Key two-faced about climate change
Maryan STREET
Environment Spokesperson
8
September 2013
MEDIA STATEMENT
Key two-faced about climate
change
It is not good enough for John Key
to cry crocodile tears about the impact of climate change on
our low-lying Pacific neighbours, while at the same time
refusing to sign up to the Kyoto 2 protocol, aimed at
reducing international greenhouse gas emissions, says Maryan
Street, Labour's Environment spokesperson.
"Mr Key
can sit in the Marshall Islands wringing his hands over how
serious increased sea levels are for their atolls and
similar micro-states such as Kiribati, and can even concede
the issue is a major priority in the Pacific, yet his own
policy positions are the direct opposite of those
intentions.
"Serious situations, such as the effect
of rising sea levels on our Pacific neighbours, require
serious policy and serious planned action.
"John
Key has hollowed out New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme,
refused to sign up to international efforts to move on from
the first Kyoto protocol and set frankly pathetic targets
for New Zealand's emissions reductions, something that has
attracted the scorn of international
players.
“Polluting actions are not going to be
prevented by buying worthless carbon credits as some form of
offsetting.
"Proper investment in replanting of
forests, clean technologies which will dramatically reduce
emissions and a reduction in dependence on fossil fuels are
all required if we are to make any substantial progress in
turning climate change around.
"Mr Key might have
had a nice time in the Marshall Islands, telling Pacific
leaders what they wanted to hear, but action on climate
change requires more than just sympathy and a smile," Maryan
Street
said.
ENDS