WWF-New Zealand Media Release – for immediate release

Business leaders make the case for greener economy

Global environmental organisation WWF has today welcomed a report by a group of prominent New Zealand business leaders calling for action on clean technology and greener jobs.

‘New Zealand’s Position in the Green Race’ is published by Pure Advantage, a group founded by Sir Stephen Tindall and Rob Morrison amongst others, and calls for New Zealand to become a greener wealthier country . The report highlights the many opportunities for New Zealand in pursuing a greener economy, and makes the case for action from both business and government.

Peter Hardstaff, Climate Change Campaigner at WWF-New Zealand said, “This report highlights New Zealand's huge potential to prosper through a greener economy. WWF welcomes the report and hopes it will help kick start a much-needed transition towards a greener, low carbon economy based on a partnership between government, business and society more broadly.”

The document follows WWF’s recent ‘Beyond Rio’ report, released a fortnight ago, which highlighted New Zealand’s poor record on the environment since the Earth Summit in 1992. This report takes the analysis a step further, showing the potential economic costs of failing to make good on our ‘clean green’ brand and the benefits for jobs, exports and the economy of pursuing lower carbon growth.

Mr Hardstaff said, “The potential economic gains from low carbon development are too significant to be ignored. A 2009 paper by PricewaterhouseCoopers for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise estimated that, with the right policies, the clean technology sector in New Zealand could be worth between NZ$7.5 billion and NZ$22 billion to the economy by 2015.

“The opportunities for New Zealand are huge yet the current government has failed to grasp this potential and is instead fixated on expanding digging, drilling and dairying. Although a Green Growth Advisory Group was convened by the government last year, its terms of reference were so narrow that it was unable to begin building the comprehensive low carbon strategy and vision that New Zealand needs.

“WWF supports Pure Advantage’s call for the business community to step in and demonstrate what’s possible. We urge our political leaders to take up the challenge and opportunities of building a cleaner, safer future for New Zealanders.”

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