Climate activists target Mfat and NZX

Two climate change activists have scaled the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) building, protesting what they call the leading cause of climate change in New Zealand - dairy farming.

The two men climbed the building about 7.30am, unfurling a banner bearing the "Got Climate Change?" slogan and a logo with "Fonterror" on it. The giant dairy company Fonterra is New Zealand's leading dairy exporter.

One of the protesters, John Darroch, said they were prepared to stay up on the building for as long as they were comfortable, perhaps until lunch time.

"We've got seats and we're tied onto the building. We're quite comfortable at the moment," he said.

"A lot of people have been stopping and looking, and we have people handing out leaflets explaining what we're up here for."

Mr Darroch said 51 per cent of New Zealand's carbon emissions were due to agriculture, especially dairy farming. The men had chosen the building because MFAT was Fonterra's biggest overseas promoter, he said.

Police officers were in the area, but neither they nor MFAT staff had made any attempt to talk to them or tell them to get off the building, he said.

In another related protest, police have removed several activists from outside the New Zealand Stock Exchange on Wellington's waterfront. The protesters were apparently blocking the building's doors, a witness said.

About 30 to 40 gathered outside the exchange with banners and flags calling for action on climate change and other issues.

The protests were organised as part of a "day of action", following on from a climate change and activism camp held in the Hutt Valley last week, Mr Darroch said.

Police and MFAT had no comment on the protests.

- NZPA