The Government has once again kicked the climate action can down the road by removing agricultural emissions from the Emissions Trading Scheme.

“Climate delay is the new denial. Today’s announcement from the Government that it will shred progress on agricultural emissions pricing is just the latest episode of disregard for our climate and environment,” says Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.

“The Climate Minister’s sheepish statement that we’ll still somehow meet climate change commitments is a far cry from reality. He and his office have rejected responsibility to look at the impacts of pretty much every climate-shredding policy of his Government so far.

“From pouring oil, coal and gas on the climate crisis fire, the Government has now put half of our emissions which come from agriculture into the industry-led too-hard basket.

“Meanwhile, farmers on the ground are among those hit the first and worst by climate change. From increasingly unpredictable seasonality to the billions required to clean up livelihoods destroyed in the Hawke’s Bay due to climate-change-charged weather last year.

“The Green Party believes farmers, along with all New Zealanders, deserve a sustainable future. Politicians need to step up and make responsible decisions, not cave to cynical, short-term industry interest at the cost of the very fundamentals that sustain our food production in the first place.

“The science tells us we must reduce methane emissions. Fair pricing is a crucial way to achieve this, putting the sector on an even footing with the rest of our economy,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

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