Climate change ‘almost absent’
Even in the biggest government spend-up in history, there is little funding for directly tackling climate change, activists say.
The rail network, waterway restoration and home insulation all received a boost, but Greenpeace described these investments as ‘‘loose change’’.
The environmental group had hoped to see significant investment in solar electricity generation and sustainable agriculture. Greenpeace executive director Dr Russel Norman said climate mitigation projects were ‘‘almost completely absent’’ from the Budget. ‘‘New Zealand’s on track to increase its net emissions by 20 per cent from 2005 to 2030, according to the latest assessment. It’s quite disappointing they haven’t chosen this moment, of a big spend, to try to change the trajectory.’’
The Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, which retrofits insulation and heating into the homes of lower-income New Zealanders, received a $56 million boost this year. The cash would cover another 9000 homes. However, 600,000 Kiwi homes are underinsulated, Norman said.
Norman was pleased to see the Budget set aside $1.2 billion for rail and ferry investment, up from $1b in 2019. However, government spending was still tipped heavily in favour of roads, Norman said.
Another key announcement was the $1.1b ‘‘green jobs’’ package. As part of the package to create 11,000 jobs, $433m was allocated to regional environmental projects including wetlands restoration, which can boost carbon sequestration, and the provision of fish passages.
Climate activist Cindy Baxter, of Coal Action Network Aotearoa, agreed the government’s ‘‘real climate test’’ would be the carbonintensity of its infrastructure projects.