16 December 2009

Stop bullying our Pacific neighbours

New Zealand needs to work on preventing climate change rather than bullying its vulnerable Pacific neighbours, said the Green Party today.

“Tim Groser’s outburst at Tuvalu for trying to protect their country from disappearing under the sea is completely inappropriate,” said Green Party MP Jeanette Fitzsimons from Copenhagen.

Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser has labelled Tuvalu as “extremist” for wanting a legally binding agreement to come out of Copenhagen.

“New Zealand needs to do its fair share to fight climate change. The Government should be listening to Tuvalu not bullying them,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman will question the Government in the House today over its attitude towards small developing nations at the Copenhagen climate talks.

“If New Zealand's very existence was under threat as a result of climate change, like Tuvalu, then the New Zealand Government too might have a strong reaction to the lack of commitments to reduce emissions,” said Dr Norman.

“There is a lot that New Zealand can do at home to make big cuts to our carbon emissions at a reasonable cost. We don’t have to bully out neighbours. Making these changes now will help put our economy on a sustainable footing and will maintain our priceless clean green reputation,” said Dr Norman.

Further information

For more information on simple steps New Zealand can take to fight climate change, see the Green Party’s Getting There programme at http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/big-affordable-climate-change-target-sight, and our Green New Deal package at http://www.greens.org.nz/greennewdeal

Green MPs Jeanette Fitzsimons and Kennedy Graham will also be blogging daily from Copenhagen at http://blog.greens.org.nz/.

ENDS

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