"Unless it changes direction quickly, the National-led
Government will go down in history as the administration that
presided over the collapse of New Zealand's clean green
reputation," said Greenpeace Campaigner Simon Boxer.
"That reputation has been built up over many decades but could
disappear overnight. If the brand goes, so does the country's
reputation as a premier tourist destination and supplier of quality
exports."
"Many Kiwis have jobs today that directly benefit from New
Zealand's clean, green brand. To threaten the brand by returning to
19th century industrial policies is to risk economic suicide.
"Its no skin off the nose of the global mining industry if New
Zealand's reputation collapses, but it will be a tragedy for
tourism, agriculture and fishing. John Key needs to let go of
outmoded economic thinking that cannot serve New Zealand in a world
that's moving towards a green industrial future.
Boxer quoted the article, which is the latest in a string of
international exposes blowing the cover on "Clean Green NZ". "The
difference between New Zealand and other places is that New Zealand
has actively sold itself as "100% Pure".
The article says New Zealanders themselves have acknowledged the
gap between the claim and reality. "Now it's just a matter of the
truth getting out to the rest of the world," said Boxer.
The article draws on New Zealand's rising greenhouse gas
emissions and recent proposals to mine conservation land.
"It's as if climate change doesn't even exist for John Key and
his party. They are planning to mine coal from a National Park on
the West Coast, to burn domestically, mostly by Fonterra (2). The
emissions from the extraction and burning of that coal are equal to
half of New Zealand's total annual emissions. (3)
"This contradicts the Government's rhetoric at Copenhagen, where
it claimed to take the global threat of climate change
seriously."
Greenpeace is calling on the Government to offer an economic
vision for the 21st century that plays to the strength of our clean
and green reputation and meets the challenges of climate change.
This includes dropping plans to remove key conservation land from
Schedule Four, and committing to a 40% by 2020 emissions reduction
target.
Other contacts: Simon Boxer: Senior Climate Campaigner -021905579
Kathy Cumming: Media and Communications – 021 495 216
Notes: (1)http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15763381&fsrc;=rss
(2) Fonterra’s coal use is now over 450,000 tonnes annually with the 17% increase in coal use through the expansion of the Edendale dehydrator in September 2009.
(3) Solid Energy’s Don Elder is quoted as saying that the 15-20Mt of coal from Paparoa will be used domestically, totally 30-40Mt of CO2 emissions.