New Zealand Needs To Ratify Kyoto

Wednesday, 7 November 2001, 9:14 am
Press Release: Environmental Defence Society

Press release form the Environmental Defence Society

6 November 2001

Immediate

New Zealand Needs To Ratify Kyoto

The Environmental Defence Society has reacted to a call from Carter Holt Harvey to halt progress towards ratifying the Kyoto Protocol to the UN Climate Change Convention on Climate Change.

Speaking from Marrakech where the parties to the Convention are meeting, Mr Garry Law, Climate Change Convenor for EDS said; “There is every prospect the conference will resolve the remaining issues over rules for applying the Protocol and present a Protocol that is able to be ratified.

“New Zealanders contribute to global emissions at a rate far above the world average. We are part of the problem and must be part of the solution.

“The cost will come into play later this decade. To point to the current global recession as a reason to delay as CHH have done, makes no sense. What the state of the economic cycle will be years from now is anybody’s guess.

It is also disingenuous to point just to the costs that carbon emitters will attract as if they are just an extra tax. What they will be is a shift in where the tax burden falls.

“There will always be a competitiveness cost for some industries. If there was no problem there would be no impact. There is a problem, Mr Law said. Knowing sooner where the costs will fall makes sense so industries can plan around the impact and ideally reduce their emissions in the process.

“Carter Holt fail to even mention that New Zealand will also benefit from selling its forest carbon sinks credits. Without ratification of Kyoto they are worthless.

“The Government is to be commended for its progress towards ratification and domestic implementation. It is not a minute to soon, said Mr Law.

Ph 021 665 764

glaw@lawas.co.nz

PO Box 87 311 Meadowbank, Auckland

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Environmental Defence Society

EDS speaks for the environment. It has influence.

Since 1971, EDS has been driving environmental protection in Aotearoa New Zealand through law and policy change. That's why it's one of this country's most influential non- profit organisations when it comes to achieving better environmental outcomes.

EDS has expertise in key disciplines including law, planning, landscape and science. It operates as a policy think-tank, a litigation advocate, and a collaborator – bringing together the private and public sectors for constructive engagement.

EDS runs conferences and seminars on topical issues, including an annual Environmental Summit and the Climate Change and Business Conference.

EDS is a registered charity and donations to it are tax-deductible.

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• Website - www.eds.org.nz
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