NZ Emissions Trading Scheme

Over the Tasman the Australian government has introduced an unpopular carbon tax.  Meanwhile in NZ this government tries to avoid doing anything.

Govt puts off putting agriculture into ETS

Prime Minister John Key says the Government will wait for other countries to follow suit before introducing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Radio New Zealand

3 July, 2012

The Government has pushed out making any changes to the scheme until another review is held in three years.

Businesses in the ETS were to face higher costs from next year, but most sectors will continue to pay half the cost of their emissions.

And the Government says it will leave agriculture out of the ETS until at least 2015, despite 47% of the country's emissions coming from that sector.

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser told Morning Report there is no point in New Zealand leading the way if other countries like the United States and China are doing nothing.

He rejected claims agriculture is being subsidised and said New Zealand is the most carbon-efficient major farming country in the world.

Economist Cath Wallace of ECO told Morning Report that not making farmers pay for their emissions is deeply inefficient and unfair. She said New Zealand has to pull its weight.

She said the scheme is being significantly weakend at a time when the science is calling for urgent action.

Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson William Rolleston said New Zealand farmers have cut emissions by 1.2% per year for the past 20 years.