Rising emissions bring action call
New Zealand’s gross emissions increased 2.2% between 2016 and 2017, and 23.1% between 1990 and 2017, the latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory shows.
That’s prompted climate change minister James Shaw to say this shows why clear policies and actions the Government is proposing on climate change are needed, including transitioning the government’s fleet to EVs.
“Road transport emissions and fossil fuel-generated electricity production were the big drivers for the emissions increase we’ve seen between 2016 and 2017,” Shaw adds.
Net emissions, New Zealand’s gross emissions excluding carbon dioxide, have increased by 65% since 1990.
Shaw believes greenhouse gas emissions will reduce with government action, which includes passing climate change legislation into law this year, establishing an independent Climate Change Commission, banning future off-shore oil and gas exploration, establishing the New Zealand Green Investment Finance Ltd and putting $14 billion into public transport, cycleways and walkways.
The Greenhouse Gas Inventory is New Zealand’s official estimate of all human-generated greenhouse gas emissions and removals, released annually 15 months behind the calendar year to allow processing time.
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Blah Blah Blah.
This Government has squandered half of its term already. This Government has had plenty of opportunity to reduce emissions but it has failed to take the action required, even those actions easy to take.
This Government has no intention, or ability if it wants to get National to agree with any policy, to do what is required to combat a Climate Change catastrophe. At the end of this Government’s term our emissions will be higher than when it started. This is the real measure of Climate Change action.