More severe weather and floods in regions demand voters’ attention.

Floods in Queenstown and Southland, wildfires in South Canterbury, and further risk of flood in Gisborne, are a warning that the biggest issue in this election has to be climate change, say climate campaigners.

“These floods come on the heels of the huge Auckland and East Coast floods earlier this year. Every weather expert you talk to says that the severity and frequency of these events are not normal. They will keep getting worse for as long as we allow it,” said jenny Sahng, spokesperson for the coalition Vote for Climate.

“New Zealand has one of the highest per capita emissions in the world. When you combine all the emissions of small countries that each emit less than 2% of global emissions, it amounts to almost as much as China and India combined. Imagine if we all did nothing.”

“The country urgently needs politicians and parties that will put climate at the top of the list for action. This is a crisis unlike any other. The price of inaction and delay is our lives, and the lives of our children. It is a political choice that our elected officials must make.”

“The most important thing you can do this year is to be a climate voter: vote for a party that is serious about reducing emissions and adapting to a rapidly changing climate.”

Vote for Climate recommends which parties are best and worst for climate at www.voteforclimate.org.nz.

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