That's the message Greenpeace took to Parliament's Finance and
Expenditure Committee today when it presented its submission on the
Government's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and Renewables
Preference Bill (1).
"We said very clearly that we support the general principle of
the ETS, and that it can be rendered fair and effective by making
polluters pay instead of taxpayers," said Greenpeace Political
Advisor Geoff Keey.
Greenpeace's call for fairness follows the announcement of
Government plans to water down the ETS by giving away more free
pollution credits to the loudest business lobbies. It will do so by
delaying the start of the phase-out period for the free pollution
credits and delaying the transport sector's introduction into the
scheme.
"Every tax dollar spent by the Government to appease big
business polluters by giving them free credits to pollute is money
taken away from spending on public transport, hospitals and
schools," said Keey.
"Yesterday's announcement shook our confidence in the
Government's commitment to tackling climate change.
"It is scandalous that the people who'll suffer the most from
this extraordinary backdown are ordinary New Zealanders, because
they'll the ones who'll have to pay for a weak ETS via taxes to
cover a skyrocketing Kyoto bill.
"The ETS needs adjustment to make it fairer. All those worrying
about the unfair burden placed on householders should back
Greenpeace's call for greater auctioning of pollution credits. As
the scheme currently stands, the Government is giving away too many
free credits to big business and the farming sector."
Mr Keey said if credits were auctioned instead, the money made-
as well as windfall profits from SOEs - could enable the Government
to invest in households, where the support is really needed.
This point was raised in March in a Greenpeace report into the
ETS released in March (2) and presented to the Committee today. The
report also warned that, in its current form, the scheme would be
unlikely to actually achieve emission reductions.
For it to actually make any credible impact on climate change,
credits would need to be auctioned, agriculture would need to be
brought in earlier and an overall emissions reduction target would
need to be set (3).
"Greenpeace's ETS report showed the delayed entry is another
subsidy to the agriculture sector worth an estimated $1.2 billion;
the cost of which will instead fall on householders.
"It's time New Zealand got on with earning the title of a leader
when it comes to climate change. For the government to cave in to
business pressure now would be not only an insult to New Zealanders
willingness to tackle this crisis, but also an embarrassment on the
international stage."
Contact: Geoff Keey - Greenpeace Political Advisor - contact via
Kathy Cumming - (Greenpeace Communications) - 021 495 216
(1) For full submission, go to:
www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/press/releases/submission-on-ets/submission-on-climate-change
(2) New Zealand's Expanding Carbon Footprint - Analysis of New
Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme; major flaws and barriers to
emission cuts www.greenpeace.org.nz/ets-report.
(3) Emission reduction targets in themselves don't stop climate
change. They do however set the scene for what needs to be
achieved, and give a clear signal to policy makers that they should
formulate policies capable of achieving the target set. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified a range of
25-40% reductions by 2020 for developed countries like New Zealand
as necessary in order to put the world on track to avoid climate
catastrophe. Greenpeace is calling for the New Zealand Government
and all political parties to set an emissions reduction target of
30 per cent by 2020. Countries that are serious about taking a
leadership position on climate change have set national targets.
The UK has set a target of 20% by 2010 - this is above and beyond
its Kyoto commitment. It is expected to achieve a reduction of
almost 17% as a result. Germany has a domestic target of 40%
reductions from 1990 levels by 2020, which it's on track to meet.
Even Australia, a former laggard when it comes to climate, now has
a long term overall emission reduction target. Sweden recently
agreed on an emission reduction range of 75-90% by 2050. The
National Party has set a policy of 50 per cent emission reductions
by 2050. This is not nearly enough. By 2050 we need to have reduced
our emissions by a minimum of 80 per cent.