2 December 2005
The True Cost of Not Taxing Carbon
WWF-New Zealand, part of the global conservation network, today called upon the New Zealand government to stand firm on
introducing a carbon tax in April 2007.
In 2005, New Zealand ranked eighth highest among developed countries in global greenhouse gas emission increases since
1990. Greenhouse gas emissions have risen by 22.5% in the past 15 years. This was significantly higher than the United
States with a 13.3% increase and just behind Australia with a recorded increase in emissions of 23.3%.
“Climate change is already costing New Zealanders. As a nation, we are now faced with the choice of how we recognise and
pay for that cost,” says Melanie Hutton, WWF-New Zealand’s Climate Change Programme Leader.
“Axing the carbon tax won’t stop the effects and costs of climate change. As just one example, the 1997-99 Canterbury
drought cost $230 million at the farm gate alone and around a billion dollars of tax payer money nationally.
“Any economic activity which releases carbon is contributing to climate change.”
As a nation we need to explore the generation of clean electricity and increase energy efficiency, which in the long
term will save households money. A carbon tax gives a financial incentive for people to stop climate change and its
impact on our economy and our environment. With carbon pollution, there will always be a price to pay.
Avoiding dangerous climate change can only be achieved by significantly and rapidly reducing carbon emissions into our
atmosphere. Internationally, scientists are warning of catastrophic climate events occurring within 10 years if emission
trends continue at the current alarming rate.
“United First and National’s position is ill informed and short sighted. There is a far greater problem already facing
all New Zealanders – the increasing impacts and looming costs associated with climate change. The best outcome is to
stop delaying the government process which has already gone through an extensive assessment and democratic public
submission process. The time to argue against the tax has gone,” says Ms Hutton.
EDITOR’S NOTES: Climate change impacts in New Zealand are:
Temperature Projected average NZ changes in annual mean temperature from 1990s to 2030s is from 0.2 to 1.3 degrees
Celsius. Increases in temperature would mean the Canterbury foothills would become about 20% drier, while the Southern
Alps would be about 25% wetter and experience more snowfall. Flooding could become up to four times as frequent by 2070.
The warmer conditions could also benefit crop and pasture growth.
Drought risk Two to four fold increases in the incidence of severe drought across already drought prone regions
including many eastern parts of New Zealand by the 2080s. The study covers all of New Zealand, and finds possible
increases in drought risk in inland and northern parts of Otago, eastern Canterbury and Marlborough, parts of the
Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, the Bay of Plenty, the Coromandel Peninsula and parts of Northland. Under a medium-high scenario,
Marlborough could see what is considered a one in 20 year drought event today occurring every three to five years by the
2080s. It uses projections by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and internationally recognised climate
models.
Fire risk A combination of strong winds, high temperatures, low humidity and seasonal drought will bring an increased
risk of fire. This will particularly affect Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Nelson, and in the east of both islands from
Gisborne to Wairarapa and Marlborough to Canterbury.
Water Drought will have a significant effect on river flows. Rivers which that have their catchments in drought prone
areas will have less water in them. This will directly impact farms, providing less water for irrigation, electricity
generation providing less water in hydro dams and householders providing less water for town supplies.
Ocean temperature Changing ocean temperatures are a genuine threat to New Zealand's fishing industry where the
sustainability of deepwater species are being threatened by changes in ocean temperature. Scientists have revealed a
deep warming of the Tasman Sea since 1996, possibly as a result of El Nino weather patterns. This warming has coincided
with a drop-off in Hoki numbers.
WWF is now known simply by its initials and the panda logo
ENDS