Bold policy calls vital to cut emissions

The Government needs to hold firm on future environmental policies. Big decisions are whether to ban all new mining on Department of Conservation land and whether to ban single-use plastic bags. Both will be pitched as radical by some, but things have to change.

Under climate change projections, sea levels will rise between 30cm and 1m by the century’s end. Average temperatures are expected to rise several degrees. This will bring more floods, damaging storms, drought, species decline and ocean acidification.

Floating islands of plastic and marine animals choked with consumer junk shock us all. Yet despite near-consensus about the need to do something, we struggle to implement change.

The Government copped a backlash for banning future offshore gas and oil exploration. Much criticism focused on the “rushed” way the ban was announced. That’s a reminder that these policies need be carefully managed, but it’s increasingly obvious neither coal nor single-use plastic bags have a longterm future.

Single-use plastic bags are already banned in the UK and California, a ban is pending in New York and strict controls in China have dramatically reduced the bags’ use.

Meanwhile, West Coasters protesting at government mining policy are concerned about their economic futures. Ruling out mining of substantial coal reserves on DoC land is, as they fear, a signal that coal mining is in decline.

The debate might be different if we were talking about lithium or other highly valuable rare earth metals.

Coasters are not unique in having their working world turned upsidedown. Rapid social and technological change is disrupting every workplace from corporate towers of Queen St to checkout counters at The Warehouse, which announced big job cuts last week. We can no longer expect our children to do the jobs we did before them. What Kiwis will do instead is a big question.

It has been argued New Zealand still needs coal to fire its power stations. In fact, West Coast coal is exported. Coal for the Huntly power station comes from the Waikato.

Not replacing existing South Island mines will eventually mean higher prices. Humans are economically driven. If coal stays cheap and abundant, we will continue to rely on it, which we can’t do.

Figures from 2016 show New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions have risen nearly 20 per cent from 1990 levels. We have committed to cut emissions to 11 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030. Without bold policy calls now we won’t get there. There’s nothing like having your first prostate examination to get you contemplating your mortality.

I’ve reached that age where I can expect to be poked and prodded regularly to make sure I’m running properly. It can no longer be denied that I’m on a journey — a slow one I hope — to the end. Quite naturally I’ve been thinking more and more about what I want to happen when I die.

Some would argue family should have the largest say in funeral arrangements, as they’ll be the ones grieving.

But I’m not of that thinking. What happens to our bodies after death is part of the story of our lives. Writing the final script for it is something I’d like to have, if possible, some control over. I want the end to be appropriate

It’s increasingly obvious neither coal nor single-use plastic bags have a long-term future.