Charles Chauvel
Climate Change Spokesperson

10 August 2009 Media Statement

Labour disappointed by National’s timid pollution reduction target

Labour is disappointed at the Government’s timid greenhouse gas pollution reduction target, says Labour Climate Change spokesperson Charles Chauvel.

“This Government has commissioned pessimistic economic modelling to justify setting a low 2020 pollution reduction target. New Zealand can afford to put in place much more robust targets,” Charles Chauvel said.

“In fact, the Government’s 10% target, assuming that there will be an agreement reached by developed countries, gives the Government an opportunity to do nothing if no agreement is reached.

“It makes nonsense of National’s election claim to be ‘ambitious for New Zealand’. The announced upper range target of 20%, assuming comprehensive global action and favourable international rule changes for New Zealand, is hardly ambitious, nor does it position this country as an international leader on climate change.

Charles Chauvel said the Government was sending three signals with the targets:

• It is not serious about dealing with climate change;
• It will not put in place domestic policies that will make much difference to our greenhouse gas pollution levels;
• And it will not pull its weight internationally as part of the group of developed nations to encourage China, India, Brazil and others to make their own binding commitments to pollution reduction.

Charles Chauvel said if the policy settings left in place by a Labour-led Government had been followed, there would still be:

• Meaningful emissions trading legislation, encouraging more forestry planting and much less greenhouse gas pollution;
• Significant research and development capabilities to help farmers reduce pollution;
• A realistic pathway to 90% renewable electricity generation by 2025 and a clear plan to implement energy conservatiion;
• An achievable strategy to reduce land transport pollution by 50% by 2040, including via better public transport and encouraging uptake of electric and hybrid vehicles, and the widespread use of biofuels.

“This Government is doing New Zealand and New Zealanders a real disservice,” Charles Chauvel said. “If Labour’s policy settings had been left in place, the Government could realistically have aspired to a 40 percent reduction target urged by the International Panel on Climate Change and others.

“Even given the climate change policy flip flops of the past 9 months, we think targets of between 10% and 20% are woeful. Our modelling indicates that the Government could have opted for at least 20% in the event of having to commit to unilateral action, and 30% in the event of a global agreement to take action, and land use rule modification in New Zealand’s favour.”

Charles Chauvel said such targets would have a minimal economic effect on New Zealand households in 2020. “In fact, given the poor quality of the assumptions made in the Government’s modelling, they could contribute to making us wealthier as a nation.

“Labour urges National to re-think its announcement. If unmodified, it will be greeted with the scorn it deserves, including by our number two trading partner, the European Union, which has adopted the two tier 20% and 30% targets.

“All credible analysis shows that pollution must peak by 2015, and then start to reduce. The Copenhagen talks are the last scheduled before then, so in a very real sense this target-setting exercise could be a last chance to get things right.

“Today’s announcement puts a 2050 target of an 80% to 95% reduction in pollution, as science increasingly appears to demand, almost beyond reach,” Charles Chauvel said. “New Zealand under National looks increasingly isolated on climate change, and this announcement makes the situation much worse.”

ENDS

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