A landmark decision by Jacinda Ardern's New Zealand government. There will be no new concessions. For the prime minister, it is the first step towards becoming a carbon-neutral nation.
Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern, aged 38 and prime minister of New Zealand since 26 October 2017, has announced that the government will not grant new concessions for offshore oil exploration in the search for oil and gas. In doing so, she has made the energy transition and the fight against climate change one of the primary objectives of the current administration, elected last year. The ban does not, however, affect already operational concessions — currently 22 — which still have decades of exploration ahead of them.
"Transitions have to start somewhere," Jacinda Ardern stated at a press conference held in Wellington, "unless we make decisions today that will come into force in 30 or more years, we run the risk of acting too late and causing sudden shocks to communities and to our country."
"It's a line in the sand," she also added in a message published on Facebook, confirming what had been one of the recurring themes of the election campaign: climate change, decarbonisation of the economy, renewable energy. New Zealand has indeed set the stated goal of generating all of the country's energy from renewable sources by 2035 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Described by Greenpeace New Zealand as "a historic moment" for the climate and for the entire country, the decision has nonetheless drawn a negative response from the oil industry and from the opposition. The sector currently employs around 4,500 people, and according to opponents the ban would result in job losses and the loss of approximately €1.5 billion in investment. "The announcement is significant at an international level too," said Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman in a statement. "By halting new oil and gas exploration in our waters, the world's fourth-largest Exclusive Economic Zone is off limits to fossil fuel exploitation. New Zealand has stood up to one of the most powerful industries in the world."
In recent years, all the major oil companies — from Shell to Chevron to Statoil — have sought new oil reserves in New Zealand's waters. From this point on, there will be no new concessions.