Climate Minister Paula Bennett acknowledged this morning on TVNZ’s Q&A that the National Government had knowingly allowed business to buy carbon credits in the Ukraine and Russia that did not result in actual cuts in emissions, the Green Party said today.
This acknowledgement comes in the wake of a report by the Morgan Foundation which showed these false cuts in pollution equated to a quarter of the emissions the Government claimed to have reduced between 2008 and 2012.
“Minister Bennett cannot just say we should all just move on,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.
"If the Minister cancels New Zealand's fraudulent units, a move she says she is considering, she would have the Green Party's full support. The Greens have been calling attention to these dodgy credits for several years and last week called upon the Minister to cancel them.
“Falsely claiming to have reduced climate pollution means that New Zealand's pollution increases have been even worse than we thought – the equivalent of more than eight times the total amount of pollution from all the cars, trucks and motorbikes in New Zealand in a single year.
"This has put New Zealand's international reputation seriously at risk. Countries now have good reason to look sideways at New Zealand when we say we’re doing our bit to cut pollution.
“This is more than a matter of dodgy accounting. This is an enormous amount of pollution the Government has allowed to spill into our atmosphere that will make our climate more dangerous for ourselves and for future generations.
“Minister Bennett must pay the UN back for the fraudulent carbon credits with legitimate carbon credits.
“The Government has enough stockpiled to do this and only needs to reduce emissions by an additional 3.5 million tonnes of carbon to meet our 2020 target. This could be done by simply guaranteeing that the Huntly coal-fired power plant will close in 2018,” said Mr Shaw.
Latest Environment Announcements
Story
Green Party calls for stronger action by Auckland Council to protect urban trees and native forest
Story
You *wood* not believe it: Greens secure win for urban trees
Story
Forestry sector must compensate for slash damage
Story
Greens launch petition to protect conservation lands from mining by Mineralogy International Limited
Story
National's drought of ideas won't help farmers facing climate change
Story
Freshwater crisis needs stronger government action
Latest Climate Change Announcements
Story
Green voice crucial for climate action
Story
Climate future of communities on the line this election
Story
National’s climate pledge a joke
Story
National needs to come clean about climate cuts
Story
New $750m fund part of Climate-Safe Communities plan to protect towns and cities from flooding
Story