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Survey: Young New Zealanders want stronger climate action
Survey: Young New Zealanders want stronger climate action
Youth organisation Generation Zero
says the next Parliament must heed the call of New
Zealanders and fast-track New Zealand to the forefront of
global carbon reduction efforts.
Pure Advantage, a
not-for-profit that investigates and promotes opportunities
for green growth, today released the ‘Pure Advantage Climate Survey’. It shows around two-in-three New Zealanders
want New Zealand to be a world leader in finding solutions
to climate change, with an even stronger majority among
youth.
“Most New Zealanders want to see New Zealand
working harder on climate change and being a global leader
in finding solutions,” said Lisa McLaren, national
convenor for the Zero Carbon Act campaign.
“The Pure
Advantage survey results are clear, New Zealand needs to
work harder to achieve the Paris Agreement
goals.”
“Despite our ‘clean and green’ image,
New Zealand is behind many other countries in our carbon
reduction efforts. The Government is yet to lay out a plan,
let alone begin reducing emissions. This continues a history
of failures by successive governments to act on climate
change.”
Generation Zero is pushing for a Zero
Carbon Act based on the UK’s Climate Change Act. Since the
Act was passed in 2008, the UK’s emissions have fallen by
28 per cent while New Zealand's have continued to rise. The
UK Act was endorsed by Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Environment Jan Wright in her final report last week.
The
Young Nats, Young Labour, the Young Greens and the Young
Māori Party have all recently endorsed the Zero Carbon Act,
reflecting the reality that climate change is the greatest
intergenerational challenge that New Zealand and the world
faces.
“Young people in particular overwhelmingly
back stronger action, as we’ve seen with support from
youth across the political spectrum. They are the ones who
will live with the consequences of what we do about climate
change today - our elected representatives need to listen to
them and pass the Zero Carbon Act,” said Miss
McLaren.
The Zero Carbon Act campaign is backed by
Forest & Bird, Oxfam New Zealand, WWF-New Zealand,
ActionStation and others. Together the groups are running petitions which will be delivered to the
next Parliament after the
election.
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