste vegetable oil.)

        Palm or GMO canola?

      • weka 2.4.3

        Nice one Nick. It’d be great to hear more about the vegetables oil conversion at some point.

    • Steve Abel 2.5

      Hi Bill,
      Taitu is powered by bio diesel and after this mission we’ll refit for biofuel (needs some time as it cleans out the engine).

      The boat is 81 years old and the cost of buying a relatively cheap second hand boat and re-purposing it is orders of magnitude less costly than building from scratch. And much quicker. You also save on the embedded carbon cost of new materials. Re-purposing is a good thing.

      We have built from scratch once with the third Rainbow Warrior – the only purpose built boat in the GP fleet – a sailboat with a hybrid electric and diesel engine. But it cost literally millions. It is a much bigger boat and will last decades of course so a good investment but one that required the global organisation.

      We need whole-of-society action on fossil fuels and even if Greenpeace itself was 100% fossil free it wouldn’t save us. If we focused on being pure ourselves we might succeed but to what end? We believe our purpose is to compel system change and a rapid transition of the whole of society to clean energy systems by campaigning and movement building.

      We get accused of hypocrisy (usually a cheap shot – though i don’t think in this instance) but we’re doing what we believe is the most effective use of our time and relatively limited resources (by comparison with governments or the oil industry) to get the widespread urgent action on climate change that we all need if we are to avoid a hellish existence.

      Thanks,
      Steve Abel (Greenpeace NZ)

      • Bill 2.5.1

        Hi Steve –

        I appreciate buying second hand is much, much cheaper than building from scratch and all the rest of it. And I’m fully aware that radical systemic changes across the whole of society is necessary with regards any prospect of a sub 2 degree C future: that merely transitioning to clean energy systems will fail due to time constraints. (ie – the time available between now and 2 degrees C, as calculated from IPCC carbon budgets and present emissions, just isn’t long enough to allow us to build those clean energy systems).

        My point (again) was I thought and think it a shame that Greenpeace missed the opportunity to run a public campaign that secured a boat while also getting a fundamental and quite powerful message about GW into the public arena.

        If I can expand just briefly.

        Lets go back in time a little way and imagine Greenpeace says it wants a truly green boat and explains the GW reasoning behind that. Going on the ‘less than optimal’ result of that campaign, the fund raising falls short and a boat like the Taitu is purchased.

        Well, public awareness has been raised substantially. Greenpeace has demonstrated its commitment to being fossil free (and can wear a certain badge of pride even though it falls short). And afterwards, when the oil industry and others turn around (as they will) and throw those cheap shots about how Greenpeace are hypocrites, Greenpeace’s arse is covered. They don’t have to fall back on defensive arguments (like Nick above), but can point to their genuine effort to be ‘squeaky clean’ – essentially getting another bite at the cherry every time that cheap shot is made.

        Ie – just solid messaging and good propaganda.

        And as a postscript, if you’d care to respond to the question asked of Nick (above) about Greenpeace’s take on the place for bio-fuel in any scenario aiming for sub 2 degrees, I’d appreciate it.

        • Steve Abel 2.5.1.2

          Yeah i think biofuels are a useful transition (among a suite of other strategies) which allows us to do the sort of thing we are with Taitu – keep an old diesel engine going for a little longer rather than just scrap the whole thing or do an expensive re-fit.

          Biofuels are inherently risky too in terms of how and where they are produced. using arable land for growing fuel instead of food is not something Greenpeace supports. NZ is in an unusual position of having some options in terms of wood waste from plantation forestry for producing liquid fuel alternatives to fossil fuels and we could have a substantial domestic industry substituting middle east oil for local biofuel and reduce our multi-billion dollar oil deficit in the bargain.

          Steve

          • Bill 2.5.1.2.1

            I’ll try to keep this very brief.

            Through Agreements signed up to at Paris and Copenhagen etc, we’ve committed to keeping average surface temperatures to below 2 degrees C, basing action to achieve that on science and equity, yes?

            That’s means (using IPCC carbon budgets and current CO2 emissions) that countries viewed as being of the west or annex 1 or OECD need to fully decarbonise all energy by around 2035 for the world to have just a 1 in 3 chance of avoiding 2 degrees C.

            Bio-fuels produce CO2 and the physics of AGW doesn’t differentiate between CO2 sources – CO2 accumulating in the atmosphere has the same effect no matter the source.

            And it is not technically feasible to build or construct a renewable energy supply, even for current levels of energy use before 2035.

            In other words, there’s a forced disconnect rather than the possibility of a transition.

            We need to reduce emissions now (the calculation is in the order of 15% per year) down to zero by 2035 and be laying in that renewable supply.

            Bio-fuels (even if all the logistical and ethical issues involved were resolved) essentially have no role to play. (Yes, we could ‘swap out’ fossil for bio in the context of reducing our over all emissions, but we can’t substitute fossil for bio on the back on some notion that bio-fuels have no impact or only a benign impact on levels of atmospheric CO2 )

            Maybe I should do a fully referenced post on this…

            • weka 2.5.1.2.1.1

              A post would be good.

              At first glance I’d say there’s some interim use from using biofuels from existing waste streams, and probably from certain kinds of intentionally grown material that also sequesters carbon.

              (which leads me at least into the debate about burning firewood sustainably, and that thing about how reaching for zero on its own is not enough, we need to design systems that are truly sustainable as part of that).

              • Bill

                At first glance I’d say there’s some interim use from using biofuels from existing waste streams…

                Well yes, and I said that in the preceding comment (swapping out some fossil for bio in the context of over-all reductions)

                and probably from certain kinds of intentionally grown material that also sequesters carbon.

                Which then releases its sequestrated CO2 into the atmosphere when combusted thereby adding to the accumulated levels of atmospheric CO2. The theoretical way around that is BECCS (Bio Energy Carbon Capture and Storage) which is fraught to say the least and which Greenpeace (to their credit) rejects as an option.

                I’ve personally never claimed or suggested that zero carbon from energy is sufficient, merely that it’s necessary. No scientific paper, nor scientist, nor other person speaking on AGW who has the ability to spell “IQ” has, to my knowledge, claimed that getting emissions to zero is sufficient either.

      • weka 2.5.2

        Thanks for clarifying Steve. I especially liked the bit about embedded carbon costs of new materials, something not looked at nearly enough.

  3. JC 3

    I think you Fucked up Bill. There’s idealism and there’s action! Best you stay ashore where it’s warm and dry. Then you can theorise to your hearts content… and then deliberate how it could be Best done…

    https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/greenpeace/15abaf196b056e01

    Then get back in a decade or two! When it’s weigh Too Late!

    Taitu!

  4. David Millar 4

    Ask yourself, if the world was cooling would “big oil” be the hero not the villain?

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • EV road user charges bill passes
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April.  “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Bill targets illegal, unregulated fishing in international waters
    New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    13 hours ago
  • Reserve Bank appointments
    Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates.  Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    15 hours ago
  • Stronger protections for apartment owners
    Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Travel focused on traditional partners and Middle East
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend.    “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says.   Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • Keep safe on our roads this Easter
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Cost of living support for over 1.4 million Kiwis
    About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Tenancy reviews for social housing restart
    Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary plan halted
    The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Cutting all that dam red tape
    Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.  “Dam safety regulations ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • Drought support extended to parts of North Island
    The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Passage of major tax bill welcomed
    The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Lifting economy through science, tertiary sectors
    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government announces Budget priorities
    The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.  The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government to consider accommodation solution
    The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government approves extension to Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care
    Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says.                                         “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • $18m boost for Kiwis travelling to health treatment
    The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says.   “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM’s Prizes for Space to showcase sector’s talent
    The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Concerns conveyed to China over cyber activity
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government.     “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry
    Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function.  The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Brynderwyns open for Easter
    State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Speech to the Infrastructure Funding & Financing Conference
    Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Parliamentary network breached by the PRC
    New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • NZ to provide support for Solomon Islands election
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ-EU FTA gains Royal Assent for 1 May entry to force
    The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union.    “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • COVID-19 inquiry attracts 11,000 submissions
    Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says.  “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Families to receive up to $75 a week help with ECE fees
    Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Unlocking a sustainable, low-emissions future
    A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Chief of Army thanked for his service
    Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders
    25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Government commits nearly $3 million for period products in schools
    Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Speech – Making it easier to build.
    Good morning, it’s great to be here.   First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.  I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Pacific youth to shine from boost to Polyfest
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • 2024 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships announced
    ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to Breast Cancer Foundation – Insights Conference
    Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Kiwi research soars to International Space Station
    New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Planning Institute
    Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Support for Northland emergency response centre
    The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed.  “Northland has faced a number ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Celebrating 20 years of Whakaata Māori
    New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Some commercial fishery catch limits increased
    Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-03-28T17:12:41+00:00