New Zealand Climate Science Coalition
Labour Party's Farm Emissions Just So Much Hot Air
"In proposing to fund higher R & D credits from early introduction of ETS charges on New Zealand farmers, the Labour Party shows a tendency to emit its
own hot air," says Terry Dunleavy, secretary of the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition. "Not since the ministry of
Hon Jim Sutton has Labour shown the slightest understanding of of farming problems, and Phil Goff's latest emission of
anti-farm hot air confirms his party's lurch to demonisation of farming and farmers.
"Not only that, but it confirms Labour's refusal to accept the rapidly increasing weight of scientific evidence that
there is no validity in claims that emissions of greenhouse gases, let alone the miniscule contributions by carbon
dioxide and methane, can or will cause so-called global warming over and above the natural climate variations that have
occurred from time immemorial. Mr Goff, and whoever is advising him in this latest silly proposal, would do well to
study this recent essay by one of the world's leading physicists, Professor William Happer, of Princeton University:
http://www.firstthings.com/article/2011/05/the-truth-about-greenhouse-gases
"Because of their necessarily high usage of motor fuels and electricity, New Zealand farmers are already paying more
than their fair share of ETS charges, and they will have taken some consolation from the statement of Prime Minister
John Key that National will not impose ETS charges on animal emissions until at least 2015, and then only if competing
countries have done so, a prospect that becomes dimmer by the day," said Mr Dunleavy.
ENDS