Climate Camp pranks the Carbon Traders at OMFinancial

April - 1 - 2010

Climate Camp pranks the carbon traders.

Don’t be fooled by Carbon Trading!

Newmarket, Auckland: 1st April 2010

Camp for Climate Action Auckland has visited the offices of OMFinancial to present them with this year’s Fossil Fools day award for helping New Zealand’s biggest polluters cheat their way out of dealing with climate change

April 1st, Fossil Fools day is an international day of action against the fossil fuel industry with pranks being pulled on key players of the fossil fuel industry.

“Climate change is no laughing matter, but carbon trading is a sick joke that won’t do anything to stop New Zealand from being dug up to get even more fossil fuels out of the ground. We’re here to turn the tables on these fossil fools and give them what they deserve. The 2010 New Zealand Fossil Fools day award.” says climate camp participant Gary Cranston.

“Carbon markets are geared towards prolonging the fossil fuel economy for as long as possible rather than developing strategies for a rapid, just transition away from carbon-based fuels. The complex system of carbon credits and offsets allows polluters to continue the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure rather than forcing them to abandon these projects. The only thing your average New Zealander will get out of this charade is rising electricity bills and rising sea levels.” says Gary Cranston.

“Last December in Copenhagen, the politicians sold us out to the fossil fools and corporate lobbyists like the International Emissions Trading Association. Instead of 350 parts per million (ppm) of carbon in the atmosphere as ‘required by science’, the Copenhagen Accord signatories’ promised 15% emissions cuts from 1990 levels to 2020 could in reality translate into a 10% increase once carbon trading and offset loopholes are factored in. We’ve been left with nothing but carbon market shenanigans designed to distract us from the truth. Stopping runaway climate change means leaving fossil fuels in the ground.”

“Already, we are hearing of cases of indigenous peoples of the pacific being forced, at gunpoint to sell their forested homelands to Australian carbon traders. Is this the kind of thing we want New Zealand to be involved in? Fortunately, we can do a lot better than this – history has shown that changes can be made by ordinary people doing extraordinary things. As our politicians fail us, we need deeds and not words.”

“We think that people who are serious about confronting climate change need to get together to implement the real solutions like leaving fossil fuels in the ground, socialising and decentralising energy, relocalising our food production, respecting indigenous peoples’ rights and regenerating our eco-systems. Copenhagen failed because of greed, and now its up to us. Ordinary people have the power to stop the government and big business from throwing away our future for continued profit.” said Gary Cranston

ENDS

Notes, References and links;

More photos available soon at www.climatecamp.org.nz

Camp for Climate Action took action against the ‘profiteers of climate change’ in Wellington last December by blockading the New Zealand Stock exchange in response to the predictable failure of the Copenhagen climate change summit.
On April 1st 2008, people around the world celebrated the first ever International Fossil Fools Day. Over 150 actions took place across four continents. Oil, gas, coal and aviation were all targeted. Fossil fuel extraction, production, financing, PR and greenwash all felt the jester’s wrath. Actions spanned the full spectrum from the simply subversive to the downright disruptive: office occupations, banner drops, street theatre, Big Carbon blockades, city centre parades, spoof product launches, subvertising, leaflets, lock-ons and even a laugh-in.
In April 2008 Air New Zealand received New Zealand’s first ever Fossil Fool award [see link below]
Actions are happening all around the world right now!

www.climatecamp.org.nz

Fossil Fools Day2010

Air New ZealandReceives ‘Fossil Fool‘ Award Speech by Patrick Bond Centre for Civil Society, Durban: Presented at the 10th World Social Forum, Porto Alegre, 28 January 2010 PNG: Carbon traders move in