New Zealand’s parliament on Thursday passed legislation ending a ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, reversing a flagship policy of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s government.
The move will allow companies to apply for petroleum exploration permits outside the onshore Taranaki region from September, opening the door to renewed investment in the country’s fossil fuel sector.
Environmental groups criticised the decision, calling it a blow to New Zealand’s renewable energy ambitions.
“This government keeps choosing to undermine our resilience rather than transition to clean, green energy,” said Green Party Climate spokesperson Chloe Swarbrick.
In 2018, Ardern’s centre-left Labour government halted the granting of new offshore oil and gas permits as part of efforts to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Since taking office in late 2023, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s conservative administration has moved to unwind a series of Labour-era climate policies, including scrapping rebates for electric vehicles and fast-tracking mining approvals.
Resources Minister Shane Jones said the previous government’s ban had deterred investment and worsened domestic energy shortages.
“This government is pragmatic about the vital role natural gas will play in our energy mix in the decades ahead, and we have set a course for greater energy security backed by our own indigenous reserves,” Jones said.
Hamas on 4 August said it is ready to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to hostages held in Gaza, if Israel meets certain cond...
Three miners have died following an accident at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine, state-run company Codelco confirmed on 3 August, prompting a nation...
At least 54 migrants have drowned and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying around 150 people sank in bad weather off southern Yemen on Sunday, ...
The bodies of a pilot and his 13-year-old son have been recovered after their biplane crashed into the sea off the coast of Mallorca, Spanish authorit...
A top aide to President Donald Trump has accused India of helping finance Russia’s war in Ukraine through its continued oil purchases, as Washington...
Hamas on 4 August said it is ready to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to hostages held in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, as outrage mounts over the deteriorating condition of captives and a rising death toll from hunger.
Three miners have died following an accident at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine, state-run company Codelco confirmed on 3 August, prompting a national outpouring of grief and renewed questions about mining safety.
At least 54 migrants have drowned and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying around 150 people sank in bad weather off southern Yemen on Sunday, according to health officials.
The bodies of a pilot and his 13-year-old son have been recovered after their biplane crashed into the sea off the coast of Mallorca, Spanish authorities said on Sunday.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
Supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro gathered in São Paulo on 3 August, calling for justice reform and denouncing legal cases against the far-right leader as politically motivated.
Hamas on 4 August said it is ready to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to hostages held in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, as outrage mounts over the deteriorating condition of captives and a rising death toll from hunger.
Three miners have died following an accident at Chile’s El Teniente copper mine, state-run company Codelco confirmed on 3 August, prompting a national outpouring of grief and renewed questions about mining safety.
At least 54 migrants have drowned and dozens remain missing after a boat carrying around 150 people sank in bad weather off southern Yemen on Sunday, according to health officials.
The bodies of a pilot and his 13-year-old son have been recovered after their biplane crashed into the sea off the coast of Mallorca, Spanish authorities said on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment