New Zealand Green party rates other parties on climate change policies

January 14, 2007

The Green party of Aotearoa New Zealand has ranked other political parties in New Zealand based on their policies and action taken on climate change. The results were announced at a Greens picnic today by co-leader, Doctor Russel Norman at his State of the Planet speech.

The top party was themselves, Labour (Government) in second with Dr Norman saying they are "too frightened to do what needs to be done,", the Māori party in third, then National, United Future, New Zealand First and lastly, ACT, leaving out Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition party from being ranked. According to the Greens, ACT is denying how important climate change really is.

However not even Dr Norman is satisfied being at the top of the list, stating that more can be improved on. "We have been leading the debate but we don't have all the answers." Dr Norman does say that if the Greens were not in Parliament then all the other parties would be "floundering" because they would not know what to do.

Dr Norman says that New Zealand needs to do our part in helping Earth face its biggest challenge.

In Dr Norman's speech he also encouraged the other parties to take more action regarding climate change. "The results show that while the parties are more than happy to jump aboard the climate change band wagon, when it comes down to it, there is still a lack of political will to take firm action."

Dr Norman said: "Most parties had yet to tackle the tough issue of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector - this sector accounts for about 50 percent of New Zealand’s total emissions. They fared only slightly better in increasing forested area and reducing emissions from the electricity sector."

Dr Norman said that we are heading towards a "global catastrophe."