Media Release
11 August 2009

Speech slams ‘misguided’ emissions target

In a hard hitting speech delivered to the New Zealand Plant Protection Society in Dunedin this morning, the President of Federated Farmers, Don Nicolson, has slammed as misguided, New Zealand’s obsession with emissions and a lack of research investment.

“The New Zealand Government seems NATO on emissions. It’s ‘no action, talk only’ on funding solutions that will increase productivity with decreased emissions,” says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers.

“The Government is committing everyone to an emissions cut of between 34 and 44 percent. This is a massive amount with little detail about how to achieve 1990 levels. The real figure is much, much higher than the palatable sounding 10 to 20 percent trotted out yesterday.

“You’d think the Government would be pouring money into science-led solutions, but no. Instead of science, the big idea is a tax in the form of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and this 34 to 44 percent reductions target.

“The reality is that any reductions target cannot work in the face of an expanding global population. This isn’t defeatist but realistic. It demands investment in science and research rather than misplaced faith in a tax and a target.

“Between 1990 and 2007, 1.4 billion mouths entered the human race, a 27 percent increase over just 17 years. Over the next 40 years, it’s estimated the global population will expand by another 3.3 billion human beings to hit 10 billion.

“Billions of humans is why global emissions expanded by 34 percent in the last 17 years. It’s why science and not a tax or a target is the solution to global emissions. That science has to be funded and it’s madness to trip up our dominant export industry.

“Farmers want the ability to produce more and emit less. You can’t do that if your Government adopts vague targets. The Government has to decide which side of the fence it is sitting on.

“Federated Farmers calls for 0.05 percent of GDP to be put into research, raising $87.5 million annually for low carbon initiatives. If rolled out globally, $34 billion would be raised and with that amount of money, internationally collaborative solutions can be achieved.

“The small size of New Zealand’s contribution underscores the point that New Zealand doesn’t produce 99.8 percent of the world’s emissions.

“It’s farcical to hear Opposition MPs scaremonger that consumers in Europe and North America will boycott New Zealand food without a tax or a target. It’s a hollow argument as those same governments are keeping their farm animals out of their emission responses.

“That includes Denmark too, where the Copenhagen agreement is being formulated,”Mr Nicolson concluded.

THE FULL SPEECH CAN BE DOWNLOADED AT:

http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/n1578.html

ENDS

© Scoop Media