Climate change reality check for National Government

A major report detailing the impacts of climate change on New Zealand is a reality check for the Government, and shows National needs to stop talking and start acting to combat climate pollution, the Green Party said today.

A major report released today by a group of top scientists and academics at the Royal Society of New Zealand shows that a failure to reduce climate-damaging pollution will put coastal property and infrastructure at risk, double the frequency of droughts in parts of New Zealand, threaten the viability of fish stocks and other marine life, and further stress access to fresh water.

New Zealand’s climate pollution is forecast to increase to 96 percent above 1990 levels by 2030,1 while Government has promised to cut it by 11 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

"This report is a wake-up call for the National Government to get real about climate change," said Green Party Co-Leader James Shaw.

“For eight years National has been all talk and no action on climate change, and we’re now staring down the barrel of the consequences of that inaction.

“It’s time New Zealand had a Government that puts climate change at the heart of its plan for economic prosperity. Instead, we’ve got National’s do-nothing approach which puts our farms, cities, and way-of-life at risk.

“The Green Party has made numerous offers to work with the National Government to combat, and prepare for, the effects of climate change. This offer still stands,” said Mr Shaw.

REFERENCES

[1] http://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/Climate%20Change/second..., see page 38.

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