Auckland 30 April 2002: Greenpeace New Zealand today urged the Government to stop listening to polluters and their scare-mongering and adopt immediate domestic policy responses to global climate change.

“Avoiding action now to tackle climate change is delaying the inevitable. The world will change its economic base in order to deal with this global issue,” said Greenpeace New Zealand Climate Campaigner, Robbie Keman.

“The New Zealand government has been heavily influenced by lobbying from polluting industries to defer action, and will miss the boat on new technologies.”

“A possible carbon levy in 2007 of $25 a tonne is too long coming and will be fiercely resisted by big industry polluters who always try and avoid paying for their effects on the environment.”

The New Zealand Government has emphasised forest sinks will meet Kyoto targets and perhaps provide the Government with a surplus of carbon credits to sell overseas.

“An over reliance on forest sinks to meet Kyoto targets is a major flaw in world efforts to combat climate change.

“The real issue is how New Zealand moves away from a reliance on fossil fuels to becoming a totally renewable energy economy.”

“Given the Government’s encouraging leadership on deciding to ratify the Kyoto Protocol it is disappointing to see such a weak policy position in implementation. A delay of five years is totally unacceptable.”

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