Climate Change
Climate change is a global challenge. The environment is our basic life support system and must remain in good health.
United Future's policy focuses on a 'carrot' approach to encourage the creation of new forest sinks via afforestation.
This is accompanied by a 'stick' approach through the devolution of Kyoto liabilities to foresters and farmers thus encouraging a reduction in emissions.
United Future's position:
- promote "no regrets" policies to address climate change – i.e. measures that will provide both environmental and economic benefits.
- seek solutions that offer positive alternatives to otherwise punitive measures e.g. rather than just a carbon tax on coal used to generate electricity (and higher costs for consumers), sequester the carbon or encourage the generator to plant a new forest.
- promote both public and private climate change initiatives e.g. working with the banks to finance home insulation and retro-fitting.
- support the creation of CO2 emissions trading mechanisms to provide economic incentives to reduce greenhouse gases and boost carbon capture and other greenhouse gas reduction/mitigation efforts.
Householders
United Future's position is to:
- continue to promote energy efficient homes and technology via the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
- require all existing dwellings sold to be assessed for energy efficiency (e.g. insulation, double glazing, heating methods, and use of solar energy) and given a standardised energy efficiency rating.
- require all new homes to be given a standardised energy efficiency rating based on insulation, double-glazing, heating methods, use of solar energy etc.
- require all flats and rental properties to be advertised as to whether or not they are insulated.
Transport
United Future's position is to:
- require that all new Government vehicle fleet purchases be hybrid vehicles where possible in order to help reduce the cost of purchasing and servicing such vehicles for all New Zealanders.
- implement policies to reduce the average age of New Zealand's vehicle fleet, thereby reducing average fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.
- actively encourage and mandate ethanol and other bio-fuel alternatives to petroleum based fuels.
- substantially boost investment in research and development for alternative energy systems and technologies (including hydrogen, ethanol and other biofuels).
Forestry and Agriculture
Forestry and agriculture are of fundamental importance to climate change policy.
The planting of new trees has the potential, over time, to move New Zealand to a position of carbon neutrality.
United Future's position is to:
- support the Permanent Forest Sinks Initiative because it creates an opportunity for further carbon sinks, and the trees also prevent soil erosion, the leaching of nitrates and the intrusion of stock into rural waterways.
- promote the planting of native trees and bush along or close by all inland waterways where practical, in order to act as carbon sinks, limit soil erosion and reduce agricultural runoff.
- Commencing immediately, devolve carbon credits to forest owners when a new or replacement plantation is planted. This will cover both the replanting of existing forests and new "green field" forests.
- United Future has yet to take a final position on the vexed question of devolving carbon credits earned on already growing trees, during the first Kyoto commitment period (2008-2012) and believes this issue requires further study.
- support the investment that is being made in scientific research by both the Government and Fonterra, in respect of methane emissions from ruminant animals.
Industry
United Future's position is to:
- remove regulatory barriers, including legislative barriers, to encourage new electricity generation using hydro, geothermal, wind and tide.
- make EECA the central funding agency for contestable funding programmes aimed at reducing long term energy consumption in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
- boost research and development funding through GNS Science for carbon sequestration from thermal electricity generating plants.
International
United Future's position is to:
- ensure that New Zealand meets its obligations under the first commitment phase of the Kyoto Protocol, through the "no regrets" and other initiatives set out above.
- consider joining other multilateral international efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. e.g. the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate that includes the United States, Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea.
- prepare a robust contingency plan of resettlement to cater for the thousands of Pacific Islanders who may be physically displaced by changing climatic conditions. New Zealand should play a full part in this plan in cooperation with other nations in our region.
Kyoto Protocol Changes
United Future believes that New Zealand should advocate for changes to the current Kyoto protocol rules at the end of the first commitment period in 2012 by:
- questioning the continued inclusion of methane emissions from ruminant animals within the protocol rules, since this is a naturally occurring part of a digestive process.
- advocating, together with other forest-growing nations, for an alteration to the current rules to reduce debits arising from the harvesting of trees to take account of the amount of carbon which is stored in wood products or in the stump and roots.
- advocating for a deforestation allowance in New Zealand's overall targets.