The New Zealand Government does not have a credible climate change policy—in fact, the current situation amounts to policy failure. New Zealand seems to have lost its mojo in looking after the environment generally but to neglect climate change, the greatest issue of our age, is unacceptable.
It is also contrary to all our traditions as a progressive country.
Climate change is clearly occurring—the scientific consensus is that the atmosphere and ocean have warmed, snow and ice have diminished, sea levels have risen, and greenhouse gases have increased.
In the face of these facts, it is easy to lose hope—but that is the wrong approach. It is not too late for people to turn the situation around. Determined action and an agreed long-term policy framework can make a difference.
We must not despair. We must hope and we must act. We must stop being and feeling threatened and rise to the challenge. Big changes to climate change policies everywhere are as necessary as they are inevitable.
Such change would require much cooperation at all levels by government, business, agriculture and individuals—a concerted effort around the world is the only thing that will make a difference.
International negotiations on climate change have been painfully slow and the lack of a legally binding commitment on emission targets is likely to lead to the failure of those negotiations.
This is not an issue that can fall victim to political polarisation. Political parties need to work together to improve the law on climate change, just as we reformed the Resource Management Act in 1991 and the Climate Change Response Act in 2002.
We know how to combat climate change: reduce the burning of fossil fuels and accelerate the development of alternative energy sources. If we are to keep warming below two degrees we must leave two-thirds of fossil fuel reserves in the ground. New Zealand must repair its defective law
The cure is straightforward.
The need to transition to a low-carbon economy has been obvious for more than 20 years, but New Zealand decision-makers have not grasped the nettle.
The weakness of the New Zealand emissions trading scheme is notorious. Emissions have increased by 20 per cent since 1990 and are projected to continue to rise substantially.
New Zealand needs a long-term consensus based policy agenda that produces a new legal pathway to deal effectively with those issues under New Zealand’s control.
There are many ingredients to the transformative change required—individual behaviours are important, leadership and “nudges” from government will matter. Most critical is an effective policy framework.
Economic growth and climate change action are not incompatible. However, policy failures at both international and national levels are a sad indictment on the incapacity of the peoples of the world to act in their own collective self-interest.
The lack of leadership, and the limp global response so far is lamentable. A quantum leap forward in international governance is required.