Climate Change
Humans are changing the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, deforestation and intensive agriculture, and this is will change the global climate in dangerous ways. To learn more see our guide to climate change.
Scientists say we need to act in the next 10 years to avoid catastrophic climate change, and yet New Zealand has increased its greenhouse gas emissions 25% since 1990, falling far short of our Kyoto Treaty targets.
The proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will put a price on carbon, but it's full of holes. The agricultural sector is exempt, meaning billions in taxpayer subsidies, the Government is still on a motorway building binge, and new coal mines are being commissioned.
We need to kick the carbon habit with real emission reductions and a transition to a low carbon economy. We believe we owe it to our children and grandchildren to act now, and if all countries work together we can address this global challenge.
Latest News
These are our top stories. Find all our climate change content here.
What is an Emissions Trading Scheme and why do we need one?
an emissions trading scheme (ETS) is a way to put a price on carbon so that industries that produce greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, pay a price based on how much they emit. This cost should encourage them to find more efficient ways of doing business. This in turn will help us reduces the damage that all countries are doing to the atmosphere and reduce the risk of dangerous climate change.
Public Transport Oral Question
The Greens highlight the Government's inaction on public transport and their senseless road building binge!
Green Party wins major improvements to ETS
26 Aug 2008
The Green Party has decided to support the ETS after winning agreement that money would be recycled into a Billion dollar fund to make New Zealand homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat. A price on carbon will encourage sustainable alternatives to our energy wasting and unsustainable way of life, but this ETS will only reduce emissions by about 2 percent. Far more than that is needed, and quickly, if the world is to avoid the huge financial and environmental costs of severe climate change.
Watch a video of the announcement and press conference
What is an ETS?
ETS press conference
The Green Party is preparing to decide which way to vote on the very weak Emissions Trading Scheme proposed by Labour, and are asking Kiwis for their opinion. This is part one. Part two is here.
Greens seek opinions from kiwis on ETS
21 Aug 2008
The Green Party is facing a difficult decision over whether to lend its support to the Emissions Trading Scheme. "At the beginning of this process we said we wanted to be as open about these negotiations as we could" says Jeanette Fitzsimons "and now we have reached a point where we have to make a decision on Tuesday about which way to vote, and we would like New Zealanders to tell us what they think before we do"
Have your say on the ETS
Watch a video of Jeanette's press conference
Read about the flood of responses
Links
Climate Change Links
(the Green Party are not responsible for the content of external links)
MfE's Climate Change Website
Find out just how bad New Zealand's emissions are in our greenhouse gas inventory.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
This site has an active forum about the governments progress towards sustainability - give them your views
www.wecansolveit.org
Al Gore's gang of over 1,000,000 people finding solutions to climate change.
Climate Ark
This climate change Search Tool and Internet Portal provides access to reviewed climate change and alternative energy news and information from hundreds of leading research and advocacy websites.
CarboNZero
Landcare research programme to assist organisations to measure, manage and mitigate their co2 emissions, including certification of carbon offset planting programmes.
OneWorld.Net Climate change page
Daily updates from the COP6 conference, details of lots of different campaigns.
World Wildlife Fund Climate Change page
Excellent, much background material including climate change solutions.
Greenpeace Climate Change page
Details of lots of different actions and campaigns.
www.celsias.com
Named one of the world's top five eco-websites by The Times online. Log on and commit to doing something.
