For Immediate Release
12th March 2011

Green Peasants of the Pacific

The Carbon Sense Coalition today claimed that Australia and New Zealand were in danger of becoming the green peasants of the Pacific.

The Chairman of “Carbon Sense”, Mr Viv Forbes, said that the only way the two countries could achieve their unrealistic emissions targets was by exporting their industries, reducing their population or creating chronic recession.

In a detailed submission to the New Zealand Government, the Carbon Sense Coalition concludes that their emissions targets are not feasible, not sustainable and not justified.

The submission, entitled "Clean, Green and Barefoot in the Snow" can be found at:
http://carbon-sense.com/2011/02/28/barefoot-in-the-snow/

"The submission analyses the maths of the proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 50% of 1990 levels by 2050.

"In the period from the base year of 1990 to 2010, New Zealand emissions have grown by 22%. This 22% growth will need to be eliminated before the Kiwis get to start the process of achieving 50% cuts from 1990 levels.

"However, New Zealand's population has also grown since 1990, and is expected to rise from 3.5 million in 1990 to 6.2 million by 2050.

"The maths shows that the 50% cut to 1990 levels by 2050 will require Kiwis to reduce emissions per capita by 73% from 1990 levels. Will their grandkids learn to happily live on just 27% of the resources that they use now?

"Even in the Great Depression, production of carbon dioxide only fell by 25% from booming 1929 to the dreary bottom in 1932, when many people minimised their emissions by queuing quietly outside soup kitchens.

"These targets thus promise to be three times worse than the great depression.

See: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/hertzberg.pdf (page 13).

"There are four major sources of man's production of carbon dioxide in Australia and New Zealand - transport, electricity generation, agriculture and basic industries such as cement, steel and aluminium.

"Politicians need to explain to us how they plan to massively cut our use of carbon fuels in all of these essentials of modern life.

"The only options feasible today are greatly increased use of hydro, nuclear or geothermal energy to produce electricity and some use of electric powered cars and buses in cities.

"It seems politically improbably that large new hydro or nuclear plants will be built in a hurry in either country, and geothermal will never fill the gap in time. And the green subsidysuckers like wind, solar and biofuels are already causing the de-industrialisation of Europe.

"Our politicians are gambling massive community assets on some wobbly computer forecasts of global warming. But nature may surprise us with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, tornados, fires or even global cooling.

"Climate is always changing. Mankind must do what successful humans have always done – be prepared for any disaster that may hit. Then be equipped to recover and rebuild afterwards. And take all forecasts with a grain of salt.

"Both Australia and New Zealand would be better off today if all the money wasted on the climate change industry had been spent building more robust infrastructure and establishing shelters and emergency resources. Money spent on preparation for provision of water, electricity, communications, medical services and shelter after a disaster will be far more appreciated by victims than knowing we have played a leading role in the Climate Change Circus.

"New Zealand aims to be the Leader of the Lemmings in our region. The Green/Gillard government in Australia is longing to follow.

"But who else in our region will renew their Kyoto vows of poverty?

"Not India or China; not Japan or Taiwan; not Canada, USA or South America - no one will follow us in the race to become the Green Peasants of the Pacific."

"Some consensus!"

Authorised by:
Viv Forbes
Chairman,
The Carbon Sense Coalition

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