Fridays For Future Aotearoa, Te Upoko Te Ika (Wellington, New Zealand)

Free Fares NZ are starting a new campaign asking the new government to keep the current public transport fares. (The incoming parties in the coalition are looking to remove the current public transport discounts, effectively doubling their prices).

Read and sign the petition over on the ActionStation website.

In the latest Climate Club newsletter, there’s a segment about the Kaipara District Council considering whether to continue with their Ruawai Climate Adaptation Pilot Programme. While they say that the budget would be better allocated to on-the-ground work, engaging with the local communities most impacted by climate change is crucial for developing solutions that work for everyone. Scrapping a pilot programme before it’s had a chance sets a bad precedence for community-based climate solutions.

Read and sign the petition over at Change.org

Fisheries NZ has extended its consultation period on trawl corridors or proposed bottom fishing restrictions in the Hauraki Gulf (Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi).

Fisheries NZ has presented four options for trawl corridors (or bottom fishing access zones)

• Option 1: Danish seine fishing banned from 74.1% and trawl fishing banned from 77.1% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 6 defined zones.
• Option 2: Danish seine fishing banned from 79.4% and trawl fishing banned from 82.4% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 5 defined zones.
• Option 3: Danish seine fishing banned from 86.6% and trawl fishing banned from 88.5% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.
• Option 4: Danish seine fishing banned from 87.3% and trawl fishing banned from 89.2% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.

These options will ban bottom trawling for between 79% to 89% of the Marine Park (in waters less than 200 metres). However, to allow these destructive fishing methods to continue at all poses a significant threat to our precious Gulf.

The World Wildlife Fund wants a 100% ban.

That is why we are advocating for a new, improved option – Option Zero, 0% trawling and Danish seining in the Gulf. This would ban these harmful mobile bottom contact fishing methods from 100% of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. 

These destructive fishing practices cannot continue if we are to truly protect the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana and allow its health and biodiversity to recover. To get Option Zero across the line, we need you to make a submission now. 

Make a submission to support a 100% ban on trawl corridors using the easy submission form or you can submit directly to Fisheries New Zealand here.

Late submissions will be accepted until 4 December.

Fridays for Future Te Upoko o Te Ika was busy leading up to the general election. We took part in the Climate Shift campaign and the Vote for Climate Action campaign, while keeping up with our usual Friday protests.

But we want you to come join us. It’s more fun when you’re there!

Also, on windy days we can’t just prop our spare signs up because we’ll end up chasing them around the Parliament Lawn or Midland Park!

Even if you cannot stay the whole hour, just stop by for as long as you are able. We would love to see you.

Find out where we’ll be this coming Friday. See you there!!!

Episode 4 of Climate Crisis Action Aotearoa broadcasts on Access Radio on Sunday 6 November at 6.30pm.

Francesca and Kit will talk about to Paddy Geddes from 350.org and Alex Dyer from Cycle Wellington, about:

• Power Up climate solutions
• our next steps under a centre right/right wing government
• public transport funding and moving away from a car-centric way of getting around

Find recordings of previous episodes, on the Radio Access website.

Climate Justice Taranaki organised a climate debate in New Plymouth last month.

The speakers were:

• Glen Bennett – Labour
• David MacLeod – National
• Teanau Tuiono – Greens
• Bridget Bell – Te Pāti Māori

Watch a recording of the debate.

National Climate Change spokesperson Scott Simpson says that Climate Change is an issue, not an emergency. Simeon Brown thinks building roads will reduce emissions, because cars will spend less time idling.

WTF?

Watch an animated video essay on Youtube, about the National Party’s climate policies for the 2023 general election.

Or, read the words on the Imagine My Relief blog.

We’ve had a few gusty days recently, as you’d expect in the springtime. But winter was noticeably calm and sunny.

NIWA figures for wind and sun over the winter months show that:

·        Average wind was just 17km/hour, with 80% in the moderate band or lighter.

·        Over this last winter we had over 400 sunshine hours

A 500,000-people-strong coalition launched election scorecards, assessing the ability of the major parties to respond to the social and environmental crises facing Aotearoa.

Compare political party’s commitments for the General Election 2023. How do parties rank in categories of Justice, Housing, Climate, Taxation, Workers, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Fairness?

Download the election scorecards, showing which parties have committed to improving the wellbeing of all people in Aotearoa

The scorecards are designed to be shared through your social media – but you can also print them out as a PDF or just read them for your own vote decision-making pleasure.

The water was very cold, and we were standing in it up to our knees. But it made a great image.

Read the Stuff article about the event.