1. TE URUROA FLAVELL (Māori Party—Waiariki) Link to this
to the Minister for Climate Change Issues
Kua whiwhi whakamaherehere a ia ki te kōrero o Brian Fallow, arā, “i raro i te kaupapa kia topea ngā ngahere paina, me whakaritea anō tētahi ake tino kaupapa hei whai ake i te take e pā ana ki te āhuarangi i te mea, ka pai tonu ki te taiao, ki te ōhanga, ki te tōrangapū”; hoki mēna kāre, he aha ai?
[Has he received advice about the comments made by Brian Fallow that in the case of deforestation, “offsetting” is not only the principled thing to do to address climate change, but “it makes sense, environmentally, economically and politically”; if not, why not?]
Hon TIM GROSER (Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations)) Link to this
No, but we do not need advice from officials to know what our own election policy is, which is that we have agreed to “[support] the implementation of a forestry offset scheme … subject to a full assessment of the costs involved.” This work is currently under way.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Ki te Minita, he aha tāna mahi hei whakatau i ngā whakaaro o ngā kaihautū Māori i mua i te komiti whāiti i tēnei wiki, āe, he whakaaro kotahi tō rātou ko te Minita kia pēnei nā; me aro ki ngā nawe e pā ana ki te āhuarangi, tuarua, kaua rā e tukuna kia wahatia e Ngāi Māori te nuinga o te nama?
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[What will the Minister do to assure Māori leaders appearing before the select committee this week that he agrees with them that climate change needs to be dealt with but the burden of doing so should not fall disproportionately on Māori?]
The Government intends that any amendments to the emissions trading scheme ensure that all parties, including Māori, face only their fair share of any burden that needs to be faced.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Does the Minister agree that if forest offsetting is to make sense environmentally, it may be necessary to plant more land than has been cleared, in order to compensate for trees growing more slowly on lower-quality land—in other words, to offset carbon for carbon, not hectare for hectare?
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Ki te Minita, e ai ki a Brian Fallow, ki te tuki ngā tiriti e rua pērā ki tō Waitangi me tō Kyoto, me whai mana ko tō Waitangi kē; he aha tō te Minita whakaaro
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[What are the Minister’s views on the recommendation from Brian Fallow that in an area where two treaties collide—that is, the Treaty of Waitangi and the Kyoto Protocol—the former must take precedence?]
The Government honours the Treaty of Waitangi, and ensures that it takes into account all such commitments when entering any negotiation of international agreements—trade or climate change.
Craig FossWhat is New Zealand doing internationally to ensure offsetting is incorporated in international climate change rules post-2012?
This is a high priority for our Government in international negotiations of the post-2012 rules, and critical for land-based sectors. Land should be used according to its best use, and the rules should, in our view, provide for as much flexibility as possible. Under this Government and the previous Government, New Zealand has put forward a strong negotiating proposal, based on sound science, to allow offsets for plantation forests in any successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol, on the grounds that the climate does not distinguish between a hectare of plantation forest replanted on the same hectare as opposed to a hectare planted somewhere else. If our negotiating partners cannot agree to such a simple, climate-change-neutral position, it does not bode well for negotiations over far more difficult issues.