GREENS WANT BAN

WELLINGTON: The Green Party wants an immediate ban on new industrial coal boilers, as part of its plan to transition away from fossil fuels.

The party has unveiled its Clean Energy Plan, its latest electionyear announcement, which coleader James Shaw said would empower communities, businesses and families to create a sustainable country.

‘‘Our Clean Energy Plan is the first part of our transformational plan to end the use of fossil fuels in Aotearoa. It will help to ensure our grandchildren inherit a world where they can not only survive, but thrive,’’ he said.

The Greens are proposing to bring forward the Government’s 100% renewable energy target by five years to 2030 and reinstate the ban on building new fossilfuel electricity generation.

Mr Shaw said previous governments’ use of dirty fossil fuels meant they failed in responding to climate change.

‘‘Our window to act is shrinking and we must make meaningful changes now to secure our children’s future,’’ he said.

‘‘When all our energy comes from the sun, the wind and the flow of rivers, we won’t need to burn the fossil fuels that cause the climate crisis.’’

If elected to government, the party would train people for clean energy jobs, establish a multimilliondollar fund for renewable energy community projects, make it easier to build

wind turbines and stop new permits for new onshore fossil fuel extraction.

The Greens are also promising grants and loans so home and business owners can install solar panels, which would be installed in some public houses too. — RNZ