Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

New Zealand far off track on climate change

26 May 2017

New Zealand far off track on climate change

A drop of merely 0.1 percent in climate pollution shows that the National Government is stalling on its commitments to tackle climate change in New Zealand.

Information released today by the Ministry for the Environment shows that in 2015 gross greenhouse gas emissions were 0.1 percent lower than in 2014.

This reduction was attributed to a fall in production resulting from drought and lower milk prices – not because of any proactive measures to reduce pollution.

“National is like a possum stuck in headlights. It knows it has to respond to climate change – which means more intense droughts, floods and wildfires – but they’ve no idea what to do or which way to go,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.

“For National to meet its own climate targets, pollution needs to decline by more than two percent every year. This 0.1 percent drop shows they’re currently way off track.

“It’s a real missed opportunity. There are so many benefits that come with investing in a cleaner economy.

“Supporting the uptake of solar power would not only cut pollution but help lower household power bills in the long-term.

“Investing in new electric rail lines, particularly in Auckland, would not only cut pollution but give people a real alternative to being stuck in gridlocked motorway traffic.

"Yesterday's Budget had just a measly $1 million extra for a climate work programme. It's not surprising National's making zero progress on one of the biggest challenges of our time," said Mr Shaw.


ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.