3. JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Green) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Is he open to increasing New Zealand’s 2020 emissions reduction target when he is in Copenhagen next week, in light of new evidence that even if the most ambitious targets countries have put forward are met, the global average temperature will still rise by 3.5 degrees this century, making large parts of the world uninhabitable?
Hon JOHN KEYJeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Is it still his Government’s position to commit to an agreement that keeps average global warming below 2 degrees?
Yes. The advice that we have had, which is the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment, indicates that if the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is stabilised at 450 parts per million, we would stand a reasonable change of limiting global temperature increases to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Does he accept the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that developed country targets averaging at between 25 percent and 40 percent below 1990 levels are essential to achieve the goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius?
What I would say, in terms of developed countries, is that if one was to look at other countries around the world and see what they are proposing to take to Copenhagen, I note that the target of the United States of America is 3.4 percent less, Canada’s is 3 percent less, and Australia’s could be anywhere from 4 percent less to 24 percent less. On that basis I think New Zealand is playing its part quite adequately.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I asked a simple question as to whether he accepted the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change about what was necessary to meet the goal. I did not ask about other countries. Can I repeat the question?
Mr SPEAKERJeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Does he accept the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that developed country targets averaging at between 25 percent and 40 percent below 1990 levels are essential to achieve the goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius?
Hon David ParkerDoes the Prime Minister accept that pricing emissions is an important way to lower emissions; if so, how does encouraging increased agricultural emissions, at the cost of New Zealand taxpayers, make any environmental or economic sense?
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Given his previous answer that targets of 25 percent to 40 percent on average are necessary, and given that we are prepared to commit to only between 10 percent and 20 percent conditionally, which countries does he think should do better than 40 percent in order to offset our failure to act?
Given the answer that the Prime Minister just gave to the first part of my question, how does encouraging increased agricultural emissions, at the cost of New Zealand taxpayers, make any environmental or economic sense?
Because in the real world 3.5 billion people will be added to the planet over the next 40-odd years. The demand for food will double, and this Government is focused on trying to play its part in feeding those people in the world and on doing so with a lower carbon footprint. That is why we are going to Copenhagen and arguing very strongly for our global alliance. I say to that member that if he keeps his eyes and ears open at Copenhagen, if he goes, or if he watches what is happening at Copenhagen, he might find some quite surprising announcements on that front.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
Has Cabinet delegated to him the authority to increase New Zealand’s 2020 target when he gets to Copenhagen in order to ensure that a successful agreement is achieved?
Cabinet has delegated to me, in conjunction with the Minister for Climate Change Issues and the Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations), discretion about what we can agree to at Copenhagen, but the target is unlikely to change. I tell members that the target will not be increasing.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Exactly what conditions would need to be met by other countries in order for New Zealand to commit to a target in the 25 to 40 percent range, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says is essential?
Hon Annette KingI am not focused on increasing New Zealand’s target. What I am focused on is going to Copenhagen and making sure that New Zealand can successfully negotiate the conditions that we think are important in order for us to achieve a target of 10 to 20 percent. If we do not negotiate those conditions, we will not be able to achieve a target of 10 to 20 percent and we would have to have a lower target.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Is the Prime Minister confirming that he is going to Copenhagen with a recipe for failure for the world’s climate, rather than success?
Far from it! We are going to Copenhagen with a comprehensive plan. We have an emissions trading scheme that is now in legislation. We have a credible target relative to that of other countries. We have a global alliance that we are promoting around the world. That member is quite aware that from New Zealand’s perspective, actually achieving large reductions on the 1990 base level is quite challenging. We have had some of the fastest population growth per capita of any annex 1 country. We started with one of the highest levels of renewable energy of any developed country. Also, 50 percent of all emissions come from agriculture, and we have no solution at this point to methane and nitrate emissions. If New Zealand were to achieve a target of 10 percent less, that would be a significant milestone. [ Interruption]