Press release - November 9, 2008
Greenpeace is urging the newly elected National Party not to be held hostage to ACT’s Rodney Hide over climate change policy.
"We have a very limited time to turn around this global crisis,
and bowing to the demands of a blatant climate denier is not an
option," said Greenpeace Climate Change Campaigner Simon Boxer.
"The overwhelming majority of parliament wants strong action on
climate change, ACT has no mandate to throw a wrecking ball at
climate policy.
"Mr Hide is part of an outmoded pack of climate sceptics whose
attitude to climate change is generally viewed with derision.
"If John Key caves in now, it will have massive ramifications,
not only for his standing as a leader but also for New Zealand's
relationship with trading partners and with consumers overseas who
buy our products.
"The world's response to climate change is ramping up and New
Zealand must keep pace. The UK has just passed the Climate Bill,
and the US has just elected a new president who listed "a planet in
peril" as one of his key challenges.
"Obama has gone up in world's estimation because of strong
stance on climate change; if he's not careful, Key will suffer the
opposite, and New Zealand will lose all credibility on the world
stage."
Mr Boxer said John Key had made a pledge to New Zealand to take
climate change seriously and he should stick to it.
Greenpeace is calling on the government to set an emissions
reduction target of 30 per cent by 2020, and to bring agriculture
into the emissions trading scheme before 2013.
Other contacts: Climate Change Campaigner - 021905579
Kathy Cumming – Communications and Media – 021 495 216
Exp. contact date: 2009-05-17 00:00:00