No crime in oil ship blockade - Greenpeace sets climate necessity defence court precedent

24 Sep 2018

Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman says his discharge without conviction for a protest against the oil exploration ship Amazon Warrior sets an important precedent.

In April last year the former Green MP and fellow climate activist Sara Howell, who was also discharged last Friday by the Napier District Court, swam in front of the ship 60 nautical miles off Napier, forcing it to stop its search for the day.

The charges were laid by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, & Employment.

Dr Norman says the science is clear that to have a safe climate we can’t afford to burn most of the oil, gas, and coal already discovered, and it makes no sense to look for more.

He says there is a groundswell around the world of people, communities, and governments standing up to the fossil fuel industry and taking bold action in the race to curb catastrophic climate change.

The court was given supporting statements for Dr Norman and Ms Howell from high profile climate experts and leaders, including the former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong; leading climate scientist James Hansen; and UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change lead author, James Renwick of Victoria University.