Generation Zero's Response to Clear Car Announcement

Tuesday, 9 July 2019, 9:14 am
Press Release: Generation Zero

9th JULY

Generation Zero is happy to see that the Government is beginning to take action to help Aotearoa transition toward a low emissions vehicle fleet by implementing a Clean Car Standard and Discount. However the Government must still prioritise active and public transport as these are the best ways of reducing our transport emissions, particularly in urban areas. There is still a way to go for the Clean Car Standard and Discount including setting a more ambitious standard in line with the EU and targeting the discount at people who don’t have access to other modes of transport. Want to find out more? Read on!

It’s good to see that the Government is taking action to help reduce our transport emissions by helping Aotearoa transition toward a low emissions vehicle fleet through the Clean Car Standard and the Clean Car Discount. However given that transport makes up approximately 17% of NZ’s emissions and is an area for significant reductions there is a long way to go for this policy as it falls short of the ambition and transformative action that is required to address the climate crisis.

While electrification of our light vehicle fleet is a necessary step towards reducing our transport emissions, priority should be given to public and active (cycling and walking) modes of transport to promote a modal shift (cars to other forms of transport). This policy does not address the other significant adverse effects of our car-centric way of life (from the amount of carbon required to build the cars upkeep the supporting infrastructure, to congestion, and our horrific road toll). Both public and active forms of transport are the future of our cities and large towns and will be crucial in connecting the regions. Internationally this is already happening. Cities that move away from cars have a reduction in emissions and a more livable and healthy environment for all their residents.

Generation Zero believes that the Clean Car Discount should be targeted to people without the means to buy an electric vehicle, people with disabilities who need specific or modified vehicle transportation, and people in rural areas that do not have access to other modes of transport.

Generation Zero does not support the lack of ambition shown throughout the policy proposal: from excluding the government’s own fleet, to adopting a Clean Car Standard that does not measure up to the EU’s standard. We need to be more ambitious in the actions taken to reduce emissions and as such support the adoption of a standard that is equal to or more ambitious than the EU’s standard.

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