The Paris Climate Agreement coming into force is a triumph for ordinary people around New Zealand and the world who have demanded politicians take action to stop climate change, the Green Party said today. The Paris Climate Agreement will come into force today after crossing the threshold of at least 55 countries, responsible for 55 percent of global emissions, joining the agreement. “Around the world there’s a real desire for action on climate change, and I think we’ve seen that shift here...

2 November 2016   The National Government must stop relying on dodgy accounting loopholes in order to continue avoiding responsibility for real reductions in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Green Party said today. Under its Paris Agreement obligations, the National Government plans to change the way it accounts for greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. But a new report released today by the Morgan Foundation reveals that the timing of this change means the Government will avoid liability for a huge...

The National Government has had eight years to take action on climate change and marine protection but has let New Zealand’s oceans decline to a sorry state, putting our economy and native species at risk, the Green Party said today.

National needs to be straight-up with farmers and make it clear that business-as-usual farming can’t continue if we are to maintain a safe climate for this and future generations, the Green Party said today. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) released a new report today on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions showing that no scientific silver bullet to eliminate agricultural emissions is on the horizon, and that large-scale tree planting and land-use change is needed. “National isn't doing farmers any...

The National Government’s refusal to cancel out fraudulent Russian carbon credits by using the surplus authentic carbon credits it holds, puts the integrity of our international climate commitments at risk, the Green Party said today. Climate minister Paula Bennett is continuing to refuse to cancel bad carbon credits purchased from Russia and the Ukraine between 2013 and 2015 to offset the carbon emissions of New Zealand businesses. It was subsequently found that approximately a quarter of those carbon credits were...

Ratification of the Paris climate agreement is the starting gun, not the finish line, in the race to avoid dangerous and potentially catastrophic climate change, the Green Party said today. The comments follow New Zealand's ratification of the Paris climate agreement overnight, which commits the Government to making significant reductions to greenhouse gas emissions. “The Green Party has been calling for the urgent ratification of the Paris Agreement, so we’re pleased the Government has acted swiftly,” said Green Party Co-leader...

National needs to reverse its cuts to our Pacific climate aid programme, as a new report shows food and water shortages have worsened across the region, the Green Party said today. Caritas’ State of the Environment report, released today, says the Pacific has faced widespread hunger and thirst in 2016 as a result of El Niño and climate change. It describes climate-related support to the region as “inadequate” and notes that climate aid from New Zealand declined in 2016. This...

The Havelock North outbreak calls into question the Government’s growth-at-any-cost economic strategy, says Green Party Co-leader James Shaw today, in response to comments today by professors of public health, Alistair Woodward and Simon Hales

The National Government is choosing to disregard the welfare of future generations by allowing polluters to pay less than half the true cost of their climate emissions, the Green Party said today. A new OECD study conservatively estimates the cost of future climate disasters caused by emissions today - such as droughts, floods and destructive storms - at around $NZ47 for every tonne of CO2. Polluters in New Zealand currently pay just $18.85 for each tonne CO2. "National falsely believes...

26 September 2016 Environment Minister Nick Smith deserves a frosty reception when he chairs a major environment meeting of OECD countries, just days after the Government opened up half-a-million square kilometres of ocean to oil and gas exploration, the Green Party said today. Nick Smith heads to Paris today for the OECD Environment Ministerial meeting, where countries will share expertise and outline the steps they’re taking to curb greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the environment. “You can't open up half-a-million...