Govt Pauses New Onshore Oil and Gas Exploration Until After Election
December 16, 2022
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Energy Minister Megan Woods has announced a pause on all remaining oil and gas exploration until after the election, Marc Daalder reports
In a continuation of the Government’s staged phase-out of fossil fuel exploration in New Zealand, Energy Minister Megan Woods will pause the issuance of any new oil and gas permits until after next year’s election.
The Government stopped issuing new permits for offshore exploration and for onshore exploration outside of Taranaki in 2018.
Three further block offers - permitting rounds - for prospecting in Taranaki have since been conducted, though the last one has yet to conclude. Last year, Woods issued two new onshore permits. A legal challenge of the decision by climate-concerned students was dismissed by the High Court in August.
The fate of the next onshore block offer has been uncertain for the better part of a year, amidst mounting evidence that the world cannot exploit most known fossil fuel reserves without blasting past the 1.5C and even 2C temperature goals.
Now Woods said she will pause any further block offers until the next Parliamentary term.
“I am not committing to any further block offers now. Decisions will be made early in the next Parliamentary term when there will be a better evidence base of future demand,” she said.