Hon Nick Smith
National Party Environment Spokesman

7 November 2006

Emissions figures make joke of PM’s carbon neutral promise

The Prime Minister’s promise of New Zealand being carbon neutral lacks any credibility when just released figures show our emissions are growing faster than almost any other country, says National’s Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.

“Carbon neutrality is a fantasy and far more ambitious than what has been proposed by any other country. We are far better to have achievable goals and real policies that will work.”

In Parliament today, Dr Smith tabled just released United Nation's figures that show New Zealand’s emissions are growing by 1.2 million tonnes per year.

This is a rate faster than Australia, the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.

“Hearing the Prime Minister talking about the importance of forestry is hypocritical when during her time in office forest plantings have dropped every single year,” says Dr Smith.

“In 2005, New Zealand had deforestation for the first time in 50 years.

“New Zealand does not need any more climate change rhetoric but rather a sensible package of policies such as the carbon cap and trade system proposed by National.”

ENDS

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