Nats’ climate negligence

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1. vto 1

   13 November 2014 at 7:56 am

   It will all fall on deaf ears as this government, its cronies in Fed Farmers, it business hacks like Graeme Harrison of Anzco, and its general supporters will close their eyes and cry …. la la la ,,,, not listening not listening …… tra la la …….

   …must irrigate …. must cut down kauri ….. must dig coal ……… must take more fish …… must build more roads ………

   they really are the great unthinkers

   the Neanderthals of our time
2. Chooky 2

   13 November 2014 at 8:31 am

   and Matthew Hooton does PR spins for John Key and Nact ( on radio nz nineto noon)…all his comments on climate change should be set out and exposed for all to see
   • Areobubble 2.1

     13 November 2014 at 11:10 am

     +1

     Yeah, heard about the agreement on the free Arab news station.

     Just on that. Why do we feed stories of unrest and strife in the middle east,
     Which is the main fare of this free view channel, the only international news.
     Just where does Key think Kiwi supporters of ISIS get motivated, uptodate, news.
     Its neo-liberalism, let the oil money peddle our international perspective to the poorest in society.

     But heres the thing, markets don’t make markets, people do. Citizens motivated by the current incentives government legislate or not. So the craziness of neo-liberalism is that we ignore governmet (to let markets work) in fact its governments doing the choosing. So neo-liberalism means not overseeing government.
   • BLiP 2.2

     13 November 2014 at 11:40 am

     ‘

     Never mind Matthew fucking Hooton. The National Ltd™ Cult of John Key’s record on the environment should be set out and exposed for all to see. Since becoming Prime Minister, John Key and his Ministers have . . .

     been caught out repeatedly lying in the run up to and during the election campaign about its real intentions in relation to the environment

     celebrated the opening of the foreign-owned Pike River Coal Ltd mine on DOC land adjacent to the Paparoa National Park from which 1 megatonne of coal will be extracted per year for the next 20 years – Pike River Coal Ltd has announced that it has found additional coal in the national park

     cancelled a proposed efficiency standard (MEPS) on incandescent lightbulbs

     reversed a moratorium on building new gas/oil/coal power stations

     removed the bio fuel subsidy

     scrapped the scheme that would have penalised imported vehicles producing high emissions

     removed regulations for water efficient new housing by Order in Council

     renewed leases on sensitive high country farms which were meant to return to DOC

     reversed restrictions on the freeholding of vast swathes of land on the edge of the Southern Lakes

     arbitrarily excised 400 hectares from the brand new Oteake Conservation Park, including the most important and, ecologically, the rarest part of the new Park, the tussock and shrubland that went right down to the banks of the Manuherikia River, to enable future access to lignite

     said nothing to say in regard to the World Commission on Protected areas of IUCN’s severe criticism of its intention to investigate mineral resources and mining opportunities in protected conservation areas including our three UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Te Wahi Pounamu-South West New Zealand, Tongariro National Park and the Sub Antarctic Islands

     approved two prospecting permit applications lodged by Australian iron-ore giant Fortescue Metals Group subsidiary FMG Pacific lodged in June – areas covered by the two-year permits include an 8204-square-kilometre area of seabed adjoining the west coast from Cape Reinga to the Manukau Harbour and a 3798-square-kilometre prospecting area of land from Cape Reinga to the Kaipara Harbour including Ninety Mile Beach, the west side of the Aupouri Peninsula, Kaitaia and the Hokianga.

     approved an additional prospecting permit for Fortescue Metals in relation to 3568sq km right next door to the Kahurangi National Park where the Heaphy Track is

     was forced to release its Ministry of Economic Development (MED) report under the Official Information Act that proclaims “significant mineral potential” in the Fiordland, Kahurangi and Paparoa national parks – the report said the Waitutu area of the Fiordland National Park had sufficient petroleum reserves to be “worthy” of inclusion in a review of conservation land protected from mining

     secretly granted the minerals industry the right to veto proposed National Park boundaries and permission for any such vetoes to be kept confidential – in spite of recommendations from its own officials against any such a veto

     called for caring New Zealanders to halt their “emotional hysteria” and recognise that conservation land should be mined for minerals and went on to say “Mining in a modern, technological way can have a negligible effect”

     rubished the Department of Conservation (“Canterbury Farming” June 2010 issue – now offline) suggesting it was incapable of looking after the high country reserves and parks under its control

     gutted the home insulation scheme

     pulled $300 million out of public transport, walking and cycling schemes and added it to a pot of $2 billion to ‘upgrade’ state highways

     changed the law to provide billions of dollar in subsidies for polluters via the ETS casino

     begun a process of gutting the Resource Management Act to make it difficult/impossible for the public to lodge appeals against developers

     removed the ability of Auckland to introduce a fuel levy to fund planned public transport upgrades

     left electrification of the Auckland rail network up in the air without promised funding commitments and then came through with a dodgy loan scheme and then unilaterally reorganised the local government structure before finally setting about the privatisation-by-stealth model when busting KiwiRail

     removed the programme to make Government Departments ‘carbon neutral’ and also began its first wave of public sector redundancies starting with the Ministry for the Environment which was responsible for the scheme

     removed funding for public tv advertising on sustainability and energy efficiency

     pulled funding for small-town public litter bin recycling schemes

     displayed cabinet ministers expressing public support the bulldozing of Fiordland

     reduced Department of Conservation funding by $54 million over three years

     cancelled funding for the internationally acclaimed ‘Enviroschools’ programme

     usurped the democratic role of local Councils of determining policies for their citizens by requiring the abandonment of the efficient and well-established tree protection rules for urban areas

     set about revamping Auckland governance in a way that is likely to greatly reduce the ‘Environmental Watchdog’ role of the the current Regional Council (since completely fucked it up with the SuperShitty)

     removed Auckland’s metropolitan limits and opened the gateway for unfettered urban sprawl

     defended internationally the importation of rain-forest-wrecking palm kernel and stood silent while Federated Farmers called Greenpeace “despicable” criminals, traitors, and robbers

     stood silent while Godfrey Bloom, a Member of the European Parliament and infamous Climate Change Denialist, publicly rejoiced in the 1985 bombing of the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior – who was doing so while standing on a dock next to the replacement vessel

     took a 0% emissions reduction target to Copenhagen. Yes, seriously, that isn’t a misprint – that was the lower bound of their negotiation platform – then missed the 01/02/10 deadline for commitment to action it had agreed to – meanwhile 55 of the 80 countries which attended did make the deadline

     secretly cancelled the internationally recognised scheme for the mandatory labelling of exotic woods to ensure the timber has not been taken from rain forests in direct contradiction of its own statements made at the 13th World Forestry Congress in Argentina

     supported the Department of Conservation’s decision to open up the pristine Cathedral Cove to an ice-cream franchise

     gave the Department of Conservsation $1.7 million to further develop commercial activities on DOC land and started an “off set” plan allowing company’s to damage the conservation estate if they agree to improve land elsewhere – no monitoring regime has been suggested on put in place

     left DOC director-general Al Morrison to announce that DOC is to charge for services that had been free and, to soften the public up to the idea that there will be more “energy generation schemes” operating on DOC land

     took no action to reduce existing pollution pouring into the Manawatu River and is “leaving it up to industry” to come up with solutions to heal the river which was described by the Cawthorn Institute as “one of the worst polluted in the Western world”

     announced a $1.69 million industry subsidy to kick start marine farming without identifying no-go areas nor putting in place a consultation process for individiuals, communities, and other general coastal users

     been forced to release documents under the Official Information Act which confirm that DOC has “giving up” on ecologically valuable high-country land in the Mackenzie Basin because of funding cuts. The released documents cite “statements made by ministers”, “diminishing funding” and the Government’s new high-country policies as reasons for the changed stance – the comments from DOC were made after Land Information New Zealand (Linz), which manages the tenure review process, ignored DOC’s previous conservation recommendations for the farms

     used former National Party minister and current director of Open Country Cheese – a company convicted of filthy farming practices and found by the supreme court to be a dodgy employer – Wyatt Creech to head up an enquiry into Environment Canterbury which had been standing up the dairy farmers’ demands for more and more water resources and less and less regulation. The Creech report recommended the Environmental Canterbury be sacked and replaced with government appointments and the voters of Canterbury do without democracy until the water situation had been resolved. The Canterbury area holds 50 percent of New Zealand’s fresh water reserves and 50 percent of the water required for hyrdo energy. The Creech report said Environmental Centerbury put too much focus on the environment

     been subjected to international condemnation for knowing next to nothing about the parlous state of the New Zealand fisheries

     bucked international trends and poured more acid on the 100% Pure brand and increases the bluefin tuna quota

     squirmed when New Zealand is subject to international criticism for its backing of commericial whaling which National Ltd supports

     funded Government-owned company Solid Energy runs an essay competition entitled “ The role of coal in sustainable energy solutions for New Zealand” for school children. First prize is a trip to New Zealand’s largest coal customer, China.

     supported access fees for entrance onto DOC walkways – fee introduced following cuts to DOC’s budget.

     pressed on with PR bullshit about how New Zealand’s environment would profit from mining national parks, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

     Department of Conservation director-general Al Morrison said the conservation estate created “opportunities to do a whole lot for a lot of different people . . . we’ve got to get away from this idea that somehow we have to protect one-third of New Zealand for a certain constituency and put it in a jar of formaldehyde and leave it

     created random fantasies of abundant wealth to promote all forms of mining

     ignored reports on sustained non-compliance with resource consents and worsening pollution of water ways.

     ignored its own Ministers possible conflicts of interest

     done nothing as both its own SOE Meridian and the Department of Conservation to withdraw appeals against an 85m high damn with a 14km long reservoir on conservation land.

     granted Energy Resources permission to ship Australian yellowcake uranium ore through New Zealand.

     apologised but does nothing else for breaching the Treaty of Waitangi by granting a mining exploration permit to Brazilian company Petrobras

     continued to remove environmental protection powers from local authorities

     totally reversed gains made in the protection of National Parks and other high-value conservation areas in the South Island.

     commenced a divide-and-rule strategy by attempting to paint New Zealanders interested in protecting the environment as outside of the “mainstream” and in defence of the fact that the media is catching to its bare-faced lies in the lead up to the 2008 election

     carried on with more lies by talking about modern mining like that at Reefton being carried out by Oceana Golds as being like “key hole surgery”

     appeared to believe that the tourists it is attempting to bring to New Zealand are all blind and won’t see for themselves the impact of the dairy farming it is subsidising to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars

     appeared itself to be blind when it comes to the Chairman of Fonterra

     forced the Commissioner for the Environment to delay the release of a report into the ramifications for climate change in regard to lignite mining and proposals to convert the lignite into diesel

     employed financial sleight of hand in shuffling funds towards business interests and away from community groups looking to protect the environment

     made more empty promises when a report showing that a third of New Zealand lankes have poor quality water is released

     backed down on promises to protect New Zealand children (and the environment cleaner by more informed disposal) from harmful chemicals by improving labeling and imposing mandatory standards on containers

     Ignored the findings by attacking the messenger when a World Health Organisation report confirms that New Zealand’s main centres have the worst air in Australasia and Auckland is the most polluted with twice the concentration of damaging airborne particles as Sydney.

     studiously ignored so as to take piss about dire warnings concerning the quality of drinking water in Reidstone

     failed to mention in its 100% Pure promotions that visitors to the Kerikeri Basin near the Stone Store – one of Northland’s iconic tourism and heritage sites – could come face-to-face with warning signs telling them the water is polluted

     failed to mention in its 100% Pure promotions that tourists in the Coromandel could come face to face with New Zealand’s environmental standards when finding hundreds of dead snapper washed up on Beaches

     presented bogus evidence concerning air pollution

     made more empty promises in relation to air pollution while also extending deadlines for local councils to reduce air pollution

     extended deadlines for businesses previously require to reduce air pollution by 2013

     put tourism operators in Akaroa at risk by refusing to make the harbour a marine reserve . . . and then rubs salt into their wounds

     done nothing after the United Nations finds that National Ltd™’s targets for reducing pollution are not consistent with the measures put in place to achieve those targets

     attempted to defend the Emissions Trading Scheme from comparisons with the Australian model while Environment Minister Nick Smith indicates there’s little chance of the two schemes being integrated any time soon

     then further slowed down the implentation of New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme

     allowed major retailers to reap the benefits of its earlier and secret decision to abandon the mandatory labelling of exotic woods after it is found that the retailers are contributing to the death of native Australian forests despite an independent, year-long investigation which finds otherwise

     tried to keep a meeting between John Key and mininng company Anadarko’s boss secret. The company is responsble for a massive oil spill and is looking to to start drilling off New Zealand soon

     continued to ignore yet more evidence of farmers failing to comply with environmental regulations

     handed over $400 million to farmers to extend water storage and allow for more land to be used for dairy farms. No mention or provision is made for additional protections required to deal with the increased pollution

     failed to point out in its 100% Pure promotion that tourists (and locals) should avoid the Opihi River along State Highway 1 because of the risk of exposure to toxins from phormidium

     failed to point out in its 100% Pure promotions that tourists arriving at New Zealand’s “nuclear free” sea ports will be sharing the environment with up to 5,000 tonnes of radioactive yellow cake uranium

     lied about how bad the RMA is

     ignored top scientists and academics who point out that its underfunding of the Department of Conservation will send more species into extinction and hurt its 100% Pure image.

     Ignored John Key making an international arse out of himself in regard to New Zealand’s 100% Pure image

     carried on with its lies as New Zealand is identified as jeoparising its good name by allowing us to become one of a small number of states stalling progress in forming an international climate agreement
     kept stringing us along even after Next thing, New Zealand received the 2nd place Fossil Award for “proposing the most Flexible Mechanism imaginable with no oversight or review. Bring on the wild west. They want to be able to use any market mechanisms they wish with absolutely no oversight or international review! There would be no way to ensure that the units from one mechanism have not been sold two or three times to another such mechanism. This would likely unleash a wild west carbon market with double or triple counting of offsets and a likely increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.”

     stood silent when Fonterra was caught out lying by overstating its farmer’s compliance on excluding stock from waterways by 100%

     put World class surfing waves and Maui’s dolphin’s at Raglan at severe risk by encouraging a proposed iron ore seabed mining in New Zealand’s coastal waters

     never followed up after the scientific models created by New Zealand and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to allow fishing are called into question

     set the scene for our children heading down to the park to find an overseas’ owned company had set up a dairy farm in one corner. Over time the shit builds up

     ignored data which shows the expansion of fish-farming in the Marlborough Sounds could cause unacceptable changes in the coastal environment

     strategically removed the word “environment” from the lexicon of local and central government

     failed to tell the tourists it hopes to attact with its 100% Pure campaign that every year, New Zealand drops huge quantities of poison-laced food into its forest ecosystems; enough poison to kill its human population 4 times over, every year. No country has ever done anything remotely similar, on such a scale

     failed to tell the tourists it hopes to attract with its 100% Pure campaign that more than a third of Auckland’s beaches fail water quality checks and are closed for swimming

     ignored the closing of the beaches, this time as extremely high concentrations of the bacteria enterococci are identified
     ignored Ministerial conflicts of interest, this time involving John Key who is identified as shareholder in the Bank Of America which is backing mining in New Zealand and Australia . . . even when more information is made available . . . and more information . . . and more information

     pressed on with additional policies that move away from the protection of the environment towards exploitation

     limited , as part of its effort to cash-in on the environment, access to some of New Zealand’s most endangered species and isolated islands only to those who those who contribute financially displacing conservation staff and scientists

     ignored a World Wildlife Fund report, Beyond Rio, which makes clear New Zealand now risks some of the highest rates of biodiversity loss on Earth unless urgent action is taken

     continued to give confidence to Fonterra director Colin Armer being convicted and fined $72,000 for “fouling” a Bay of Plenty waterway after a judge found he could have prevented the pollution were it not for his “systemic” failure to monitor what was happening on his company’s farm

     lied when it said New Zealand has the environmental laws and regulations to control oil and gas development on the continental shelf because there is no equivalent of the Resource Management Act to control oil and gas activity outside of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles offshore).
     lied when it had already agreed coastal plans to allow marine farming consent holders in the Waikato and Marlborough to move from mussel farming to finfish farming without considering the additional environmental effects imposed

     placed short-term business interests ahead of long-term consequences to New Zealand’s environment, particularly biodiversity by allowing damage in one area on the condition that it be “off set” in another creating a dangerous precedent in that such a provisin means that one part of biodiversity can be wrecked in return for “protecting” an area that was never under threat anyway.

     promoted proposals that include include a plant producing about 2 billion litres of diesel per year, using at least 12 million tonnes of lignite per year and another producing 3 billion litres using 12-17 million tonnes of lignite annually. A further project would produce by 2016 1.2 tonnes of the nitrogenous fertiliser, urea, using 2 million tonnes of lignite annually

     tried to hide the fact that its Department of Conservation was ordered to permit Meridian to to build a damn on the Mohikinui River despite its position that “the public conservation land within the Mokihinui River has such high value that it is most unlikely to be suitable for exchange at all

     continued to ignore the slow-motion extinction of Maui’s dolphins:

     gone into hiding after it was discovered that significant cuts to the Ministry for the Environment in the 2012 Budget are not publicly detailed or announced

     continued to ignore its international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to “protect and preserve” the martime environment

     refused in the face of repeated calls to set national standards for water quality despite mounting evidence of the need to do so

     further weakened protection for wild rivers in Canterbury with the ECan Act and indicates that further weakening provisions will follow.

     rubber stamped a motorway project with no economic benefit and likely to waste over $1 billion of tax payers’ funds.

     been forced to admit that it has spent $1.67 million in a survey of minerals on the West Coast of New Zealand, including within the Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand world heritage area. Te Wahipounamu is one of 183 natural heritage

     secretly ordered that world heritage sites on the West Coast be surveyed as part of a $3 million mineral study spanning more than 16,000 square kilometres. The survey was only puiblicy revealed after Green MP Catherine Delahunty asked for details in a parliamentary question

     appointed thoroughtly unsuitable but politically useful members to the Establishment Board for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

     facilitated by neglect the employment of inexperienced managers, making poor policy decisions resulting in additional threats to New Zealand’s biosecurity.

     under resourced New Zealand’s biosecurity system to such an extent that it is fundamentally flawed preventing any way of identifying how the Kiwifruit killer virus got into New Zealand and, thus, no way of preventing it from happening again.

     handed over a further $80 million to business and farmers to subsidise their pollution.

     ignored its own guidelines to provide consent the Milford Dart tunnel and Fiordland Link Experience which would otherwise never have been granted.

     appointed an advisory group to recommend a significant rewrite of the Resource Management Act to remove references to the protection of coastal areas, wetlands, lakes and rivers and indigenous flora and fauna.

     splashed tax payer cash around its consultants considering conservation and environmental protection of the Mackenze Basin and Waitaki Valley

     further weakened the resource consent process for foreign-owned mining companies,

     locked New Zealanders out of the consultation process on the alloting of areas being made available for resource exploration.

     ignored the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and scrapped government grants for solar water heating

     used the Navy along with police and Crown Law to bully environmental protesters in a legal case they knew could not be won

     put 23 massive blocks of deep and wild waters east of Wellington and Dunedin on the international market for exploratory oil drilling

     allowed its own consultants do a u-turn on the economic benefits of additional roading and then handed them a $200 million contract for further consultation work

     Supported the Department of Conservation into granting foreign-owned multinational mining company OceanaGold permission to destroy 55 hectares of beech forest so as to extend its Reefton mine to a total 81 hectares without public notification

     envouraged the Minerals Industry Association to bully local authorities to step aside from what little environmental protections they are able to impose

     reduced its environment agencies to little more than a ramshackle collection of underfunded and ineffective small back offices with no direction or policy for dealing with the vast marine resources of New Zealand

     eroded New Zealand’s bio-security to such an extent that Christchurch Airport is found to have failed at a basic level

     removed the directive terms “protect”, “preserve”, “maintain” and “enhance” from the RMA fundamentally weakening the legislation and deliberately introducing confusion as to its overall intent.

     futher ensured that New Zealand tax payers continue to subsidise 95% of big polluters’ emissions

     drastically reduced the size of proposed marine reserves off the West Coast so much so that one advocate says they are “an insult” to those who spent years trying to establish them

     instructed its delegates at the world’s largest conservation conference , the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s conference in Korea, to oppose any further measures to protect Maui and Hector dolphins in defiance of 117 other countries and 460 environmental organisations requesting New Zealand ban gill and trawl nets in waters up to 100 metres deep

     lied about the environmental impact of fraking

     refused to enforce its own legislation to protect the environment

     ignored concerns about fracking which has seen the practise banned around the world

     twisted the knife by exploiting news of redundancies at Solid Energy in a statement which claims opponents to a proposed mine are “getting in the way of” potential jobs as part of an effort to discourage legal action

     changed to law allowing a consideration of the effects on climate change to allow Australian-owned mining company Bathurst Resources (also known as Buller Coal) to build a 200-hectare open-cast coal mine on the plateau and excavate 80 million tonnes of coal that, when burnt, will release about 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

     further ensured the extinction of New Zealand sea lions by failing to extend necessary fishing restrictions

     failed to protect the New Zealand marine environment and ignored international obligation with its Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Act oil drilling legislation

     continued to obfuscate and dither while More than half of monitored recreational sites on our rivers are declared unsafe for swimming

     ignored its own scientific evidence and advice from its own authorities to lock-in tax payer funding of business which pollutes New Zealand’s air

     refused to enforce its own laws in respect to water pollution

     changed the law to make it more difficult to build a deck on a house than it is to drill for oil

     avoided its international obligations “to ensure the conservation and management of sharks and their long-term sustainable use” while its fishers carry on with the barbaric practise of shark finning.

     ignored public support for conservation by ordering another round of cuts to the Department of Conservation.

     stood alone at the world’s largest conservation summit and voted against more protection for species at risk

     further gutted environmental protection legislation to speed up the building consent process for developers

     vancelled without notice the five-yearly State of the Environment report put together by the Ministry of the Environment, the report is the largest stock-take of trends relating to land, water, air, plants and animals

     abandoned the Kyoto agreement completely

     allowed its on lobbyist to publicly attack a prominent New Zealand scientist for speaking truth about New Zealand’s environment in an effort to silence the accurate reporting of scientific evidence

     attracted international mockery for the fact that the pristine landscape featured in The Hobbit and used as the basis for the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign as fantastical as dragons and wizards

     remained “relaxed” about the fact that New Zealand is now the 18th worst out of 189 nations when it came to preserving its natural environment

     pulled out of Kyoto just weeks after the OECD reports that global greenhouse gas emissions could rise 50 per cent by 2050 without more ambitious climate policies, as fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix

     laughed when New Zealand received two “Fossil of the Day” – first-equal and second place – awards on the first day of international climate talks in Doha, Qatar

     used Hobbiton – Waikato – as the centrepiece of its 100% Pure campaign when the area is the country’s major source of pollution to the Hauraki Gulf

     handed over responsibility for the monitoring and reporting of fraking activity , for which it has inadequate legal protections, to the foreign-owned multi-nationals which are carrying out that activity thus totally ignoring its own Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

     lied, obfuscated and used government resources to attack and undermined local authority plans to improve water quality
     sanctioned an unnamed foreign-owned multinational to go ahead with a major road through pristine South Island National Parks

     employed disingenuous gobbledeegook to defend its decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Agreement.

     turned a deaf ear to calls for New Zealand to assist pacfic island nations by taking a stronger position on climate change

     displayed contempt for existing agreements and Environment Case law by approving new salmon farms in recreational areas within the Marlborough Sounds

     refused to investigate the impact on increasing use of neonicotinoid pesticides which is likely to be a major contributor to the sudden and dramatic decline (aka colony collapse disorder) of the New Zealand honey bee population, National Ltd™ also refused to consider the development of a strategy to protect what is left of the honey bee population.

     lied about its commitment to addressing climate change

     failed to monitor Sanford Ltd’s pollution resulting in an international embarrassment

     allowed foreign-owned multinationals to proceed with oil exploration without the financial resources available to mitigate any environmental damage should it occur

     been caught out ignoring its own advice on implementing environmental monitoring procedures

     used changes to the Resource Management Act to remove local authorty’s rights and planning for the protection of trees

     commenced removing local authority’s rights to plan for housing

     allowed more than 53 percent of Canterbury’s major water users to avoid having meters installed

     mixed the cooperative model of climate change negotiations with the competitive model used in trade negotiations, thus putting outcomes in both areas a risk

     ducked questions asking for evidence as to the safety of genetically engineered food

     ignored the fact that New Zealand carbon credits are no longer the unit of choice in the New Zealand’s own carbon market. Figures from the official Emission Unit Registry show that emitters who initially supported NZUs are now using a range of international units to meet their carbon obligations under the Emissions Trading Scheme

     used highly dodgy figures in calculating the reduction New Zealand’s net carbon emissions by including trees due to be harvested in the next few years

     ignored news that New Zealand’s first glyphosate resistant weed has been found and the resulting call for the use of glyphosate (Monsanto’s “Roundup”) to cease

     stayed silent for five months after being advised that Fonterra’s milk product were contaminated with dicyandiamide (DCD) and now face an international backlash.

     set no maximum level of contamination of dicyandiamide (DCD) (AKA cyanoguanidine) in milk products for consumption by New Zealanders, stood silent while the farming industry says the withdrawal of dicyandiamide (DCD) will result in yet more pollution of New Zealand’s waterways

     stood silent as NIWA announced findings of research which showed 20 per cent of marine life in the Milford Sounds port area could be killed off as a result of copper leaching from anti-fouling paints on boat hulls

     secretly without consultation and any right of appeal used a short-term draconian law to ammend a water conservation order for the Rakaia River

     been locked out of the international carbon market because of its trucculent attitude

     continued in its efforts to eliminate tree protection of any kind in Auckland and elsewhere

     stood alone as the only developed country not to have tabled an unconditional single number target as part of the international climate change negotiations

     cut funding into research about protecting the last remaining giant kauri

     continued to endanger the 100% Pure brand

     been unable to explain how genetically engineered mould escaped from Massey University laboratories and remains unable or unwilling to provide further information

     introduced foreign species without a consideration of the risk to human health

     allowed oil companies to ignore breaches of resource consent and set neihhbours against neighbours

     obfuscated on the negative economic benefits of major raod works

     obfuscated on the level of cuts to the Department of Conservation

     disengaged the previously widely held concept of environmental protection from any consideration of economic development

     sacked 140 staff at the Department of Conservation

     inserted last minute changes to environmental legislation that were not announced and, thus, not considered during public submissions and earlier readings of Bills.

     lied about the practise of fracking going on in New Zealand for the past 30 years

     funded its Economic Development Ministry’s membership of the Coal Association lobby group

     staged a consultation process on the restructuring for the Department of Conservation and then completely ignored any submissions generated

     proposed handing over recreational paua gathering areas to commercial operators

     opened a further 190,000 square kilometers of New Zealand’s coastal waters for oil exploration

     allowed the Minister of Energy’s own political adviser to make public calls for the boycotting of the environmental iniative Earth House

     held secret meetings with oil company executives known international as irresponsible and mendacious

     exposed Auckland beaches to the unmonitored risk of oil exploration by companies unable to afford any clean up operations if required

     breached international law and used parliamentary urgency and ignored international guidelines to rush through legislation depriving New Zealanders of the right to protest against drilling for oil within 350 miles if New Zealand coast

     given permission for oil drilling to take place over earthquake ridden continental plate fault lines just off shore from Wellington

     stood idle while water quality used by households continyes to worsen

     ensured that the MacKenzie Basin is turned from a conservation estate into a development area

     used parliamentary urgency to avoid public notification, consultation and/or consideration of a law allowing companies with no experience nor financial resources to drill for oil on earthquake-ridden fault lines lying in New Zealand coastal waters

     here would be significant and irreversible adverse effects on the conservation values and overall ecological integrity of the application area and the Denniston Plateau should the proposed activity be approved”?

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00452.htm <— back up on Chris Bishop

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869801 <— irony much

     It is disgusting that if you are a sportsperson you get no conviction for an offence that endangered peoples lives because it might affect their ability to play overseas, but an actress convicted for taking part in an environmental protest gets no such consideration.

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1306/S00244/savage-attack-on-bee-health.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1306/S00240/positive-changes-to-fishing-regulations-announced.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1306/S00219/report-highlights-risk-of-governments-mining-agenda.htm

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10892481

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pollution/news/article.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10884397

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10892985

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1306/S00647/new-zealand-waste-policies-stuck-in-the-past.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1306/S00309/environment-commissioner-releases-water-report-update.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1307/S00024/iwc-says-govt-must-act-for-survival-of-mauis-dolphins.htm

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10895428

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10904557

     http://www.theguardian.com/environment/planet-oz/2013/jul/29/hobbit-new-zealand-lord-of-the-rings-middle-earth-oil-gas-drilling

     http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/06/us-newzealand-milk-image-idUSBRE97503H20130806

     http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2013-08-05/content_9769307.html

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10910158

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10913041

     http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-commits-2020-climate-change-target-5534697

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00273/national-admits-defeat-on-climate-change.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00257/gutted-emissions-trading-scheme-damaging-forestry.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00219/public-silenced-on-oil-well-consents.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00179/rma-changes-risk-further-damage-to-nzs-reputation.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00177/key-stacks-deck-plays-cute-with-rma.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00172/government-welcomes-king-salmon-decision.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00154/minister-must-shoulder-the-blame-for-mpis-mistakes.htm

     http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/planned-oil-exploration-outrages-kaikoura-residents-5535929

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1308/S00287/more-deforestation-following-ets-changes.htm

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11115218

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9099326/Nats-plan-to-remove-right-to-oppose-drilling

     http://www.3news.co.nz/Residents-against-proposed-Fonterra-mine/tabid/423/articleID/311296/Default.aspx

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1309/S00100/bills-failure-highlights-nationals-empty-slogan.htm

     http://www.mfe.govt.nz/website/closed-sites/bioethics.html

     http://www.indymedia.org.nz/articles/1255

     Environment Canterbury (
     Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010
     Denies access to the Environment Court for the resolution of environmental and resource
     –
     management matters in the
     Canterbury region

     Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010
     Enables the Minister for the Environment to choose what law will or
     will not apply to Commissioners appointed to replace
     the Canterbury regional councillors

     http://www.rethinking.org.nz/assets/Newsletter_PDF/Issue_112/02_United_Nations_Universal_Periodic_Review_170613.pdf

     http://lsa.net.au/wcb-content/uploads/lsa/files/2011/Henry%20VIII%20clauses.pdf

     Henry VIII Clause

     http://www.rethinking.org.nz/assets/Newsletter_PDF/Issue_112/02_United_Nations_Universal_Periodic_Review_170613.pdf

     ^^ law society UN submission

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/business/9107225/Rod-Oram-Time-for-economic-leadership

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9121336/Deep-sea-oil-plans-anger-stars

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/9134466/Ross-Sea-proposed-sanctuary-slashed

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1309/S00064/concerns-over-revised-plan-for-ross-sea-protection.htm

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1309/S00059/serious-risk-in-fed-farmers-short-term-thinking.htm

     http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9143526/Environmental-OK-for-holiday-highway

     http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1309/S00108/analysis-of-proposed-freshwater-rma-sir-geoffrey-palmer.htm

     http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11122601

     http://www.labour.org.nz/news/why-not-wholly-independent-reporting-minister

     http://www.labour.org.nz/news/minister-buying-needless-fight-with-local-authorities

     http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/221858/doc-paper-says-dam-proposal-%27risky%27

     http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/222020/eight
     • BLiP 2.2.1

       13 November 2014 at 11:42 am

       ‘

       but wait!! There’s more . . . much, much more:

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/222020/eight-new-o-and-g-exploration-areas-up-for-grabs

       http://thestandard.org.nz/nick-smith-ruataniwha-dam/#comment-699139

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1309/S00222/coal-trumps-climate-at-supreme-court.htm

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=11126724

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9190899/Govt-calls-for-platinum-mining-tenders

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9143526/Environmental-OK-for-holiday-highway

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11130588

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9222669/Fears-for-goldmine-grants-on-green-land

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9242194/Turoa-diesel-spill-contaminates-town-water-supply

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11137661

       http://thestandard.org.nz/eds-attacks-nick-smiths-ruataniwha-dam-process/

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9278305/Spill-leads-to-fuel-tank-use-review

       http://youtu.be/GhpkV0aNTS0

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9302439/Digging-deeper-on-coal

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9302591/Homeowners-undermined-by-decision

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9284604/Loophole-allows-DOC-to-swap-land

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/9278492/Voluntary-groups-may-fail-rare-birds

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/rena-crisis/9247168/Rena-row-still-raging

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1310/S00198/eds-gets-leave-to-appeal-approved-by-supreme-court.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1310/S00195/grazing-not-normal-behaviour-for-dairy-cows.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1310/S00184/eds-says-proposed-new-oil-drilling-regulations-not-adequate.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1310/S00292/epa-board-appointment-announced.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1310/S00257/fonterra-gains-consents-for-coal-mine.htm

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11143781

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9310767/Dirty-dairying-inspection-tipoffs-criticised

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9309575/Most-RMA-breaches-dairy-related

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9293549/Fonterra-dumping-milk-byproducts-in-Taranaki

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9306679/Buttermilk-lake-investigation-under-way
       ^^disposal at sea

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9285515/Record-114-000-Waikato-dirty-dairying-fine

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/8027832/74k-fine-for-dirty-dairy-farming

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/7857273/Dirty-dairying-fouling-Golden-Bay

       http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/21626

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/opinion/9317016/One-rotten-apple-spoils-dairy-farmers-lot

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/9320472/Rural-water-quality-concerns-mount

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/9299807/Farmers-fighting-proposed-animal-welfare-changes

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/canterbury/9315917/Nitrate-warning-freaking-out-Cantabrians

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1311/S00125/holes-in-govts-freshwater-policy-create-licence-to-pollute.htm

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9372047/Good-and-bad-in-Canterbury-dairy-report

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9366266/Big-fine-for-dairy-farms-effluent-dumping

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9385615/Aquifer-fears-spur-call-for-exploration-rethink

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9427016/Risks-of-deep-sea-drilling-kept-secret-Labour

       http://inthehouse.co.nz/node/22286

       Ms Adams said that the EPA only had to assess the “completeness” of an application and not its effectiveness.

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11160976

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1311/S00277/urgent-action-required-in-response-to-water-quality-warnings.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1311/S00274/anadarko-oil-spill-equipment-grossly-inadequate.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1311/S00255/report-change-in-land-use-putting-pressure-on-water-quality.htm

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/228548/fears-over-possible-business-influence-at-doc

       http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/media-releases/new-doc-chief-executive-appointed/

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11161882

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9425289/Waterways-will-get-worse-Commissioner

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/9431281/Salmon-decision-reserved

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1311/S00328/councils-around-the-country-warn-against-changes-to-rma.htm

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/229478/nz-may-face-challenge-over-dolphin-measures

       http://thestandard.org.nz/nrt-whos-scaremongering-now/

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/230744/eds-unhappy-about-new-drilling-rules

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11174568

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=11174771

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11175901

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1312/S00405/independent-advice-sought-on-monorail-financial-viability.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1312/S00405/independent-advice-sought-on-monorail-financial-viability.htm

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/232289/experts-say-5-degreesc-rise-disastrous-for-nz

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11188369

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/241553/nz-%27not-playing-part%27-in-helping-climate

       http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/32516

       http://www.3news.co.nz/Minister-didnt-know-park-was-in-drilling-plan/tabid/1607/articleID/339311/Default.aspx

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10023498/Major-defects-in-environmental-bill

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11251714

       http://www.3news.co.nz/Collins-wetlands-comments-outrage-environmentalists/tabid/1160/articleID/343032/Default.aspx

       http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/33390

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/246245/report-urges-drilling-rule-changes

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11268239

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11268406

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11245986

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10171432/Mauis-dolphin-sanctuary-in-oil-drilling-move-Greens

       http://www.3news.co.nz/Govt-gave-Shanghai-Pengxin-conservation-land/tabid/1607/articleID/355268/Default.aspx#ixzz39JLdw9y7

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20147474

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/20147479

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/10457343/Dairy-company-cops-35-000-fine-for-stink

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/10444703/Farmer-tried-to-influence-inspectors

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/10436385/Resident-worried-by-Fonterra-stink

       http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/10452599/Big-leap-of-faith-for-Fonterras-baby-food-future

       http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11319558

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/253832/massey-questions-milk-test-results

       http://publicaddress.net/speaker/vote-for-water/

       http://publicaddress.net/speaker/science-and-democracy/

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/257187/doc-denies-giving-reserve-permission

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/257211/public-told-to-avoid-toxic-algal-bloom

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1410/S00147/move-from-clean-and-green-to-mega-farms-spells-disaster.htm

       http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1410/S00143/government-misleading-public-over-1080-and-trout.htm

       http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/20154644/environment-minister-threatens-to-fast-track-planning-rules

       http://thestandard.org.nz/nrt-national-lets-shell-drill-illegally/
       • Gosman 2.2.1.1

         13 November 2014 at 1:15 pm

         tl;dr
         • McFlock 2.2.1.1.1

           13 November 2014 at 1:59 pm

           lol

           That’s a tory for you. If they can’t say there’s no evidence, they complain that there’s too much evidence.
           • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1.1.1.1

             13 November 2014 at 6:58 pm

             😆 😈
       • Pat O'Dea 2.2.1.2

         13 November 2014 at 2:02 pm

         This should be more than enough for Labour’s new shadow cabinet spokesperson for climate change to go on.

         My hope that the new Labour leader appoints David Cunliffe as the new Labour Party spokesperson for climate change. David Cunliff has the heart, the necessary grasp of the subject, peerless parliamentary debating skills and the ability to take this government to task over their betrayal of future generations of New Zealanders, in the interest of making a quick buck for their mates in big business.

         The government MInister for Climate Change, the woefully inept Tim Groser, will be no match for David Cunliffe.
       • Tracey 2.2.1.3

         13 November 2014 at 3:41 pm

         But, but John Key is REALLY popular!
     • Chooky 2.2.2

       13 November 2014 at 2:43 pm

       @ Blip….that is a very BIG list of misdemeanors…(wouldnt surprise me if Hooton didnt advise them though)
     • Tracey 2.2.3

       13 November 2014 at 3:40 pm

       But, John Key is popular!
3. srylands 3

   13 November 2014 at 8:31 am

   Reducing greenhouse emissions has always been a particulalrly costly prospect for New Zealand. There is a good case for New Zealand’s target to be adjusted to reflect this higher cost. Indeed, this cost differential is the rationale for international emissions trading.

   These points are made well in this (redacted) Treasury briefing on climate change, which was also released yesterday. It is more informative than the MfE one.

   http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/briefings/2014-climate-change
   • RedLogix 3.1

     13 November 2014 at 9:00 am

     Consider then the informative graph on Page 8 of this briefing titled: Figure One: New Zealand’s Net Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Current Targets to 2030 .

     Note carefully how from a little after 2005 through to about 2009 (when Labours ETS was in operation) NZ’s nett GHG’s were declining.

     Note carefully how after 2009 when National began dismantling the ETS they resume rising steeply.

     And then contemplate exactly which party is responsible for this ‘cost’ you are talking about.
     • Tracey 3.1.1

       13 November 2014 at 1:54 pm

       Stop that!
   • Draco T Bastard 3.2

     13 November 2014 at 1:50 pm

     Actually, reducing GHG emissions isn’t costly at all – keeping them is.
4. Pat O'Dea 4

   13 November 2014 at 8:49 am

   Do you remember the movie that came out ten years ago starring Dennis Quaid called “The Day After Tomorrow”?
   Released in May 2004, DAT was the first ever main stream movie about climate change.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku_IseK3xTc

   Implausible?

   Inaccurate?

   Exaggerated?

   Overwraught?

   Yes. Certainly. But no more than every other Hollywood blockbuster plot that is deliberately exaggerated, and condensed, and changed to maximum dramatic effect for better box office returns.

   Its called entertainment

   But ten years later you can now watch the real live version unfold in real time, on the news channels.

   “Well I think it’s happening”

   “What can we do?”

   Unfortunately, not as entertaining in real life.
5. Tom Jackson 5

   13 November 2014 at 8:54 am

   The Republicans will sabotage Obama’s attempts. Waiting around for democracies to do anything about it is pointless.
   • RedLogix 5.1

     13 November 2014 at 9:28 am

     Here’s an acerbic and credible response to the US mid-terms. Jim Wright is an interesting guy:

     I strongly suspect the ongoing GOP victory dance will be short lived.

     The last time Republicans controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency, we got, hmmm, well, okay, lets see, we got the worst terrorist attack in history followed by two wars, one of which turned out to be under false pretexts but what the heck, right? So long as we’re bombing brown people, it’s all good. And hey, it wasn’t all for nothing, we got the Great Recession sparked by the mortgage industry collapse followed by a complete implosion of the investment banking industry which led to record high unemployment rates. So, then Republicans cut taxes and borrowed a couple trillion from China and deferred the payments to the next administration and America went from a budget surplus to the biggest debt increase since Reagan. The good news, of course, was that recession and war had almost no effect whatsoever on the rich and they grew enormously more wealthy from their failed business ventures while either blowing up our jobs or shipping them to India. And that’s the real difference between the Great Depression and the Great Recession: In a depression the rich take to jumping out windows and swallowing bullets, in a recession they just get richer while the rest of us lose our homes and livelihoods.

     http://www.stonekettle.com/2014/11/powder-burns.html

     Oh – and the Mitchells, Abbots and Harpers retros of this world are just a reflection of our own inner demons:

     http://climatedenial.org/2014/08/20/climate-change-the-slippery-problem/
   • Draco T Bastard 5.2

     13 November 2014 at 10:14 am

     Colbert Report: The Republicans’ Inspiring Climate Change Message

     Waiting around for democracies to do anything about it is pointless.

     Actually, we don’t have a democracy but a plutocracy where the elected representatives do what the rich want them to do.
6. Tracey 6

   13 November 2014 at 9:31 am

   china and usa have agreed to maybe do some stuff at a future time yet to be determined…
   • Matthew Hooton 6.1

     13 November 2014 at 10:35 am

     You’ve got it in one Tracey
     • Tracey 6.1.1

       13 November 2014 at 12:12 pm

       I sometimes do
       • Macro 6.1.1.1

         13 November 2014 at 2:33 pm

         Actually you haven’t tracey – the agreement in a nutshell is this
         “China agreeing to shift further to renewables and to peak its emissions by 2030, and the US agreeing to a 28% cut on its 2005 emissions (16% from 1990) by 2025.”
         Note the phrase – “peak its emissions”.
         To do that is going to require a good deal of honest work at developing renewables; noting that China as the manufacturing centre of the world, and is actually carrying a large portion of the world’s GHG emissions exported by us and USA and almost every where else to them, as we buy their product (the result of their GHG emissions). So for China to peak its emissions by 2030 means in effect that the whole world will peak its emissions by 2030. Except of course for us. We lead the world in increasing per capita emissions. Because we effectively have no target whatsoever. Nor any plan to achieve it.
         • Poission 6.1.1.1.1

           13 November 2014 at 2:56 pm

           China has a very well developed strategy to reduce emissions,buy gas from Russia.

           the UK for example in its dash for gas,between 1990 and 1995 replaced as feedstock the equiv. of 20% of its coal fired power stations with improved efficiency technology that utilized North sea gas.The result being a 60% decrease in co2 emissions for the same output,and a total reduction of 12% in total emissions from that sector.
         • Tracey 6.1.1.1.2

           13 November 2014 at 3:37 pm

           We will see. Kyoto had some targets too.
           • Macro 6.1.1.1.2.1

             13 November 2014 at 9:11 pm

             We will see if a managed economy achieves targets vis a vis a “free market” economy. I think we will find that China performs better in this regard. Bear in mind that they already have well developed solar and hydro in their mix. They are also the largest producers of Electric cars and other vehicles. They are planning and building transitional cities – totally self sufficient. In many respects they are are way ahead of us in the game. All the Nats talk of being “fast followers” is just so much bullshit. We are heading in the opposite direction.

             The right wings view of Climate Change:
             https://twitter.com/UltraVerified/status/532690865354190848/photo/1
     • Troy 6.1.2

       18 November 2014 at 2:20 pm

       Really? China invested 56 Billion USD in renewable energy in 2013 and is now home to 24% of all the worlds renewables. That would make China #1 in renewable capacity, new installations, and investment. China have also started pricing emissions in 7 regional cap and trade schemes and will launch the world’s largest carbon market in 2016.

       All promises those Chinese…. right Matthew?

       New Zealand on the other hand has turned our only meaningful mitigation measure, an emissions trading scheme, into a carbon pollution subsidy and complained loudly about how hard it is to reduce our emissions.
   • Draco T Bastard 6.2

     13 November 2014 at 7:02 pm

     New U.S.-China climate deal is a game changer

     It’s an agreement without being an agreement so that the Republicans can’t renege on it.
7. TheContrarian 7

   13 November 2014 at 10:10 am

   Of relevance

   http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22429954.000-recordbreaking-ocean-temperatures-wreak-havoc.html#.VGPM8lfOCRI
8. Skinny 8

   13 November 2014 at 10:18 am

   Not a lot will happen here in New Zealand when you consider a couple of our major earners are Milk & Logs. Both are big on green house gas emissions, pine tree’s and farting cows. Expect coal to kick in again as the demand lifts. We can’t really be trumpeting a clean green image can we.
9. TheContrarian 9

   13 November 2014 at 10:28 am

   At least John Key ain’t as bad as this fucking idiot. it would be funny if he wasn’t, you know, deciding policy.

   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/zealot-of-us-climate-change-sceptics-jim-inhofe-to-determine-environmental-policy-9852459.html
10. greywarshark 10

    13 November 2014 at 10:43 am

    I like the image that you have chosen – Fossil of the day with suitable background. Great.
11. Jenny 11

    13 November 2014 at 11:53 am

    At the risk of being banned again.

    I am sorry that you saw fit not to publish your promised post on the Bail Out of Solid Energy, I am sure it would have been informative.

    Not only that, it would have started the conversation on what a Labour led government should, or shouldn’t concretely do, about climate change.

    I am sorry that this debate has still not been had out.

    But it needs to be.

    Polls show that action on climate change is extremely popular, more than 60% of the population want the government to do more.

    “The news isn’t good for Prime Minister John Key, with 15.4 per cent saying he’s doing the right amount, 26.1 per cent saying he should do more, and 34.5 per cent saying he should do much more. Just 2.7 per cent want him to do less.”

    Horizon Poll August 10, 2012

    https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/244/people-want

    What is bad news for the Prime Minister should be good news for the Opposition. But of course, only if the Opposition take up the opposite, diametrically opposed viewpoint.

    In practice this means whoever becomes the next leader, at the earliest opportunity, needs to announce, that a Labour/Green administration will halt all deep sea oil drilling, and fracking, and will prohibit any new coal mines, and most important of all, explain why.

    It’s not that hard all the evidence is in, all we have to argue is that the future of human civilisation and our children’s welfare is at stake, and we in this country need to take a stand.

    John Key and the National Government will have no response. There can be none.

    They will be left gobsmacked and left looking wanting.

    (too bad they weren’t)

    [lprent: It would probably help if you said who are you were talking to. Then I wouldn’t have to waste my time answering.

    1. I haven’t bothered to look this up, but based on your usual practices. You will almost certainly have lied about a “promised post” because you appear to have a congenital issue dealing with phrases like “I’ll try to… “. These and many similar phrases do not constitute a promise. They merely give an intent.

    2. If you read the about, you will find that is stated in there that authors write what they feel important, that they have an inspiration to write about, and when they have time. I don’t like fools like yourself trying to tell them what to do because the balance between wanting to write posts and not wanting to write them is a fine balance at the best of times – ask anyone who writes. In blogging it is often tipped by maniacs who keep making judgmental personal “observations” like yours based on lying. You must have noticed this yourself because I routinely reflect your own judgmental observations back on to you, just like I am doing here. You don’t seem to like it – why do you think that others would?

    3. I also really don’t like people who play at being victims as a way of not dealing with their own inadequacies. Your “poor brave me” fantasies like the one above when you don’t appear to have any good reason for it just piss me off. About half of the time I ban you purely because you try it repeatably.

    4. The NZLP tends to do most of their policy development inside the party processes. They don’t do that much on the pages of The Standard. Have you ever thought of actually trying to go inside a political party and trying to change their policy platforms or convincing those looking at the jobs or wanting regional economic development? Or for that matter even actually going and reading their policy platform and actual policies. Your clear inability to do so in the past for both the NZLP and the Greens has rather crippled your previous arguments because you have resorted to simply lying about their policies (and has resulted in bans). Looking at your comment, it is clear that you have still been too damn lazy to do so again. Do you want a repeat?

    5. What is even more irritating is that you could have easily phrased all of your comment above as a request rather than a objectionable demand. It would have probably got a courteous response from whoever you were referring to. But more importantly I wouldn’t have to have wasted my time responding. Could you perhaps think about how you request things in the future.

    But I’m really kind of tired of accommodating you. Next time I ban you it will be fully permanent. It is clear that you are neither listening or learning how not to attract my attention. Instead you carry on demanding rather than requesting. I really can’t be bothered expending more effort on you. ]
    • Draco T Bastard 11.1

      13 November 2014 at 2:11 pm

      that a Labour/Green administration will halt all deep sea oil drilling, and fracking, and will prohibit any new coal mines, and most important of all, explain why.

      Actually, that’s not what needs to be done except the fracking which does need to be banned. Those resources are useful by themselves and have many uses. The problem is that our society tends to burn them which causes anthropogenic climate change. What this means is that what the government needs to do is put in place legislation banning the sale of those resources for burning. In fact, I think the government should take ownership of those resources as they’re brought to the surface and pay the companies a fixed price for doing it.

      The other thing that needs to happen is the close down of all fossil fuel based generation and to do that we need to build a lot of wind farms and solar paneling to put on houses and businesses. We also need to build up PT transport that uses that renewable energy until the point where we can ban personal ownership of cars.
    • mickysavage 11.2

      13 November 2014 at 5:27 pm

      “I am sorry that you saw fit not to publish your promised post on the Bail Out of Solid Energy, I am sure it would have been informative.”

      I promised one at some stage and actually posted it at http://thestandard.org.nz/is-the-government-bailing-out-solid-energy-using-the-future-investment-fund-or-not/
12. coaster 12

    13 November 2014 at 4:19 pm

    99.875 % of the worlds climate scientists agree that we have global warming due to carbon emmisions. They also agree that this warming will have adverse effects on the human race within the next 50 years if we dont reduce carbon emmisions significantly mmediately.

Links to post

1. John Key and the Fart Tax « The Standard The Standard: posted on 17 November 2014 at 3:25 pm
2. Climate change is too important to lie about « The Standard The Standard: posted on 8 December 2014 at 7:20 am

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