The voting out of Dr Robert Watson from
his position as head of the United Nations International
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a further indication New
Zealand has been out of step with international thinking on
remedies to climate change, the Employers & Manufacturers
Association (Northern) says.
"New Zealand was following Dr
Watson's policy prescription," said Alasdair Thompson, EMA's
chief executive, "but it appears he is out of step with most
of his constituents.
"Dr Watson was key speaker at
our Kyoto Summit two months ago while visiting to advise
Government. He was dumped as head of the IPCC over the
weekend by 76 votes against to 49 for, with 7 going to a
third candidate. He is to be replaced by Rajendra Pachauri,
an economist from India.
"Dr Watson took a strongly
European view of how business should respond to climate
change though it isn't where the rest of the world wants to
go.
"We hope our Government changes tack before we
find ourselves isolated as the only country prepared to cut
our standard of living to reduce carbon emissions."
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