Press release - June 15, 2007
Prime Minister Helen Clark has lost her way in the climate debate and is making bizarrely incorrect and misguided statements on the subject, says Greenpeace.
"I am shell-shocked that the leader of New Zealand is so
confused over the biggest threat that this country faces," said
Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Vanessa Atkinson.
"And this is the very woman who's issued a vision of a carbon
-neutral, sustainable New Zealand."
The Prime Minister, in Sydney on a week-long tour of Australia,
told the Seven Network that arguments against traveling overseas or
buying foreign food because of the carbon footprint were "idiotic"
and not the way to tackle climate change.
She also said arguments about the amount of carbon dioxide
emitted through the use of fossil fuels were "false science".
"This is of real concern," said Ms Atkinson. "Helen Clark is
either playing dumb in order to downplay a very serious situation
or she's got completely the wrong end of the stick. Either way,
it's dangerous.
"She's effectively rubbishing the proven science of climate
change, which is that fossil fuels lead to carbon emissions which
lead to climate change.
"And to top it off, she's labeling the world's leading
scientists idiots.
"Of course traveling overseas in a plane contributes to climate
change. A return flight to Australia alone causes the release of
greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.3 tons of CO2 for every passenger
on board.
"And it's not just CO2; the full climate change impacts of air
travel are much worse when you factor in nitrous and water vapour
emissions.
"People should be considering climate change when choosing
whether to travel, and they should also have it in mind when
sourcing their food.
"It just beggars belief that the New Zealand Prime Minister
could make such rash and wrong statements about such a crucial
issue.
"New Zealand needs to be taking positive action to tackle
climate change, not burying its head in the sand."
Exp. contact date: 2007-07-26 00:00:00