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Man-made climate change is a problem unlike any we've faced in the past. It affects the whole planet - every person living in every country on every continent. As such, a global response is needed; one that requires each and every individual to get involved and take part in a solution.
But climate change also requires strong, bold action from governments, who must lead the way in making change.
In New Zealand, we've certainly seen some progress. It wasn't that long ago that politicians simply weren't interested in addressing the problem. But now we've got the leaders of both main political parties desperate to show they care about the climate. Prime Minister Helen Clark touts a "carbon neutral" future for the country, while National leader John Key insists he and his party take the issue seriously. Yet much of what's been coming out of Wellington has been hot air; lots of talk and not much action.
And make no mistake, New Zealand needs action. Because despite our clean green image, New Zealand ranks ninth worst for increasing emissions among the developed countries signed up to the Kyoto Protocol. The greenhouse gas intensity of our economy is fourth highest in the OECD and our greenhouse gas emissions per capita are in the top 12 countries worldwide. If every country produced our levels of greenhouse gases, the world wouldn't stand a chance. New Zealand needs to live up to its clean green image and lead by example. We may be a small player on the world stage, but we punch above our weight internationally. We could - and should - be setting an example. If we expect other countries to make the cuts in greenhouse gas emissions needed to address climate change, we first need change in our own back yard.
In mid-August 2007 Greenpeace launched what will be an ongoing campaign to encourage solid and effective climate change legislation from both main political parties in the run-up to next year's election. We kicked it off with a solar powered BBQ on parliament grounds, which included a giant banner reading: All Sizzle No Sausage. We wanted to demonstrate the wide gap between government rhetoric over climate change and what was actually being done to solve the problem. We also erected a billboard in central Wellington stating: "Climate change waits for no politician - we need real action now".
Yet up until mid September, neither party had produced any solutions that would actually have made any credible difference.
Since then, the Labour-led Government has and the Green Party introduced some commendable policies; namely a renewable electricity target (90 per cent by 2025), a range of energy efficiency initiatives, and a ten year ban on new fossil fuel generation.
It has also introduced an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) under which polluting sectors must, over time, cover the cost of their greenhouse gas emissions. The idea is that if you charge polluters for their emissions they'll be more likely to take action to reduce them, for example by shifting investment into cleaner technologies.
Sounds good in theory, but, crucial elements are missing and without them the scheme and all other climate policy will fail to make the cuts that science shows are required before 2020 to avoid the worst climate impacts.
WE NEED A TARGET! Setting an emissions reduction target is a simple, logical and critical step in preventing dangerous climate change. It means everyone has something to aim for. If we know we need to reduce emissions by a certain amount by a certain time, we can adopt policies which will get us there.
That's why Greenpeace is asking not only the Labour-led Government but all political parties to set a target of 30 per cent reductions by 2020 for New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently the agricultural sector, which is New Zealand's biggest greenhouse gas emitter, is currently exempt from the ETS until 2013.
New Zealand will have no chance of making the urgent emission cuts that are necessary to fight climate change without agriculture playing its part. We must create a price incentive for the industry to reduce emissions - the government bring agriculture into the emissions trading scheme in the next two years.
Then came the Labour-led Government's It has also introduced an emissions trading scheme announcement. This is good in that itThe very fact the introduction trading scheme has been announced is great news. This will eventually puts a price on almost all greenhouse gas emissions - the first step in encouraging people to stop emitting. But the scheme suffers from serious shortcomings - firstly there is no corresponding emissions reduction target, so no guarantee emissions will actually reduce. Secondly it exempts agriculture - our most polluting sector - until 2013. Third problem is the permit allocation method. The scheme is heavily biased towards polluters because the Government has agreed to initially give polluters FREE permits to pollute. By doing so, it's offering windfall profits to shareholders and letting the taxpayer and the planet bear the cost.
Labour will also be announcing details of a national Energy Strategy, and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, in mid October.
Meanwhile, where does the National Party stand? Its leader John Key says the party is taking climate change seriously, and he has publicly backed the Government's emissions trading scheme. But we've still seen very little from National about how itIT would solve the problem. It has an emissions reduction target in place (a 50 per cent reduction in carbon equivalent net emissions, as compared to 1990 levels, by 2050) but this target is no where near what's necessary to avoid dangerous levels of climate change. By 2050 we need to have reduced our emissions by 80 per cent! Plus we're yet to see a plan on how it would be achieved.
In order to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, the parties need to commit to at least a 30% per cent reduction in New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and an 80-90% per cent reduction by 2050 from 1990 levels.
The emissions trading scheme won't get us close, nor will National's current policies. We need more and we need it now.
Overall emission reduction target - crucial but missing
The single most glaring omission from the Government's package of climate change response measures is an overall greenhouse gas reduction target, without which there's no real guarantee of the necessary emission cuts.
As the just-released report - New Zealand's Expanding Carbon Footprint - Analysis of New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme; major flaws and barriers to emission cuts shows, an overall target is needed if New Zealand is to achieve any significant greenhouse gas emission reductions.
The Labour Party has not set any emission reduction target. The National Party has set a policy of 50 per cent emission reductions by 2050. This is not nearly enough. By 2050 we need to have reduced our emissions by a minimum of 80 per cent. Of the minor parties, the Green Party are the only to commit to an emission reduction target. They have set a target of 60-90 per cent emission reductions by 2050. The lower end of this target is too low. The Progressives and United Future agree with the IPCC's 25-40 per cent range in principle.
Targets in themselves don't stop climate change. They do however set the scene for what needs to be achieved, and give a clear signal to policy makers that they should formulate policies capable of achieving the target set. Countries that are serious about taking a leadership position on climate change have set national targets as a demonstration of good faith. New Zealand needs to join this club. The UK has a target above and beyond its Kyoto commitment of 20 per cent by 2010. It is expected to achieve a reduction of almost of 17 per cent as a result. Germany has a domestic target of 40 per cent overall reductions from 1990 levels by 2020, which it's on track to meet. Even Australia, a former laggard of international climate politics, now has a long term overall emission reduction target. In Sweden, the Swedish Parliamentary Council on Climate Change recently agreed on an emission reduction range of 75-90 per cent by 2050.
Setting a 30 per cent by 2020 target will not be taking New Zealand out on a limb. It will merely mean we're catching up with other countries that have staked out a position of leadership on climate change.
New Zealand risks being left behind. We certainly can't claim to be leaders on climate change (or even claim to be serious about tackling it) without a target. With the vulnerability of New Zealand's clean green export brand image at stake, it is imperative that New Zealand gets moving.
We need the all political parties to commit to a medium term domestic emission reduction target, and in turn work to incorporate this target into the evolution of the New Zealand ETS, as well as all other policies. Including the target in an ETS it will ensure emission reductions are made.
