ACT contradicts itself on ETS

ACT’s contradictory position on carbon credits for forestry undermines the credibility of its policy on the emissions trading scheme, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.

“In 2007 ACT leader Rodney Hide called post-1990 forest owners’ carbon credits a ‘property right’ and stated these must not be ‘confiscated’ by the Government. He further described National’s policy to devolve carbon credits to forest owners as a ‘smart green policy’ and said ACT would back it. Yet only last week its Climate Change spokesman John Boscawen called these same carbon credits ‘subsidies’ and that it would be ‘criminal’ to provide ‘windfall profits to foresters’,” Dr Smith said.

“This issue of $1.6 billion of forest carbon credits goes to the core of the New Zealand ETS as the revenue from consumers and businesses essentially goes to foresters. This is fair noting that New Zealand’s emissions are up 25% on 1990 levels and that without these trees New Zealand would have a huge Kyoto liability.

“ACT needs to think again about playing fast and loose with New Zealand’s third largest export industry. ACT more than anyone should understand the risks for business of uncertainty, contradictory policy and removing property rights from landowners.

“The Government’s ETS policy is helping restore confidence to the forest sector and reverse the deforestation between 2004 and 2008. John Boscawen should honour the commitments his leader made to the forest industry pre-election.”

ENDS

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