Climate change is a global challenge that through international and domestic cooperation can be managed to mitigate the risks whilst, in a New Zealand context, presenting a range of opportunities for environmental sustainability and social and economic development.

UnitedFuture believes that the benefits of responsible and practical action now will be realised in the long-term health and prosperity of New Zealand’s environment and its people.
The environment is our basic life support system and must remain in good health. If people want to use the environment for outdoor recreation, economic development, or to simply admire and appreciate it, then it must be used in ways that do not cause permanent widespread damage or compromise the needs of future generations to meet their own needs, that is in ways that are sustainable.

Achieving Zero Carbon by 2050:

Set framework to achieve zero carbon by 2050 with Zero Carbon Act (as proposed by Generation Zero);

• Set long term and short term goals, with legally binding long-term targets;
• Produce policy plans to meet carbon budgets;
• Create pathway of five-year carbon budgets to monitor progress;
• Create independent Climate Commission to guide the transition;
• Create firewall between domestic and international carbon trading to ensure we’re meeting our goals.

Planting for our future:

Create carbon sinks across NZ, that also prevent soil erosion, the leaching of nitrates and the intrusion of stock into rural waterways;

• Encouraging planting of native bush along our rivers and streams with funding for community and council.
• Move towards a requirement to have river and stream banks planted, in order to act as carbon sinks, limit soil erosion and reduce agricultural runoff;
• Encourage landowners to return non-viable farming land to native forest in order to create carbon sinks;
• Plant native trees throughout New Zealand to offset our carbon emissions.

Reduce our emissions:

Take a variety of practical actions across New Zealand to reduce our carbon emissions;

• Encouraging micro-generation of power for households with dedicated grant;
• Improving change over to electric vehicles with subsidy for transition and building charging stations;
• Improving public transport in cities like Auckland;
• Support greener economy like the digital economy and innovative approaches to traditional industries.

Prepare for the impacts of climate change:

In addition to attempts to limit greenhouse gases and environmental damage, we must plan for the impacts of climate change;

• Investigate humanitarian resettlement plan for the thousands who will be physically displaced by rising sea levels in the Pacific region, such as the Tokelaus, Tuvalu and Kiribati;
• Work with regional and local councils to begin preparing for rising sea levels and extreme weather events, including creation of dedicated infrastructure fund.

Protected our environment;

• Secured a doubling of EECA funding for homeowners to take up solar energy in their homes and to encourage other home energy efficiency improvements (2004 Budget).
• Blocked attempts to remove principles of the Resource Management Act (RMA) that would’ve seen the environment ruined for pure economic gain.
• Water quality standards have now been included for the first time in the Ministry for the Environment’s Sustainable Water Programme of Action.