MfE briefing highlights urgent need for Climate Change Act

Wednesday, 12 November 2014, 5:34 pm
Press Release: Generation Zero

Wednesday 12 November 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MfE briefing highlights urgent need for Climate Change Act

New greenhouse gas emissions projections revealed today in the Ministry for the Environment’s Briefing to the Incoming Ministers highlight the need for a Climate Change Act with legally binding carbon budgets, says youth climate change organisation Generation Zero.

The projections show that under current policy settings, New Zealand’s annual net emissions (including forestry) will rise rapidly to over 100 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2025; an increase of more than 50% above 1990 levels. This is at odds with the Government’s own unconditional emissions targets of 5% below 1990 levels by 2020, and 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.

“These latest figures and warnings from the Ministry for the Environment show once again that the Government has no plan to reduce New Zealand’s carbon pollution,” says Generation Zero policy spokesperson Paul Young.

“Despite the increasingly stark warnings from climate scientists and the promises to do our fair share, it’s all talk and no action. Not only is this morally reprehensible, it is economically dumb and it will cost us.”

“To fix this, New Zealand needs a piece of legislation based on the UK’s Climate Change Act, which has been successful in setting the country on track to meet its strong target of reducing emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.”

The Climate Change Act requires that the government set legally binding carbon budgets and produce plans showing how these will be met, and establishes an independent Climate Commission to provide expert advice and hold the government to account.

Mr Young: “A Climate Change Act would deliver on the Ministry for the Environment’s recommendations to ‘[develop] a plan for a low-carbon scenario world in line with our 2050 target’ and ‘develop a stable and enduring policy setting that enables New Zealand to become a successful low-carbon society’.”

“The Government needs to act on this advice from its officials and start work immediately developing a New Zealand Climate Change Act.”

Generation Zero presented the case for a Climate Change Act in its report The Big Ask: One Key Step for Real Climate Action released earlier this year.

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ENDS

For interviews please contact Paul Young: 027 4188841 / paul@generationzero.org.nz

Ministry for the Environment’s briefing:
See pages 21-23 http://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/About/environment-bim-final.pdf

Generation Zero’s reports:
The Big Ask: One Key Step for Real Climate Action (July 2014) http://www.generationzero.org/thebigask
A Challenge to Our LEaders: Why New Zealand Needs a Clean Energy Plan (May 2014) http://www.genzero.org.nz/challengetoourleaders.pdf

About Generation Zero
Generation Zero is a non-partisan, nationwide group of young New Zealanders founded in 2011 to advance solutions to climate change and help put New Zealand on track towards a zero carbon future. www.generationzero.org.nz

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