NZHerald article: Stop freezing the ETS!

A piece in the NZ Herald today recommends that the govt. should stop freezing the ETS:

"...the decision does harm to New Zealand's clean green brand. It
undermines our environmental integrity and makes us look silly on the
international stage.

In a world sensitive to environmental performance, it may have consequences for marketing of our primary products and could well impact on our attractiveness as an international tourist destination. We really must walk the talk on environmental policy. The Government should think again."

The rumblings are getting louder - get your letter written so the message gets through!

(thanks Stephanie for posting this link to the comments!)

Letter from an expat!

Here's another great letter that has been sent (supplied to us by email):

Dear Prime Minister,
I write as an expat, living and working in London, yet following the affairs of New Zealand with great interest. While I did not vote for your party, I hope that the next parliamentary term will nevertheless deliver some key results that I care about, in this case, relating to climate change.

I was impressed with the swiftness at which you negotiated with the smaller parties and in particular your inclusion of the Maori Party into your coalition arrangements. While I anticipated Act's inclusion, I was concerned to hear of the proposed review of climate change legislation, in particular the ETS. I am concerned because there was an agreement with Act that as part of this review, there will be a review of the basic science of whether climate change exists.

I am convinced through what I have seen in the world's varied media sources that 'disagreement' within the scientific world over the basic science of climate change is manufactured - it is the illusory product of the oft-embraced need to present 'balanced' reporting, that is, contrasting views on a particular subject. I am convinced of the concept of anthropogenic climate change, that is, factors relating to human behaviour that have aggravated environmental cycles on this planet.

New Zealand is a traditional maverick on the world stage in environmental matters: we have distinguished ourselves in our assured departure from ANZUS - to which you referred while here in London - and we capitalise on and encourage our "100%" clean, green image. Not a week goes by without my receiving some sort of recognition of New Zealand's image on the world stage - it is almost invariably one of respect, whether talking about our rugby players, our countryside, or more often (and in sometimes derisory terms), our sheep.

It is therefore most concerning that, at a time when the US president-elect Barack Obama is wielding the spotlight of world attention on to climate change, we should display such petulance and aloofness to assume that global scientists are not in satisfactorily majoritarian agreement of the basic science of climate change, and that a group of politicians from New Zealand should not need to take them seriously.

I would like you to do the following:
- Strike out the review of the basic science
- Insist on a narrow focus - primarily, the cost to New Zealand, economically and politically, of further delays

In light of the environmental demands I am making, I am sure you will appreciate my decision to communicate via email.

Finally, I would like to congratulate you on winning the election - my political beliefs notwithstanding - and I hope that you will provide in your leadership and the policies of your government the surest rebuttal to the National Party's prominent image as a bunch of Hollow Men.

Kind regards,
M.

Another great letter to look at!

Make Tea Not War has put her letter to John Key on her blog!

And a great letter it is too!

Advice from those who know

Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn has passed on a bit of advice he has received. It runs like this:

• The select committee will get set up through the "Business Committee" like normal (or through an informal equivalent if the Biz Cttee hasn't been put together properly yet)
• That means you can also target the people on the Biz Cttee who will influence things like the size and make-up of the Select Committee!

MPs to write to for this (just stick their name above "Parliament Buildings" and it will get to their desk):

• Darren Hughes and Steve Chadwick
• Meteria Turei (we think)
• Nathan Guy and Craig Foss
• Te Ururoa Flavell
• and Lockwood Smith, who as Speaker will chair the Business Committee.

The advice also says that aiming for 12 MPs doesn't go far enough!

"I'd be inclined to go for the full reduction ad absurdam, and not just 12 MPs on the cttee. Go for 24 or even 30! Make a real circus. In the unlikely event it was that big, a) the Nats would have to turn out en bloc every time to make sure they were not outvoted b) it would take up so much of people's time the focus would be narrow, to get the thing finished. "

So there you go - the latest word from those who know!

A letter gets posted...

Photographic evidence of posting a letter! Woo!

Someone blogged their letter!

Stronger Light has blogged the letter they sent to John Key.

Respect! Let's see some more!

Carbon News: NZ now a joke in Europe!

Scoop carries a press release from Carbon News, a website full of detailed info about the financial carbon trading markets. The world doesn't like the signals from Rodney-ised John Key:

“We have just fallen off the radar in Europe,” he said. “They are saying ‘all you do is talk. You’ve been talking since 1992. You are all talk and no action. You maintain that you are so clean and green and try to be leaders and all you do is nothing. You make a decision and then you change your minds. How can we do business with people like that? We can’t take your seriously’.”

There's more, pointing out that the economics of the world are shifting and we have to start catching up:

PricewaterhouseCoopers partner and sustainability specialist Julia Hoare says New Zealand business will have to account for its carbon – regardless of whether it is through an emissions trading scheme or a carbon tax.

“The sooner New Zealand businesses understand what a price on carbon means – whether it’s delivered through an ETS or through a carbon tax – the better... Whatever the politics and mechanics of it might be, we are moving into a carbon-constrained world, and business has to understand that.”