Disastrous emissions target from New Zealand not good enough says Forest & Bird

22 November 2015

New Zealand’s wildlife and wild places need a target of at least 40% emissions reduction by 2030 and a bold plan for achieving those reductions, says Geoff Keey, Forest & Bird’s Climate Change Advocate.

“New Zealand’s Climate Issues Minister Tim Groser is heading to the climate talks with a disastrous emissions target and no plan to achieve any reductions. Nature faces many threats from climate disruption and if we don’t act now, it could drastically affect our wildlife and wild places,” said Geoff Keey.

Forest & Bird is participating in the People’s Climate March on Saturday 28th November demanding a bolder target from the Government.

“Droughts, floods, pests and diseases, rising sea levels and shrinking alpine zones will disrupt nature. We’re already seeing alarming changes in the environment. Hoiho, the rarest penguin in the world, is in further decline due to a loss of food that may be caused by climate disruption. Penguin nesting habitat will be further reduced by sea level rises and increased intensity of storms causing bigger waves and coastal erosion,“said Mr Keey.

He added that New Zealand’s oceans support the greatest number of seabirds in the world, but changing ocean currents and warmer seas are likely to deprive our seabirds of food.Climate disruption will cause increased drought, extreme winds, and higher fire risk - threatening our forests, and the wildlife in them.

“New Zealand needs a low carbon development plan. Our carbon price is amongst the lowest in the world, and our per-capita emissions are likely to exceed those of the gas- guzzling US within ten years. New Zealand’s emissions will keep rising for the foreseeable future, unless we put in place a plan to cut them.”

What Forest & Bird is marching for:
Forest & Bird is advocating for a 40% reduction in emissions reduction by 2030 and a bold plan for achieving those reductions

In our Strategic Plan Forest and Bird wants to achieve by 2040:
• 70% reduction in gross GHG emissions below the 1990 baseline
• carbon neutrality
• measures in place that increase biodiversity resilience and ensure against climate disruption

Within ten years, Forest and Bird wants to see:
• emissions reducing year on year
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Within five years Forest and Bird wants to see:
• NZ introduced measures to reduce emissions
• Robust price on carbon, independently overseen (including a national carbon budget)
• Climate response and resilience measures strengthened in both terrestrial and marine resource management legislation
• Carbon sequestration through the maintenance of healthy indigenous ecosystems and pest control integral to NZ climate change response within 5 years

Forest & Bird is marching to demand a bold climate target for nature and we need you to come with us. See our website for more details, http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/climatechange and for People’s March details http://www.peoplesclimatemarch.org.nz/ and look for the Forest & Bird banners at your local march.

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