Dr Nick Smith National Party Environment Spokesman
1 October 2004
Time for Govt to come clean on Kyoto costs
National's Environment spokesman Dr Nick Smith says it is time the Government came clean on how much their ratification
of the Kyoto Protocol will cost New Zealand.
Today, the Russian Government approved the Protocol, and once it has passed through the Russian Parliament, it will
bring the agreement into legal effect internationally. But Labour has yet to announce the level of carbon tax it intends
to impose in 2007.
Dr Smith says the Russian ratification exposes the folly of Labour's commitment to the Protocol ahead of our major
trading partners.
"The Protocol's ratification will expose New Zealand to increased costs and limits on emissions, while our major trading
partners like Australia, the United States, Singapore, China, and nearly all of South-East Asia, face no binding
commitments.
"It will further undermine New Zealand's international competitiveness. There will now be real incentives for businesses
to relocate to Australia, or other countries, for no environmental benefit.
"We are badly exposed."
National opposes any carbon tax and favours a tradable emissions permit system.
Dr Smith says National will review New Zealand's commitment to the Protocol if Australia and the United States remain
outside the agreement.
ENDS