Noisy action to highlight Todd's climate crimes
In September Oil Free Wellington made noise outside Todd Corporation’s Wellington headquarters protesting the company’s ongoing oil and gas exploration, including fracking.
This happened as Todd’s subsidiary, Nova, is seeking consent for a gas burning power plant in the Waikato region and is beginning construction for another gas burning power plant in New Plymouth, Taranaki.
The Todd Corporation prides itself on its philanthropic image; but the most philanthropic action the Todds can take would be to stop fracking and exploring for oil and gas, and to look after the climate for all New Zealanders.
We know that two-thirds of all discovered fossil fuels have to stay in the ground if we want a secure, stable climate, and yet Todd is looking for more gas and oil – and more ways to make money from them. Just this last week it was revealed Todd is planning another gas fired power station for Waikato, to join the ones planned and already built in Taranaki.
Todd is committing infrastructure to burn fossil fuels for decades when all science says we need a rapid move to renewables.
In addition to destroying the climate, Todd also has a lousy environmental track record. Shell Todd Oil Services in Taranaki was responsible for ground water contamination and soil contamination, and the company was found to have drilled two wells illegally.
Their work has had an ongoing impact on rural communities, with local people and groups like Taranaki Energy Watch and Climate Justice Taranaki fighting David and Goliath struggles to make sure these impacts are known. It was powerful to have fracking activists like Jean Kahui there to talk about the direct and ongoing effects of companies like Todd Energy.