This year we've called on Prime Minister John Key to do two things - go to Copenhagen, and commit NZ to 40 per cent by 2020 emissions reduction targets.
We are now almost 180,000 strong and John Key has just announced that he has bowed to pressure from you and from world leaders, and will in fact now be going to Copenhagen. So well done everyone!!
But, hard as it is to eat humble pie, flying to Copenhagen is the easy part.
The Prime Minister needs to treat the meeting as more than a photo opportunity and be willing to reassess New Zealand’s emissions reduction commitments if he’s to be taken seriously.
At the moment New Zealand has an embarrassingly weak ETS and a highly conditional emissions reduction target (10-20%) that’s well below what scientists say is necessary for a country like New Zealand.
The decision to go was the easy bit and now the hard work begins. A solid agreement from Copenhagen is going to take serious commitment from all world leaders and we must not let the pressure off back here in New Zealand.
Join us on December the 5th out on the streets in Auckland or Wellington to give John Key and his delegation a decent send off and make it clea r that we are watching and that we expect bold action.
Join the Planet A 'Walk for the Climate' at 1pm from Civic Square in Wellington or the Planet A march and concert for the climate at 1pm from Albert Park in Auckland. See www.signon.org.nz/planet-a for more details and other events around the country.