Source: Greenpeace
Greenpeace is slamming climate minister Simon Watts for claims that New Zealand does not have to meet our climate targets under the Paris climate agreement.
Farmers Weekly reported yesterday that Watts had told a group of Federated Farmers members that there was no requirement for New Zealand to meet its climate targets, saying “It’s not a liability on our books, it’s intent and there is no legal obligation in the context around that.”
Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says “Watts is fundamentally wrong. Our climate targets are not vague ‘intentions’ built on vibes. We are facing an escalating climate crisis – a fire that is burning up our only home while our children are inside. The only appropriate action is to stop pouring fuel on the fire.
“Regardless of what Watts may believe, New Zealand also has a legal obligation to take action to prevent the climate crisis.”
In early February, the Government announced its updated climate target under the Paris Agreement, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution or NDC. Greenpeace and many others criticised this target for being deeply unambitious when it was announced, as the target aims for an additional 1-5% reduction in emissions between 2030 and 2035.
“Luxon’s Government is waging a war on nature, while the climate crisis escalates,” says Larsson.
“We already have the solutions to the climate crisis at our fingertips, and there is no reason why New Zealand couldn’t meet, and actually exceed, our climate targets with appropriate ambition from the Government.
“What Watts has failed to realise is that the actions we take to protect our kids’ future have added benefits for our health and livelihoods. Cleaner air, safer streets, clean drinking water, swimmable rivers and more abundant wildlife.
“We know that the biggest climate polluter in Aotearoa is the intensive dairy industry, led by Fonterra, and the tools exist to reduce emissions from intensive dairy right now. The sector’s relentless refrain that we need to wait for magic bullet technology is frankly untrue.
“What Fonterra and lobbyists from Federated Farmers and Dairy NZ are pushing for is to be exempt from doing their part in the fight for our children’s future. This is a sector that already gets tax-free capital gains, deductible expenses and publicly-funded research. Continuing to refuse to take any climate action simply means the rest of New Zealand has to shoulder that burden, effectively subsidising the already-privileged dairy sector.
“Quite simply, we have too many cows producing large quantities of superheating methane gas. We need to reduce herd sizes, and phase out inputs like synthetic nitrogen fertiliser which enable these oversized herds,” says Larsson.
“Ultimately, the future of farming lies in ecological, organic, plant-based agriculture practices. The Government – and Fonterra – must support farmers to transition away from climate polluting practices towards ways of farming that work with, instead of against, nature.
“Lobby groups like Federated Farmers are doing their members a huge disservice by delaying action. They should be supporting their farmers to shift to practices that will be more resilient to climate change impacts like droughts and floods, while also meeting the standards of our biggest customers.”
