The Climate Change Response Amendment Bill introduced today falls far short of the game plan our communities urgently need, says the Green Party.
"Luxon’s Government has spent nearly three years delaying a climate adaptation plan that in October last year they also decided to delay all funding decisions for. Councils can’t take on more unfunded mandates, and New Zealanders are none the wiser about who pays," says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.
"We’ve been actively trying to engage the Minister in the urgency of this work all term, and have raised our concerns about its delay with the Prime Minister repeatedly in Question Time and through official correspondence. Now we’ve seen years squandered and a Bill that offers nothing we didn’t already know three years ago."
"Even worse, the Bill is totally silent on the reality of climate response. When the roads are closed, marae are open. Partnership with iwi Māori was raised as a critical part of an enduring framework by almost every submitter, and unfortunately, unsurprisingly, has been neglected by this Government."
"Deferring the decision on cost sharing doesn't defer the costs. They simply land by default on councils, on insurance premiums, and on the New Zealanders often least able to carry them."
"In a year when states of emergency have been declared on average every eight days, the need for an enduring climate adaptation framework could not be any clearer."
"Communities deserve certainty and investment in our collective resilience and safety. That is what an adaptation framework is for, and it’s what the Greens are dedicated to continuing to work to make a reality," says Swarbrick.
