Source: Greenpeace
Greenpeace Aotearoa says it expects bolder action from political leaders on climate change, following the Government’s renewable energy announcement this afternoon.
Amanda Larsson, Greenpeace spokesperson, says “It’s good to see the Government recognising that New Zealanders want urgent climate action. Supporting more new renewables is a critical part of that. But ultimately, this announcement is underwhelming.”
The estimated 150,000 tonne emissions savings from the wind farm projects, as stated by the Minister, is less than 0.2% of New Zealand’s yearly emissions.
“We expect to see far more ambitious action from all political parties as we head into this year’s election. That means tackling New Zealand’s biggest polluters – big dairy and transport – and investing in solutions that put people, not industry, first. The Labour Party hasn’t even announced their climate policy yet, and we need to see much more ambition from Prime Minister Hipkins as we head into the election season,” says Larsson.
“People across Aotearoa have borne the brunt of the climate crisis this year. From Cyclone Gabrielle in the north, to severe drought in the south, it’s clear that the climate crisis is here, and that this year’s election will be a climate election.”
In June, Greenpeace, alongside more than forty other organisations, launched a ten-point plan for climate action, called Climate Shift. The plan calls for urgent climate action from all political parties in the lead-up to the 2023 election. One of the ten points is to invest in local and community-owned renewable energy – something Larsson says is still missing.
“We would like to see renewable energy development done in a way which empowers and benefits local communities and households, not just large developers. Which party is going to fulfil New Zealanders’ aspiration to generate their own power from solar panels on their roof? Or support local communities to develop and own a wind project in their area?”
Greenpeace says it also has significant concerns about the use of the fast-track consenting process.
“The fast-track consenting process cuts out public participation, effectively removing important democratic checks and balances,” says Larsson. “Decisions about infrastructure – even renewable energy – must not infringe on indigenous rights, or cause undue harm to the environment, but the fast-track process increases the risk of this happening.”
