18 May: Greenpeace Aotearoa says that the Emissions Reduction Plan is a poor prelude to Budget 2022, which the climate crisis requires be bold, commit to cut climate pollution from intensive dairy, put cameras on boats, and roll out a nationwide household solar scheme.

Greenpeace lead agriculture campaigner Christine Rose says "Intensive dairying is the number one cause of climate pollution in Aotearoa. The Emissions Reduction Plan gave a $92 million handout to industrial agricultural funding for more research and hypothetical techno-fixes. That’s ludicrous because, as Climate Minister James Shaw says himself, the industry has already spent about $200 million on Research and Development over the course of the last dozen years or so, and its emissions have not come down."The Government has promised that a number of Climate Emergency Response Fund initiatives will be announced on Budget day.

"The Emissions Reduction Plan was a terrible start and that makes it more essential that Budget 2022 funds a transition to more plant-based, regenerative organic agriculture that enables farmers to ditch synthetic nitrogen fertiliser which puts our climate, waterways and health at risk," Rose says.

Greenpeace also says the Budget needs to fund free public transport for all, and roll out a nationwide household solar scheme."Greenpeace and 33,000 New Zealanders are calling on the Government to put solar panels and batteries on 500k homes by 2030 and end oil & gas subsidies," says Rose.

Greenpeace is also calling for the Budget to fund the urgent rollout of a comprehensive cameras on boats programme, that will ensure transparency and compliance across the commercial fishing industry.

The Aotearoa Collective for public transport equity - a collective of over 140 organisations and ten city councils - is also calling for Budget 2022 to deliver free public transport fares.

"Free public transport fares will reduce emissions, encourage a mode shift away from private vehicles, and ensure everyone has an accessible, low-carbon option to get to where they live, work and play. It’s a Just Transition - with wheels on," says spokesperson Ryan Hooper-Smith.

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