| Abstrakt: |
This paper presents the relevance of oil exploration to climate activism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Qualitative data were collected through 66 interviews and 44 participant observations of events (including environmental conferences, community meetings, and public rallies) between 2013 and 2014. At the time of this study, New Zealand was positioning itself to become a major explorer and extractor of oil and gas for global consumption. This study finds that for marginalized climate activists undermined by skeptics and an uninterested or overburdened public, national efforts to become an emergent O&G frontier reenergized their climate action and awareness raising efforts. Those who remobilized reached three calculations: 1) As a public issue, climate change was "tired," "depressing," and "dead;" 2) An oil rig was tangible and offshore risks were known; and 3) Resisting O&G exploration was a climate action (although in many public settings the connection was best unsaid). For climate activists, speaking openly and critically about oil exploration was one way to act surreptitiously on climate change. In addition, this paper weaves age and issue into an analysis of climate change. There were distinct age differences in terms of style of action (growing protest among young adults versus dawning awareness among older adults) and sentiment (anger and frustration among young adults versus obligation and guilt among older adults). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
