The Government's announcement that it will ratify the Paris climate agreement this year is a small victory for the tens-of-thousands of people who marched for stronger action on climate change in December, the Green Party said today. “It's a small step in the right direction from this Government, and is significantly better than its original plan to wait five years before ratifying the Paris agreement," said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw. “The climate crisis requires immediate action from all countries...

The Green Party is calling on the National Government to trade good carbon credits for bad ones, to ensure the integrity of our global commitment to cut climate pollution. A Morgan Foundation report released yesterday highlighted the New Zealand businesses that made heaviest use of fraudulent emission reduction units purchased from Russia and the Ukraine to offset their climate pollution. “The Government needs to clean up its act on the climate and trade real carbon credits for past fraudulent ones,”...

Massive coastal inundation in Kapiti and Waitara this weekend is yet another reminder to the Government that it has a responsibility to address the problem of rising sea levels caused by climate change, the Green Party said today. High tides and stormy weather caused significant damage to sea defences and roads around Kapiti this weekend, and threatened exposed coastal properties in the Taranaki town of Waitara. Residents and councils in both areas have struggled to agree on how to address...

New research shows that taking strong action to reduce climate pollution could boost New Zealand's economic growth and allow for tax breaks for ordinary New Zealanders, the Green Party said today. New research by University of Auckland economists shows introducing a carbon tax, and raising the carbon price to $75 a tonne, could reduce emissions by 14.2 percent, and increase GDP by 2.2 percent per year – raising enough tax revenue to allow for a 2.5 percent cut in GST. “Our...

A new report on solar power and electric vehicles is further evidence that the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) isn’t working, and that the National Government needs to fix what’s holding New Zealand back from making the most of clean-energy technologies, the Green Party said. The report was produced by independent energy economists at Concept Consulting. “This report shows that National needs to join the 21st century and set up the right market structures to encourage new clean-energy technologies,” said Green...

The Government must learn from its mistakes with the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), not repeat them with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade deal, the Green Party said today. RCEP is a proposed trade agreement between 14 Asian countries, Australia, and New Zealand. Negotiations were held in Auckland this week. These included a public engagement session at which Trade Minister Todd McClay and officials heard questions and concerns from organisations and business stakeholders. “Comments from the Government suggest...

It’s time for the National Government to step up and do the right thing to reduce climate pollution as data shows New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are higher than ever, the Green Party said today. The Greenhouse Gas inventory released by the Ministry for the Environment shows that New Zealand’s emissions have risen 23 percent since 1990, when the Government should be focussing on reducing emissions. “After eight years in government and lots of talk about reducing climate pollution, National...

The Green Party is calling on Climate Minister Paula Bennett to set a firm deadline within in the next four years for including agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

The Green Party is calling on the Government to target aid towards Pacific Island communities forced to migrate because of rising seas, after a new study revealed that the Solomon Islands are already being significantly affected by climate-related sea-level rise. 

The Green Party is calling on the Government to require all public fund managers to disclose their exposure to climate risks following a report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) highlighting the financial risks of climate change for New Zealand. The PCE, in her submission on the Emissions Trading Scheme review, said today that climate change poses a threat to New Zealand's the financial resilience and long term prosperity. Finance Minister Bill English has previously dismissed the PCE's...