5. STEVE CHADWICK (Labour—Rotorua) Link to this
to the Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues
What recent reports, if any, has he received on New Zealand’s role in international negotiations for much-needed agreement on climate change post-2012?
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues) Link to this
New Zealand has been taking a leading role in climate change negotiations in Sweden. We were asked to lead discussions on the critically important topic of emissions pricing to speed up the use of low-emissions technology to help the world beat global warming. This was indeed a high honour, with the other two lead speakers being China and the European Union, and it recognised the Labour-led Government’s leadership in this important area.
One hundred and seventy-five countries ratified Kyoto. Only three backed out of their earlier agreement: Australia, the United States, and Kazakhstan. Of course, we know what side the National Party is on. Australia and the United States have recently modified their positions—
Rt Hon Winston PetersThe member is quite right; we can only assume that perhaps Dr Smith takes his instructions from Kazakhstan.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
How will the record of his Government since 1999—which is that greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 10 million tonnes per year, an increase double the rate of what occurred during the 1990s, and one of the fastest growth rates in the developed world—how will this awful record—
Rt Hon Helen ClarkHon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I say to the Prime Minister that it is her awful record. It does not look much like carbon neutrality to me. How will an increase of 10 million tonnes a year, which is the fastest growth rate in the developed world, help our credibility in trying to get the rest of the world to constrain its emissions?
I am quite happy to contrast the record of this Government with the National Party’s position, and I really do not expect much better from the National Party. I have a quote here from Dr Smith, which I think illuminates his attitude to this issue, in which he boasts about being “at the coalface” of environmental policy. I suspect he got that from Borat, too.
Peter BrownNoting the Minister’s comments about Australia, is he aware that Australia has reduced its emissions over recent years, yet has not signed up for Kyoto, whilst, with us, it is exactly the reverse; is he aware also that Australia has recently released a detailed report on how it will effect a “cap and trade” system by the year 2012; and does he believe that this is such a serious global issue that it would be well worth our while getting involved with Australia?
Australia has not reduced its emissions. Australia had the softest proposed Kyoto target of any target country in the world, which was 108 percent of emissions, an 8 percent increase in emissions over the 1990 base level—and it is not yet clear whether it will make even that 8 percent increase. It may go even higher. In respect of its proposals to develop an emissions trading scheme, I would have thought that people would be somewhat suspicious of an emissions trading scheme that is projected to be 5 years out from one of the three countries in the world that said they would not commit to their agreement.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Does the Minister agree with India’s former environment secretary, Pradipto Ghosh, that it is “now up to the world to decide how big the ‘carbon pie’ should be at a certain point in the future—say, 2050—and then agree that by that date all nations should have an equal entitlement relative to their size of population.”; if he does not agree with that approach, what alternative criteria does he support for allocating emissions globally after 2012?
It is clear that developed countries will have to reduce their emissions in gross terms towards the much lower levels of emissions that are coming from developing countries. But it is also true that convergence alone will not cure the problem, because if there were to be convergence at realistic levels, that would see the growth in emissions in developing countries causing global warming to reach levels that, really, no one wants to get to.
I seek leave to table a report in the Marlborough Express, in which Dr Smith said he wanted to consult on National’s environmental policy at the coalface.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek leave of the House to table the Government’s actual record, which has seen a 10 million - tonne increase—
Madam SPEAKERJeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
I seek leave to table the quote from the Indian former environment secretary, which makes clear he was talking about the size of the pie—