We acknowledge with gratitude the latest comments from the Climate Change Commission. That the ETS allows companies to "plant and pollute" and needs reform. These comments are consistent with 50 Shades of Green long running assertions that indeed, the ETS needs a good overhaul.

We continue to ask the Government. Please pause before the Sheep and Beef sector is challenged out of existence. [1]

What has happened under current policy settings? Instead of driving a change in behaviour, at source, the opposite has resulted in our valuable breeding country, the top of the supply chain, used as a proxy, relying too heavily on planting trees to absorb polluters' carbon dioxide emissions.

While the government takes its time reviewing the ETS, our issue is they have happily ignored our valid and vindicated concerns. Uncritically relying too heavily on what we can only assume is official advice and not acknowledging the devastating effects on New Zealand Hill country constantly put to them. The recent additional sales confirmed, and in the pipeline of more valuable stations lost from the sector that produces c$10b in receipts for the country are gone for good. Sweeping rural communities away in their path.

It's worth noting, we’re out of step with other countries who are sceptical about the use of offsets at all. We allow 100%. We need limits to offsets, and we need them now.

We urge the Government to do right thing for New Zealand, work with more farmers to integrate planting on farms so we end up with the right tree in the right place for the right purpose

[1] https://www.interest.co.nz/rural-news/112168/carbon-price-now-high-enough-change-land-use-sufficiently-blow-away-sheep-and The carbon price is now high enough to change land-use sufficiently to blow away sheep and beef, but too low to significantly influence emission behaviours elsewhere

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