Go Eco

COAL MINE PLAN STALLS: Plans to expand the Rotowaro coal mine near Huntly have been put on hold because it’s not clear there would be a market for the extra coal, RNZ has reported. It's a double-edged sword - mine workers stand to lose their jobs, but the pause is good for the environment.

Coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels. It holds more carbon than oil or gas, so burning it puts more CO2 into the air, around twice as much as gas for the same energy. Coal makes up about 15% of NZ's CO2 emissions.

The shift away from coal is already underway, and it can be done well. Renewables are the fastest-growing source of new electricity worldwide, and solar and wind create more jobs per dollar invested than coal, oil or gas.

The pressure is local too. NZ's natural gas reserves are also declining much faster than anticipated, with an estimated seven years left. As gas supply tightens, the risk is that the industry leans back on coal.

Locally-led planning and climate resilience is the kaupapa behind Go Eco's Climate Resilience Programme (CRP). The CRP portal is a free resource for Waikato charities, Māori organisations, not-for-profits and SMEs, helping them to track and reduce emissions, alongside a dedicated advisor. It's launching later this month. For more information or to understand if it's right for your organisation, email [email protected]

We're also running a series of hui on climate resilience. The first is the Climate Resilience Symposium, a satellite event for Victoria University's The Reality of Everything. Two expert panels will examine climate resilience across food systems, energy, biodiversity, transport, water and waste:

Climate Resilience Symposium
Friday June 26, 9am–3:30pm
Pukete Neighbourhood House, Hamilton
Spaces are limited.
RSVP here: https://www.goeco.org.nz/.../the-reality-of-everything