[Sust-mar] New Zealand aims to be world's first carbon-neutral country

[Janet Larkman]

New Zealand should aim to be world's first carbon-neutral country, leader
says

The Associated Press
Published: February 13, 2007

WELLINGTON, New Zealand: New Zealand's leader on Tuesday set her people the
ambitious goal of becoming the world's first greenhouse gas-neutral country,
and pledged big emission cuts by government and set compulsory targets for
biofuel use as initial steps.

In her first major speech to Parliament for 2007, Prime Minister Helen Clark
likened the threat of climate change to that of nuclear holocaust during the
Cold War, and said New Zealand must lead the way in combatting it.

"I believe New Zealand can aim to be the first nation to be truly
sustainable across the four pillars of the economy, society, the
environment, and nationhood," Clark said. "I believe we can aspire to be
carbon neutral in our economy and way of life."

She announced a series of measures committing New Zealand to environmental
targets that no other developed nation has been prepared to consider — an
ambitious agenda given New Zealand already is struggling to meet its Kyoto
Protocol commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2012.
Among measures Clark announced was that clean-burning biofuels must make up
3.4 percent of fuel sold in the country by 2012 to replace gasoline and
diesel, and a campaign to help households save energy and cut waste.

She said all 47 government agencies would take immediate steps toward the
aim of becoming carbon neutral by using energy efficient transport and
buildings, and slashing fuel bills. The government would use only recycled
paper and other environmentally friendly products.

The government would hold meetings with business and farm groups to
encourage those sectors to adopt more environmentally friendly approaches.
Opposition National Party leader John Key ridiculed the environmental plan,
saying it would have an insignificant effect on global warming.

But it was welcomed by New Zealand's Business Council for Sustainable
Development, a group of companies who promote energy efficiency and other
environmental goals, as a "sea change in the way the country will handle
climate change and protect its trading position for long term success."

Clark said New Zealand could set an example for the world on climate change
as it did in the 1980s with its nuclear free policies — a stand that
included bans on nuclear-powered ships that strained relations with military
allies such as the United States.

"Two decades ago it was the threat of nuclear war destroying the world as we
knew it which galvanized New Zealand to become nuclear free," she said,
adding that the policy had since become "central to our national identity."
"So it must be with this century's environmental sustainability challenge,"
she said. "We have to make a stand for our world, and for our own sake."


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.4/705 - Release Date: 2/27/2007
3:24 PM