New Zealand could backtrack on its climate target according to comments made by the New Zealand Government's Climate Change Ambassador Adrian Macey in the publication Point Carbon.
According to the article, Mr Macey told Point Carbon that “if our conditions are not met we reserve the right to drop (our target) below 10 per cent". This all took place here in Bangkok, where UN climate talks are being held in the lead-up to Copenhagen.
So the paltry 10-20% target announced by the Government is even worse than it looks because the Government isn’t even committed to that.
Point Carbon asked Ambassador Macey about why New Zealand hasn’t made a unilateral pledge. For comparison, the European Union has pledged to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels no matter what the rest of the world does and has written this into law. In reply Adrian Macey said, possibly without realising the irony of the statement, “We didn’t think there was any point in setting a low-ambition figure.”
My message for Ambassador Macey to take back to the politicians who give him his instructions is that New Zealand has already set a low ambition target. After all, it falls well below the 40% that is an absolute minimum for developed countries and will be almost entirely be met by tree planting and buying credits from other countries.
New Zealand’s lack of ambition is being noticed. In informal negotiations over developed country targets Micronesia, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, picked up on the story from Point Carbon and challenged New Zealand over its target.
It’s really unfortunate that New Zealand is taking such a negative approach to tackling climate change when many countries in Asia are taking the lead. China and India have announced plans to take action on climate change. Japan has significantly improved its target. Indonesia has unilaterally offered to reduce its emissions 26% below business as usual and will do over 40% below 1990 levels with help from developed countries.”
During the negotiations today, the Philippines made a passionate call for action on climate change in the negotiations today, citing the number of people that have been killed by the storm in its capital Manila.
New Zealand has a very talented team of negotiators and advisors at Bangkok led by Ambassador Macey. They’re not to blame for the messages they have to deliver in your name. They could make a real difference here if they were given the chance. But for that to happen, John Key will need to give them new instructions - that’s where your support for Sign On is very important.