14 December 2009

New Zealand getting left behind in Copenhagen

New Zealand’s climate change targets are well below those being proposed at Copenhagen, said the Green Party today.

“I have seen the draft negotiating text being discussed at Copenhagen. New Zealand’s stated targets are well below the four potential targets in the draft text,” said Green Party MP Jeanette Fitzsimons from Copenhagen.

“New Zealand needs to be part of the global agreement that is taking shape and do its fair share to fight climate change.”

The draft text at Copenhagen also contains a requirement that countries primarily reduce their emissions at home.

“New Zealand needs to listen to the world and start working on reducing our emissions at home, rather than the Government’s current approach of focussing on buying expensive carbon credits overseas,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

“There is a lot that New Zealand can do to make big cuts to our carbon emissions at a reasonable cost. In the long run this will help put the New Zealand economy on a sustainable footing and will maintain our priceless clean green reputation,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

Further information

For more information on simple steps New Zealand can take to fight climate change see the Green Party’s Getting There programme at http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/big-affordable-climate-change-target-sight, and our Green New Deal Package at http://www.greens.org.nz/greennewdeal

Green MPs Jeanette Fitzsimons and Kennedy Graham will also be blogging daily from Copenhagen at http://blog.greens.org.nz/.

ENDS

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