We need to talk about the climate
New habits will come naturally with good policy but all parties must step up, says
The climate crisis is here now. Urgent action is needed by political leaders to address it. There’s no more time for foot-dragging and issue-avoiding. With the election approaching, Greenpeace Aotearoa, Forest & Bird and Oxfam Aotearoa have joined forces, calling for all political parties to step up.
Their Climate Shift campaign — focusing on real emissions reductions, support for frontline communities, and restoring and rewilding nature — is based on a 10-point plan.
They are not alone in this. Some 40 organisations — from the Environmental Defence Society and Sustainable Business Network to School Strike 4 Climate and Mindful Money — have committed their support. And, so far, nearly 13,000 Kiwis from around the country have signed the call for action.
Full details of the plan are outlined at climateshift.org.nz.
The plan calls for “real” emission reductions. What a good idea! New Zealand’s current plan is to meet about two-thirds of our international emission reduction commitments through the purchase of costly overseas carbon credits.
First up in the plan is the end of new oil, gas and coal exploration and extraction on land and at sea.
As Christine Rose, lead climate campaigner for Greenpeace, says, “We have to make oil history.”
To help pick up the slack, we’d transition to public and locally owned renewable electricity (supported by grants and equitable finance for the likes of household solar and community energy projects).
A move to more high-density, lowemissions communities would be helped by free public transport and suitable walking and cycling infrastructure.
New habits for getting around will come naturally with good public policy. The secret is to make the right choice an easy one.
Legally requiring local councils to factor dangerous temperature rise into all relevant decision-making, as suggested in the plan, is a stroke of genius. In my opinion, many councils currently give it little thought.
Moving on to address the thorny issue of agricultural emissions, the 10-point plan harks back to the loweremission farming days of old.
It calls for a phasing out of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and imported animal feed, reducing herd size, and banning new large-scale irrigation schemes.
This will seem harsh for those looking forward to business as usual but welcomed by farmers keen on a brighter future and new ways of doing things. It will also be equitable — ensuring that all sectors of the community share in the costs and are part of the solution.
The climate crisis is already having an impact on communities around the country, so adaptation is central to the plan.
Prohibiting new developments in coastal and river flood zones, for example, will help to minimise climate change effects as will managed retreat from high-risk areas where feasible.
And at the heart of the effort is nature. We cherish our native forests, wetlands and oceans for many special reasons.
They offer practical benefits too: storing huge amounts of carbon and helping to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events among them. Practical steps in the plan will help to preserve and protect them.
“The changing climate will become overwhelming if we let the change continue,” says James Renwick, climate scientist and author of Under the Weather: A Future Forecast for New Zealand.
“The Climate Shift Plan is a great template for action. The October election should be on the climate. We need to find out where all political parties stand on the Climate Shift plan, and then make our votes count.”