Government needs to know what’s worth saving

The Green Party is calling on all New Zealanders to implore the Government that action on climate change is imperative to save our economy, environment and way of life.

Inaction and ambivalence by the Government are the biggest roadblocks to making progress on halting global warming, Green Party MP Dr Russel Norman told party members at their annual general meeting.

Launching a campaign calling for the Government to do the right thing and commit to measures that will limit global warming to less than two degrees Celsius, Dr Norman said that the real cost of climate change is to lose the things we care about most.

“At the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, nations will come together to agree on a way to keep global warming below two degrees, and stop the worst effects of warming from coming to fruition,” said Green Party co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“The Government needs to listen to us when we say our environment, our way of life and our economy are worth saving.

“For too long, the Government has failed to take action, claiming it’s too expensive.

“For too long the Government has subsidised activities that increase emissions, with the unsurprising result that New Zealand’s emissions are rising rapidly.”

A recent Motu report showed 87% of New Zealanders are concerned about climate change, with the strong majority saying they will take action to fight climate change themselves.

“It is the Government’s responsibility to create a framework that enables individuals to live cleaner, lower carbon lifestyles.

“Let’s move money from polluting new motorways and spend it instead on a clean electric rail network, providing better buses, better walking and cycling choices. These are choices. Many are fairly simple for a government to make,” Dr Norman said.

ENDS

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