| Long-term
goals
1. A staged reduction towards a long-term
goal of reducing by 2020 greenhouse gases to levels that do not affect
the climate. A 60% reduction in carbon dioxide and a 25% reduction in methane
is required.
Specific goals
2. Adopt at least a 20% cut in 2008-2012
greenhouse gas emissions over 1990 levels and ratify the Kyoto Protocol
to the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
3. A significant fiscally neutral
carbon charge should be applied at a rate greater than $50/tonne CO2.
4. Enhance New Zealand’s carbon stores
by controlling alien pests degrading native forests and by ending the logging
and clearance of indigenous forests.
5. Reject the "net" approach while
it suffers from great information uncertainties over the size and state
of potential and actual carbon sinks and may not result in an actual reduction
in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
6. Develop a national policy statement
on climate change under the Resource Management Act to provide national
consistency for the management of sources and potential sinks of greenhouse
gases.
Energy transition measures
7. Pass the Energy Efficiency Bill
and develop minimum energy performance standards.
8. Remove subsidies for roading both
direct and implicit. Cross-subsidies between car users and heavy transport
operators (who cause the greatest impact on roads) should be removed, as
should the cross-subsidies between ratepayers and drivers. (See transport
policy)
9. Remove government subsidies, tax
breaks, and promotion activities on fossil fuel exploration and mining;
10. Implement a transition from fossil
fuels to renewable sources, in particular wind and solar energy, including:
a) Removal of barriers to
energy efficiency with the aim of an initial improvement by the year 2005
of 20 percent on 1995 levels and implementation of mandatory minimum energy
performance standards.
b) Shift the Government’s entire
energy research and development budget into energy efficiency and renewable
energy by the year 2000 round of science funding decisions;
c) Continue the energy saver fund
of $2.5m per year, to address the institutional and information barriers
to energy efficiency.
Electricity sector
11. Overhaul energy pricing to reward
consumers who conserve energy. This should include removal of fixed line
charges.
12. Reject any sale to private interests
of publicly owned electricity generation, transmission and distribution
enterprises or assets until effective policies promoting energy efficiency,
environmental protection and the protection of other public interests have
been enshrined in law.
13. Oppose new hydro dams and thermal
power stations in favour of sustainable alternatives and set goals for
the installation of new renewable electricity sources by the year 2005.
(Note renewables do not include medium and large-scale hydro). |