Not too small to fight for climate
In August, Helen Clark tweeted an image of New Zealand transposed onto a map of Europe, showing Stewart Island floating in southern France and Cape Reinga stretching up into Denmark. After being shocked that people in France can drive for seven hours and be in Belgium, while we can drive for that long and still be in New Zealand or the ocean, I started to think that we’re not as small and insignificant as we’re made to think we are.
Geographically isolated? Yes. Person to square kilometre ratio less than half the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) average? Yes. No influential power on the international stage so there’s no point taking climate action? Absolutely not.
So maybe the idea that we shouldn’t be making an effort to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as a country because we’re so small and insignificant isn’t actually an appropriate excuse?
Our influential presence on the world stage is undeniable. We have challenged norms and put our foot down over issues which have almost cost us. Take the Nuclear Free Movement, which created so much international drama countries began to cut New Zealand out of economic markets, agreements and ally-ships. Robert Muldoon went as far as to call the movement and subsequent act which resulted from it the ‘‘Anzus termination bill’’.
More recently, our international presence has been strengthened by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s diplomatic and compassionate leadership over the last year. According to the Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, an analytical tool used to show the influence countries have in the region, New Zealand’s power has it 12th out of 25 nations in the region over the last year.
Our size and geographical isolation have let us get away with murder for long enough. While we account for only 0.17 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, New Zealand actually has the 5th-highest per capita emissions in the OECD out of the 36 member states. We can do better.
There’s no denying that large global powers such as China, the US and India are doing the majority of the damage in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, if we want to criticise the environmental policies of other countries, we need to be able to actually lead the way on our ‘‘100% Pure’’ tourism tagline. Ambitious environmental action comes with the benefits of protecting our wetlands, braided rivers, coastlines, native bush, bats, birds and oceans.
New Zealand is big enough, influential enough, and privileged enough to implement strong and ambitious climate change policies. The Zero Carbon Bill is a start, but we need to see more from both central and local government. We need to see more efficient freshwater management, better protection of endemic bird species ... I could go on, but the fact of the matter is we need to see bolder environmental policies.
We may be isolated and feel unimportant, but the notion that we are too insignificant to make a difference is a lie fed to us in order to continue business as usual. I’d be kidding myself if I thought we were going to make any of the aforementioned large powers turn their act around because we did, but we don’t have to do this alone.
By setting an example on environmental policy, we can be joined by smaller countries from across the world in applying pressure. It’s come to a point where everyone needs to act; governments, councils, businesses and individuals. If all these sectors can do that, we’ ll see change for the better.