GREENPEACE PLUGS IN PARLIAMENT TO SOLAR POWER

Wellington, 13 November 1997

A team of Greenpeace climbers today set up an array of solar panels on the roof of Parliament Buildings and hung banners reading "Go Solar" and "Save the Climate" as a protest against the Government's weak stance on global warming.

"Today's protest shows that clean energy solutions to global warming such as solar and wind power are already viable. What is lacking is the political will to ensure these technologies are implemented instead of increasing the use of fossil fuells in new power stations," said Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Adam Laidlaw.

Greenpeace also opened a mobile Solar Cafe in front of Parliament Buildings which is powered by an array of solar panels and serving MPs and the public with hot coffee and toast cooked using solar electricity," said Mr Laidlaw.

"New Zealand's carbon dioxide (C02) emissions are already out of control and set to escalate 22% this decade. Yet, electricity from solar and wind power could displace the use of fossil fuels in the electricity sector with virtually no C02 emissions," said Mr Laidlaw.

The protest comes less than 20 days before a major international conference on global warming opens in Kyoto, Japan. 160 nations will meet at the Climate Summit to decide legally binding targets an measures to reduce greenhouse gases and avert dangerous climate change.

The New Zealand Government has failed to even propose a reduction target as the European Union (EU) and Pacific Island States have. Greenpeace supports the target proposed by the Pacific Island States for a 20% cut by 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Adam Laidlaw on (+64) 25 931 363.