Oxfam: New Zealand Risks Resources And Reputation Unless Climate Change Progress Is Made

This weekend International Climate Change Negotiations Minister Tim Groser will meet ministers from around the world at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, a crucial stepping stone on the way to the United Nations climate talks in Durban in December. International agency Oxfam is today calling on the Government to acknowledge that business as usual is not enough, either in Berlin or at home in New Zealand.

Modest progress was made at Cancun last year during international climate talks. But a fair, adequate and binding deal in Durban is only possible if new proposals are made. Countries, including New Zealand, can no longer negotiate as if our self interest is different to our common interest. All countries, including New Zealand, need to step up to meet the urgent challenge of climate change otherwise we all suffer. Discussions this weekend will centre on the legal form of the deal. Meaningful headway can not be made in other areas until these political decisions are taken.

We are living through a time of extreme weather – 2010 was both the warmest year on record, as well as the wettest over land. Sea ice levels are dropping, the UK is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever and unprecedented wildfires are raging across the southern United States. While no specific weather event can definitively be deemed to have been caused by climate change, the pattern of extreme weather events is entirely consistent with models of climate change impacts. Across the world, the erratic climate is already having a harsh impact on food production, particularly for the world’s poorest people who are living on the edge of subsistence.

Climate change is a global problem that needs a global solution, so a strong international climate agreement is vital. New Zealand must step up to play its part and, like other countries, must stop resting on its laurels domestically. As highlighted recently in an open letter to John Key from prominent environmental and business leaders, the Government doesn’t have a low-carbon development plan.

Barry Coates, Executive Director of Oxfam New Zealand, said, “New Zealand has no plan for a low-carbon future. We have a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50 per cent by 2050 – which in itself is fundamentally inadequate – but we don’t have a realistic strategy for how we’re going to get there.

“New Zealand has the ability to be climate leaders, but we have shown ourselves repeatedly to be laggards. Failing to take sufficient action at home endangers our ability to meet commitments made at the international negotiating table, risking the health of our natural resources and the integrity of our reputation.”

The Government needs to design – and be accountable for – a range of climate change policies; not just the Emissions Trading Scheme. The Government should set the framework for New Zealand businesses to be able to innovate and lead internationally. This is our opportunity to enhance, rather than diminish our clean, green image.

“It is imperative to avoid playing catch-up while other countries move on – which they are doing. We continue to risk our economy and reputation by not doing so,” said Coates.

Notes to editors

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