Nick Smith, National Party Environment spokesperson and Nandor, Green MP, enjoy a snarler at the Greenpeace New Zealand solar powered sausage sizzle outside of parliament today under the banner 'All sizzle no sausage' to highlight the difference between political talk and substantial actions on climate change.
Nick Smith, National Party Environment Spokesperson enjoys a sausage at Greenpeace New Zealand's solar powered sausage sizzle outside of parliament (after being moved on from the steps of parliament) under the banner 'All sizzle no sausage' to highlight the difference between political talk and substantial actions on climate change.
Greenpeace New Zealand puts on a solar powered sausage sizzle outside of parliament (after being moved on from the steps of parliament) today under the banner 'All sizzle no sausage' to highlight the difference between political talk and substantial actions on climate change.
Greenpeace New Zealand puts on a solar powered sausage sizzle outside of parliament today under the banner 'All sizzle no sausage' to highlight the difference between political talk and substantial actions on climate change.
"Both major parties are desperately trying to outdo each other
with talk on climate change, but neither has come up with real
solutions to the problem," said Greenpeace Climate Campaigner
Susannah Bailey. "It equates to a whole lot of sizzle and no
sausage."
Greenpeace hosted a solar-powered BBQ on parliament grounds
today to highlight the difference between talk on climate change
and substantial solutions to the problem. Greenpeace also erected a
billboard in central Wellington with the words 'Climate change
waits for no politician. We need real action NOW'.
"Labour and National are failing to produce bold enough policies
to meet the challenge of climate change," said Ms Bailey. "They've
set inadequate goals which may sound good, but will achieve
little.
"The Prime Minister brandishes buzz words like "sustainability"
and "carbon neutral", but slogans won't reduce New Zealand's
skyrocketing emissions.
"Yes, the Labour government is moving to implement an emissions
trading scheme, but indications are it will suffer from serious
shortcomings. Crucial sectors such as agriculture are likely to be
exempt for some years, which will seriously undermine efforts to
reduce emissions, given agriculture accounts for nearly half of all
New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.
"Also the Government continues to contradict its "carbon
neutral" ambition by taking such backward steps as granting massive
oil and gas exploration permits in the Great South Basin.
"Meanwhile the National Party's "50 by 50" (1) target
might sound good but won't go anywhere near what's needed to fix
the problem - the target is set too low to avoid dangerous levels
of climate change and the proposal will initially only apply to
electricity sector emissions, which again ignores New Zealand's
agricultural emissions. Besides, National has provided no detail on
how the target would even be achieved.
"If we want to avoid the most catastrophic climate impacts, we
must reduce emissions 30% from 1990 levels by 2020 and 90% by 2050.
To do so, we need more than an emissions trading scheme and more
than slogans.
"We need all our political leaders to set meaningful emission
reduction targets, put a price on all greenhouse gas pollution, and
instate strong policies to encourage renewable energy, energy
efficiency and public transport.
Carbon neutrality and sustainability are just catchphrases until
there's real action on the ground."
More information available in the associated questions and answers
PDF
Other contacts: Kathy Cumming - Greenpeace Press officer - 021 495 216
Susannah Bailey - Greenpeace Climate campaigner - 021 905 582
VVPR info: Images available on reqest from Michelle Thomas, Greenpeace Press officer - 021 577 556
Notes: (1) National Party Leader John Key says his party will set a target of a 50% reduction in carbon equivalent net emissions, as compared to 1990 levels, by 2050.
Exp. contact date: 2007-09-15 00:00:00