Climate change campaigners aired Fonterra’s ‘dirty laundry’ in public yesterday. Auckland Coal Action have called the dairy giant’s promises to reduce its coal use largely ‘greenwash’ – an attempt to appear environmentally friendly without taking any substantive action.
“Now that the Government has signalled an end to offshore oil exploration, it is high time we turned our attention to coal, the fossil fuel that makes the largest contribution to causing climate change”, said spokesperson Jill Whitmore. “Fonterra cannot claim to be ‘the world’s leading milk processor’ if this requires it to be the second largest coal user in this country.”
Fonterra recently announced that it would install no new coal boilers after 2030. Whitmore calls this a “feeble target” because coal boilers have a typical life span of 40 years. She points out that 2030 is the date by which leading climate scientists say the world must have completely phased out coal if we are to maintain a liveable climate.
With an improvised washing line of messages for Fonterra, including a giant pair of bloomers urging Fonterra to ‘Quit the Greenwash’, protesters made their view heard, opposite Fonterra head office.
Images from the protest below.
Auckland Climate Action 
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