National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured.

The index, released overnight at COP29 in Azerbaijan, shows New Zealand is now rated as having a ‘low’ performance.

“National is failing to meet the climate challenge, and the world knows it,” Labour climate spokesperson Megan Woods said.

“Since the change of Government last year, the index says climate policy has taken a ‘significant backwards step’.

“The rest of the world can see that scrapping effective climate action, such as the oil and gas exploration ban, the clean car discount and funding to get big emitters off fossil fuels, is taking New Zealand backwards.

“Climate Minister Simon Watts just stood in front of the world at COP29 and said New Zealand is facing the challenge of climate change head on. Unfortunately, his words don’t match his actions as his policy relies on not-yet-invented technology and an Emissions Trading Scheme without New Zealand’s biggest emitters in it.

“At home, the Climate Change Commission has sounded the alarm over the Government’s policies, and points out we’re off track to meet our climate goals.

“New Zealand’s reputation as a clean, green, sustainable country and exporter is in real trouble if we don’t meet our targets as they are built into our trade agreements and our brand, not to mention our relationship with our Pacific neighbours for whom climate change is an existential threat.

“National must take a good, hard look at their policies in light of this downgrade in ranking, listen to the climate experts, and take much stronger action on climate change,” Megan Woods said.

© Scoop Media