The Government is calling on Kiwis to give their input on the proposed Zero Carbon Bill, which intends to "reduce New Zealand's emissions and build our resilience to climate change", the Climate Change Minister James Shaw said today.
"The impacts of climate change are already real with more damage caused by storms, droughts, coastal and river floods, which don’t just affect property but also have impacts on where and how New Zealanders live and work," Mr Shaw said in a statement.
"The economic analysis we've done shows that our economy can continue to grow as we reduce emissions and underlines the importance of innovation and planting trees."
He said taking action sooner will see a reduction of long term costs, as well as leading to a decrease in traffic congestion, and better water and air quality.
"There's no doubt that the change we need to make is significant but planning ahead gives us the best chance of maximising the opportunities and minimising the impacts of change so our transition is just and fair for people," Mr Shaw said.
The Government has revealed its ideas for a new law and now wants the public’s input.
"This is New Zealand’s chance to upgrade our economy. We can develop new jobs in areas like forestry, alternative energy, electric vehicles, agricultural research and more so we can take advantage of the change."
The big topics up for discussion are:
Corin Dann with this extended interview with Climate Change Minister James Shaw
· Should a new emissions reduction target for 2050 treat all gases that cause climate change the same, or should we take a different approach to different gases depending on whether they cause short-term or long-term warming?
· How do we ensure settings laid down in law provide the necessary certainty to business and communities?
· What’s the right balance of power between the Independent Climate Change Commission and the government of the day?
· And how should we manage the impacts of climate change and develop a plan to adapt?
For more information on the Zero Carbon Bill consultation, go to: ourclimateyoursay.nz
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