12 August 2009

NZ to spend on emissions target when it could save

The Government wants to take the most expensive route to its emissions target, telling the world it will purchase carbon credits rather than work to reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse gases.

“John Key’s climate policy is ‘Why try when you can buy?’” Green Party MP Jeanette Fitzsimons said today, in response to reports from the international climate change target negotiations in Germany overnight.

“Apparently Nick Smith kept challenging the public to come up with an emissions reduction plan because he hadn’t bothered to develop one. There are low-cost ways we can reduce our emissions before we have to spend money on the international market. The Government’s defeatist approach is hard to understand.”

The Greens last week released an emission reduction plan that outlines the opportunities. The research found potential savings in: Electricity Generation, Industrial Fuels, Transport, Agriculture, Forestry Planting, and Forestry Management.

The proposed measures had additional benefits like reducing New Zealand’s dependence on overseas oil imports, or stimulating the forestry industry, Ms Fitzsimons said.

“Our Government has apparently just said at Bonn: Sorry, we won’t join you in a serious emissions target because we are not prepared to import more fuel-efficient vehicles or replace our coal-burning power with geo-thermal.

“And we are going to pretend there is nothing that agriculture can do to reduce emissions cost-effectively, even though our own research organisations have shown there is.”

New Zealand’s reported position at Bonn was also confused and contradictory, Ms Fitzsimons said. “Our Government confirmed that a 40 percent reduction was necessary, but other countries have to do it because New Zealand is not prepared to.”

The Green’s emission reduction plan Getting there, can be accessed at:
http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/BigAffordableClimateChange_1.pdf

ENDS

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