Auckland New Zealand
Greenpeace visibly demonstrated that the New Zealand Business Roundtable, Greenhouse Policy Coalition and other business groups have their heads in the sand over climate change. The organisation protested outside the Auckland War Memorial Museum, where Lord Nigel Lawson, a well known climate sceptic was speaking.
The New Zealand Business Roundtable - which has a history of
trying to delay and weaken action on climate change (2) - has flown
Lawson, a well known UK neo-liberal economist and long-time climate
sceptic, to New Zealand as their guest to talk to a predominantly
business audience at the Auckland War Memorial Museum this evening.
"Lawson's visit to New Zealand is just the next installment in a
series of recent attempts by big business to cast aside science and
derail Government action on climate change," said Greenpeace
climate campaigner, Susannah Bailey.
"Lawson is a notorious climate sceptic with no scientific
background, who has only recently changed his tune from questioning
the evidence for climate change to arguing that the science is
uncertain and that we should invest in adaptation rather than
emissions reductions."
Climate scientists say in order to avoid the worst effects of
climate change, we need to stabilise global emissions within the
next decade. The 2006 Stern Review investigating the economics of
climate change concluded that it could cost the global economy up
to 20 times more to do nothing about climate change than to act
immediately and effectively.
"Successful and thorough implementation of the Government's
Emissions Trading Scheme and Energy Strategy will enhance New
Zealand's brand as a clean, green, premium producer. Such a brand
will be invaluable during the inevitable transition to a low carbon
global economy. Instead of trying to paralyse the progress of these
policies, groups like the Business Roundtable need to accept the
necessity of legislation to combat climate change and start
engaging constructively, rather than providing a platform for the
cranks of the climate change debate."
Greenpeace believes it is still possible to avoid the worst
effects of climate change, and that industrialised countries like
New Zealand should lead the way. Greenpeace is calling for an
overall emissions reductions target in New Zealand of 30 per cent
below 1990 levels by 2020 and 90 per cent by 2050.
VVPR info: For further information and interviews
Greenpeace NZ climate campaigner Susannah Bailey, 021 905 582
Greenpeace NZ communications manager Suzette Jackson, 021 614 899
For images of protest contact
Greenpeace NZ communications manager Suzette Jackson, 021 614 899
Notes: (1) A recent Greenpeace New Zealand briefing examines in more detail the concerted campaign by the New Zealand Business Roundtable, Greenhouse Policy Coalition and other business groups to undermine solutions to climate change. Available at http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/press/reports/nz-business-blind-to-urgency-o
(2) In their March 2007 submission to the Government on climate policy the Roundtable claimed that climate change is “a risk not a certainty” (See: New Zealand Business Roundtable, Overview Submission on the Government's Discussion Documents on Climate Change, March 2007, http://www.nzbr.org.nz/documents/submissions/070330_sub_climate_change.pdf, p5), despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary.
They have called for New Zealand to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol and align our climate policies with the regressive policies of the United States and Australia (See: New Zealand Business Roundtable, ‘Reality Breaks Through With Axing of Carbon Tax’, 27 January 2006, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0601/S00201.htm New Zealand Business Roundtable, ‘Climate Change Policies Need Better Analysis’, 30 March 2007, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0703/S00566.htm)
They have also recently jumped on the business bandwagon arguing that the Government should weaken and delay the proposed emissions trading scheme (See: Greenhouse Policy Coalition letter to the Government, 16 October 2007, available at: http://www.gpcnz.co.nz/Site/News_Releases/Letter_to_PM_re_process.aspx
New Zealand Business Roundtable, ‘Castalia Report Realistic About Climate Change’, 5 November 2007, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0711/S00078.htm