More backwards steps on RMA

The Government needs to rethink its proposal to remove climate change from core regional council functions under the Resource Management Act, the Forest and Bird Protection Society said today.

Society spokesperson, Barry Weeber, said the Government's proposals are a great disappointment and undermine the need for a national policy statement under the Resource Management Act to meet climate change obligations.

"The Government has shied away from measures that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions before 2008. New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions are rising and we must take action to curb pollution rather than knee-capping a key instrument."

Mr Weeber said the Government had failed to implement an early carbon charge or develop a national policy statement under the Resource Management Act, and removing greenhouse gases from considerations under the Act is a significant step backwards.

The government says climate change amendments to the Resource Management Act "are expected to result in cost savings for councils and resource consent applicants". "The Government is subsidising greenhouse gas polluters at the expense of the environment."

Mr Weeber said New Zealand needed to take strong action to guard against the impacts of global warming. "Early action is desperately needed to protect many of our Pacific Island neighbours."

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