Moana Mackey
Environment Spokesperson

31 January 2013

Government needs to open eyes to climate change consequences

The latest United Nations report on climate change is yet another warning to the Government that it can’t continue to ignore reality, Labour's Climate Change spokesperson Moana Mackey says.

“This report again makes it quite clear that unless governments around the world commit to meaningful emissions reduction targets the results will be catastrophic.

“Yet despite these repeated grim predictions Climate Change Minister Tim Groser and his cabinet colleagues appear content to ignore them.

"New Zealand may represent only a small percentage of overall global emissions but we are one of the worst greenhouse gas polluters per capita in the world.

“How can we have any credibility asking the large emitting countries to make cuts if we are not pulling our weight?

"National has withdrawn from Kyoto, ripped the guts out of the Emissions Trading Scheme, and reversed every measure put in place by the last Labour Government to reduce our gross greenhouse gas emissions.

“It has sat on its hands as a collapsing carbon price threatens the economic viability of our carbon forestry sector.

“At the same time we have National MPs and Cabinet Ministers publicly questioning the science of climate change and John Key desperately trying to stitch up a deal with ACT and the Conservatives – both parties that deny climate change is real.

“No wonder New Zealand's reputation is taking a hammering on the world stage.

"A Labour Government will take climate change seriously and ensure that New Zealand does its fair share with a comprehensive climate change response, including committing to the Kyoto framework and ensuring an effective price on carbon. That is exactly what is needed to spare our planet from the very worst effects of man-made global warming."

ENDS

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