IPCC report shows Government ignoring climate experts

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report into climate mitigation, just released in Berlin, shows the National Government is ignoring the pleas of the world’s best climate scientists.

The report says deep and fast emission cuts are vital from all countries over the next two decades if the world is to avert worst case scenarios for climate change. New Zealand’s net emissions have risen 20 percent under National and are now twice as high as they were in 1990.

““The report is bad news for the Government, because its clear message is that something can and must be done about climate change. Yet National’s policies are set to drive up our emissions by 50% over the next 10 years,” said Green Party climate change spokesperson Dr Kennedy Graham.

“National has wiped its hands of meaningful action to reduce New Zealand’s emissions. John Key needs to explain how his Government’s inaction fits with the IPCC’s warnings.

“When you compare New Zealand to other advanced developed economies, we have far fewer mitigation policies, and our emissions profile is abysmal.

“We have to turn this around if we’re to play our part in the global fight against climate change.”

The mitigation report follows an IPCC report released two weeks ago which found New Zealand is already being affected by extreme weather from climate change, and worse is to come, with serious risks to agriculture, tourism, coastal settlements and native species.

“Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is an opportunity to create a smarter, greener and more resilient economy and to protect the Kiwi way of life,” said Dr Graham.

“National cares more about protecting big polluters than it does about the people whose jobs, homes and livelihoods will be impacted by dangerous climate change.

“It is time we had a government that demonstrates real leadership to protect our country, economy and environment.”

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