SYDNEY, Wednesday 16 June 2021 – In response to statements to be made about Greenpeace by Resources Minister Keith Pitt in his speech to the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association conference in Perth today, Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter said:“This is a conference hosted by the oil and gas lobby. The corporations represented by that lobby are those directly responsible for the climate crisis, which is driving devastating bushfires, crippling drought, extinction of species and bleaching the Great Barrier Reef year after year.”
“Greenpeace has a long and proud history of working to ensure that people and the planet are protected from the worst impacts of pollution, and that involves standing up to multinational fossil fuel corporations like those represented at this conference.”
“The very reason that millions of Australians support the work of Greenpeace is to take the action on climate change that Minister Pitt’s government has not only resoundingly failed to do, but actively blocked for the past seven years.”
“When it comes to climate change, everyone knows the Morrison Government is a global embarrassment. It seems Minister Pitt would rather support the nation’s biggest climate polluters, than take care of the people of Australia.”
“Greenpeace is singled out by politicians like Minister Pitt because we are effective in preventing the fossil fuel industry from destroying the climate and planet, and we will continue to do so for as long as politicians fail in their responsibilities.”
“The fossil fuel industry Minister Pitt is addressing today has done its worst to thwart action on climate change for decades, attempting to stop the clean energy transition and leading to devastating outcomes for people and the planet.”
“You have to ask yourself, why is Minister Pitt encouraging these oil and gas companies to commit further destruction, rather than supporting their speedy transition to becoming clean energy companies?”
“The International Energy Agency itself accepts fossil fuels are on borrowed time and recommends countries like Australia stop investing in fossil fuels now. The G7 has committed to stop funding coal projects, as have major banks all over the world. The whole world including Australia’s main trading partners and allies have committed to greater climate action. Politicians like Minister Pitt are again lagging hopelessly behind, while the vast majority of Australians want to see a rapid transition from dirty fossil fuels to renewable energy.
“This is why people support the work of Greenpeace – because we do what politicians beholden to climate-destroying industries won’t.”
“Greenpeace is a movement of people. If these climate-wrecking oil and gas giants at this conference want to rise to Minister Pitt’s challenge and attack the people of Australia for caring about nature and the future of our kids, we are ready. Because for as long as big climate polluters threaten the future, we will stand in their way.”
For more information please contact Head of Communications Nelli Stevenson on 0428 113 346 or email [email protected]
