New Zealand taking back control of climate agenda

“New Zealand is taking back control of its climate policy, and ACT is proud to be supporting that change in Government,” says ACT Climate spokesman Simon Court.

“For too long, climate decisions have been dictated by offshore targets and political deals made in Paris or Dubai. The changes announced this week mean we will measure success by our own standards, not those set by UN diplomats in distant hotel ballrooms.

“The Emissions Trading Scheme will no longer be required to ‘accord with’ New Zealand’s international targets under the Paris Agreement. That means decisions about how we reduce emissions will be made here in New Zealand, based on what delivers real results, not what looks good in a report to the UN.

“ACT has argued we need a climate policy that works for New Zealand. That means giving credit to farmers who plant trees, to miners who offset emissions, and to innovators who do the hard work of reducing our net footprint in the real world. Finally, we're moving in that direction.

“Changes to the way industrial emissions are treated mean that manufacturers of vital materials like cement, steel and aluminium are not put out of business by carbon charges. The changes mean that major industries can invest in more efficient plant and the people to run it without being priced out of the market by cheaper products from countries that don't price carbon the way New Zealand has done. These changes are good for workers, good for the communities where stuff gets made, and good for NZ Inc.

“We could go further. While we now have more freedom to choose how we reduce our emissions, our overall targets are still dictated by the terms of the Paris Agreement.

“ACT maintains that, as it stands, the Paris Agreement unfairly and nonsensically punishes New Zealand's efficient primary industries. Climate policies dictated by the Paris Agreement risk sending food production offshore to less efficient countries, which makes no sense for New Zealand and no sense for the planet. If we can't negotiate better terms under the Paris Agreement, then we should leave the accord."