Gen Zero climate legislation initiative gets Wise Response endorsement
The Wise Response Society strongly supports the proposal by GenZero to write a Zero Carbon Act themselves.
As climate change is almost certainly the ‘greatest issue for mankind of our time’, we consider it should be a major
political issue for the next general election. Gen Zero's proposed Act is clearly a courageous attempt to initiate
genuine action on climate change. It will help bring that discussion to the fore of public and political debate.
All 195 countries that attended the COP21 Paris Climate Change Conference in December last year, including Aotearoa New
Zealand, agreed urgent action was needed to keep global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Wise Response’s chairperson, Sir Alan Mark, considers that “such action is needed in order to avoid catastrophic
environmental problems for present and particularly future generations, and the many ecosystems on which they depend for
their welfare and survival”.
A legislative commitment such as the Zero Carbon Act proposed by GenZero would take Aotearoa New Zealand one step closer
to meeting its international obligations and playing our part in containing global climate warming.
“What is so inspiring about this initiative is that it is young people who understand the extreme risk of global warming
to us all, filling the current void in central government leadership on this issue” says Sir Alan. “And under these
circumstances it’s hardly surprising that they are having to take the initiative to try and preserve some semblance of a
live-able climate for themselves”.
"Certainly, Wise Response will be doing all it can to facilitate and broaden support for this initiative and eventually
secure cross-party support for its implementation" he added.
Alan Mark KNZM, FRSNZ. Chair, Wise Response Society Inc.
ENDS