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Govt sued over fuels search

A group of students has taken Energy Minister Megan Woods to court for letting oil and gas companies look for new fossil fuels.

The permits were issued after a global expert body, the International Energy Agency, said global oil and gas exploration should end immediately if countries are to successfully reach net-zero by 2050 and keep planetary temperatures to 1.5C, which would limit severe heat waves and storms.

In 2018, the Government banned offshore oil and gas exploration, but kept issuing onshore permits. Last year, two fossil fuel companies received permits to prospect for oil and gas in Taranaki.

During the first day of the hearing in the High Court, Students for Climate Solutions claimed the minister made a mistake in law by granting them. The Government will present its defence from today.

Previously when asked about the permits, Woods told Stuff her actions fulfilled a promise made when offshore exploration was banned.

The Government committed to undertake three more rounds of permits for onshore oil and gas prospecting.

Under the Treaty of Waitangi and the Crown Minerals Act, Woods has a responsibility to consult Ma¯ori as part of the process to issue oil and gas permits.

There are two major steps in the process, starting with a decision to issue permits and the release of a prospective map of Taranaki, divided into blocks. Once this map is finalised, interested parties can submit bids to be allowed to look for fossil fuels – and the minister can consider companies’ proposals and track records.

Iwi advice on places of cultural and environmental significance have meant some areas have been deemed off limits.

Acting on behalf of the students, lawyer Michard Heard said the minister should also consider iwi feedback on the overarching decision to grant permits.

During the latest round of prospecting consultation, Nga¯ruahine expressed its concern about the environmental and climate impacts of continuing to extract fossil fuels, Heard said.

The iwi said that, by issuing the permits, the Government was acting against its commitments to move to a low-emissions economy.

But government officials dismissed this criticism as beyond the scope of the consultation. Woods accepted her officials’ advice. In doing so, the minister erred in law, Heard argued.

Crown Law, acting for Woods, is expected to present the defence today. The hearing will continue until tomorrow.