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EDS Opposes Renewables Plan
EDS has lodged its submission on “Strengthening National Direction on Renewable Electricity Generation and Electricity Transmission”, a consultation document prepared by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and the Ministry for the Environment. The submission is available here.
“EDS fully supports a well-informed, carefully designed, rapid and equitable transition to a low carbon, ecologically-resilient economy. Renewable electricity generation has a key role to play in realising this transition, and our emissions reductions targets,” said EDS CEO Gary Taylor.
“But we do not accept the singular prioritisation of renewable electricity generation at the expense of the natural environment, which is very much at risk in the concerning proposals put forward in the consultation document.
“The key objective of the proposed amendments to national direction on renewable electricity generation and transmission is to enable the accelerated development and expansion of renewable electricity generation capacity. The consultation document suggests both strengthening the prioritisation of renewable electricity generation activities under an amended National Policy Statement, and reintroducing a residual broad judgment approach to balancing adverse environmental effects against renewable benefits - even when the effects being ‘weighed up’ are significant on valuable landscapes and ecological areas. This is ill-considered and unacceptable.
“It is also entirely inconsistent with the consultation document’s acknowledgement that the climate and biodiversity crises are interrelated and must be addressed together, and that “win-win” solutions should be sought. It shouldn’t be a case that one policy outcome comes at the expense of another: we need both.
“EDS has strongly recommended that constraints mapping is urgently needed before renewable activities are considered in areas with significant environmental values. There may well be enough lower quality land available to do the job. This strategic approach to land use management has been clearly signalled in the resource management reforms process and should be followed here to avoid locking in infrastructure investments that strategic spatial mapping would direct elsewhere,” Mr Taylor concluded.
Environmental Defence Society
EDS speaks for the environment. It has influence.
Since 1971, EDS has been driving environmental protection in Aotearoa New Zealand
through law and policy change. That's why it's one of this country's most influential non-
profit organisations when it comes to achieving better environmental outcomes.
EDS has expertise in key disciplines including law, planning, landscape and science. It
operates as a policy think-tank, a litigation advocate, and a collaborator – bringing together
the private and public sectors for constructive engagement.
EDS runs conferences and seminars on topical issues, including an annual Environmental
Summit and the Climate Change and Business Conference.
EDS is a registered charity and donations to it are tax-deductible.
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