Strong beach turnout says 'no' to fossil fuels

June 26th, 2011

Around 130 people joined hands yesterday on the beach at Motueka Quey in support of phasing out fossil fuels. The symbolic action of joining hands, and literally drawing a line in the sand, occurred simultaneously in Nelson, Motueka and Golden Bay.

This series of regionally organised actions were the first in a series of seven across New Zealand and hundreds of international events globally. 'Hands Across the Sand' is an international movement of people calling for Governments to abandon their fossil fuel agendas.

On his recent tour of New Zealand, Dr James Hansen, top NASA climate scientist, stated "Coal emissions must be phased out as rapidly as possible or global climate disasters will be a dead certainty. 'Clean coal' technology does not exist and carbon capture is not economically feasible.

"Developed countries will need to complete their coal phase-out by about 2020, if global phase-out of coal is to be achieved by 2030. If coal emissions are phased out this rapidly - a tall order, but a feasible one - the climate problem is solvable." Dr Hansen has warned, "Coal is the single greatest threat to civilization and all life on our planet."

Coal Action Network Aotearoa spokesperson Helen Tulett, who spoke at the Motueka 'Hands Across the Sand' event, said "I'm very inspired with the turnout today. seventy people came to hear Jeanette Fitzsimons speak on Southland Lignite developments at a meeting on Monday, and to have double that participating in the international call for a renewable energy future today, sends a strong message to the Government, that New Zealand must leave the coal in the hole."

Saturday's gathering began on the grassed area above the old wharf with a moving karakia by Tanya Corbett. Then Helen Tulett spoke and this was followed by some singing of a song declaring opposition to oil of beaches. The group then moved to a dry stretch of the beach where they joined hands and, at the sound of a gong, held silence for three minutes.

After this was a time for signing petitions, meeting people and networking. A number from the gathering later met at the Sprig & Fern to discuss action plans in more detail.

The next action will be a bicycle 'Ride for Renewables' along High Street at 5.30pm on Friday, July 29th, starting from Toad Hall. The organisers hope to make their point to Labour MP Damien O'Connor, addresing other decision-makers at other times.

[Photos by Tania Fowler]

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