“The Green Party supports the decision to stop work on the biofuels mandate.

“The submissions at Select Committee showed there were major concerns about whether it’s possible to source truly sustainable biofuel to meet the mandate,” says Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“The decision to stop work on the biofuels mandate must be followed with urgent action to accelerate the shift to cleaner, more affordable transport alternatives.

“The onus is on Ministers now to come up with a plan that will rapidly accelerate investment in low carbon and affordable transport options that are good for communities and the climate.

“Genuine climate action must ensure emissions are not increased in other countries when trying to bring ours down in Aotearoa. However, the biofuels mandate had been expected to contribute more than half of the total transport reductions the Government had planned to make by 2025. It is now incumbent upon Cabinet Ministers to immediately find ways to make up for the shortfall.

“The best way to do that is by investing in more reliable and efficient public transport services, subsidies for e-bikes together with protected bike lanes and safe walking/scooting, and accelerating the shift to affordable electric vehicles.

“With the right decisions, we can deliver reliable, affordable low-carbon transport alternatives that improve our communities and keep the climate stable,” says Julie Anne Genter.

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