New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gases On The Rise

The Science Media Centre is gathering comment from scientists on the Ministry for Economic Development's latest report on the country's greenhouse gas emissions released yesterday.

The report's main finding: "Total energy emissions in 2008 were almost 4% higher than in 2007 predominantly due to a large increase in emissions from electricity generation."
More comments as they come in...

Dr Jim Renwick Science Leader at NIWA's National Climate Centre in Wellington comments:

"The MED document is an interesting read. Some other statistics I've recently seen, based on OECD numbers, include:
* Car ownership per person in NZ is the third highest in the world – one car for every person over the age of 15.
* 20 years ago, 80% of New Zealand’s electricity was from renewable resources, now it’s 65%
* New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are rising at a rate double that of the United States.

"My commentary on all of this is that New Zealand has a few issues, if we want to live up to our clean, green image. The transport sector is a key one - NZ is such a low population density place that good public transport is a bit of a struggle, hence the reliance on private motor vehicles. Investment in improved public transport, and in alternatives to fossil fuels for transport, are needed to reverse the recent trends in transport sector emissions.

"Similarly, the energy sector has seen greater reliance on fossil-based generation in recent years. There is now new investment coming in on renewables, so that situation may improve. Continued/enhanced energy efficiency measures can also help. Reducing agricultural emissions may be achieved through technological improvements, and by improved sustainable farming practices. In all of these areas, New Zealand stands to gain if we can develop new technologies with international market potential, and if we can strengthen our 'brand' as a clean and green country."
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Gordon Campbell: On John Key’s Agenda For The Nation

There seemed to be three main components to John Key’s speech :

a) tax cuts largely paid for by a hike in GST
b) mining in national parks and on conservation land, while building more roads.
c) giving firms easier access to the r&d from Crown Research Institutes, so that business can continue to get the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the research that keeps them competitive.

After all, corporate welfare is always such a blessed thing – its only social welfare that corrodes enterprise and ambition. More>>