Strong leadership urged for climate change targets

Strong leadership urged for climate change targets

Climate change organisation 350.org Christchurch is planning a strong showing at the government's consultation meeting tomorrow as New Zealand prepares to set targets ahead of the biggest global climate summit in six years.

350.org spokesperson John Adams is concerned for Canterbury's future if droughts caused by climate change are as severe as scientists predict. "This fertile region could end up being a dust bowl. The Canterbury Plains is a huge food producing area but without water nothing will grow."

He says the global effects of the crisis will be even more bleak. "Internationally my concern is hunger on a massive scale followed by civil unrest and mass migration."

Adams wants the government to set ambitious targets in line with other nations. "Time is running out to respond to the global disaster of climate change. Nothing less than leadership is acceptable."

However, he is disappointed with the government's failure to meet its current conservative target of a five per cent cut. "The current target is woefully inadequate and they've missed it by 26%.

He says the government needs a robust plan to ensure emissions are reduced. "The government has never had a plan to reduce emissions and because it's never had a plan we've missed the target by a country mile."

Adams is also concerned about the approach to consultation. "The nature of the government's discussion document around this is to talk about the costs of taking action. We need to look at the far greater cost of not taking action, both social and economic."

The government is also ignoring the opportunities and benefits of cutting emissions. “We have this marvellous opportunity to forge a better, fairer, greener world. There are co-benefits all around. Only by taking action now will we have a future worth handing on to our mokopuna.”

The government needs to face up to the science, Adams says. "The government is frightened of addressing the reality because of the pressure they'll be under to do something about it. This is not just a few crank scientists. These are the findings of the top scientists from around the world as appointed by their governments and the United Nations."

He believes the government's eventual target should be reversal rather than reduction. "The longer we delay the more emissions rise and the harder it will be to bring them back to a safe level. The longer we leave it the harder it will get."

350.org is named for the safe amount of carbon dioxide the atmosphere will allow before a dangerous temperature rise above 2 degrees (350 parts per million). CO2 concentrations are currently at 400 parts per million.

ENDS

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