What do you want our government to achieve on climate action in their first 100 days?

Written By: - Date published: 6:06 am, January 23rd, 2021 - 38 comments
Categories: climate change - Tags: , , ,

When the government proposed declaring a climate emergency in December last year, Jacinda Ardern said this,

This declaration is an acknowledgment of the next generation: an acknowledgment of the burden that they will carry if we do not get this right and if we do not take action now. When I visit schools, when I read children’s letters, I’m often struck by how deeply personal the climate crisis is to them. We cannot underestimate a generation, full of angst and anxiety over the reality of climate change for them and their generation. And it is up to us to make sure that we demonstrate there is a pathway, there is a plan for action, and there is a reason for hope. For them, it is instinctual. It is tangible. It is real. It is about the country they will inherit and it’s about the burden of debt they will inherit unless we make sure that we demonstrate leadership on this issue.

Cool, cool. Now show us the money.

As one of those jaded about the notion that Labour will do what is necessary on climate action, I’ve been hoping that 2021 will see a resurgence of climate activism now that things in New Zealand have settled down somewhat with the pandemic. Labour will follow when there are enough of us on the streets demanding change.

So I’m pleased to see School Strike 4 Climate gearing up with this rally at parliament on Tuesday,

Kia ora whanau, School Strike 4 Climate NZ here, we are launching our new campaign called ‘100 Days 4 Action’. We believe it is vital to hold our new Labour government to account from the get-go, specifically on climate change. Like many, we have seen countless promises on policies, actions and goals in the past year – but we often question ourselves, what will they deliver? We are demanding real transformative action during this newly sworn-in government’s first 100 days. It is time for real change, to protect our people & our planet, for good.

We are collating a list of demands for our Government’s first 100 days, which on January 26th, we will take to Parliament to demand that real climate action is taken, based on such demands.

Love this in light of the months from the general election where we’ve been told to have patience and give Labour a chance. Time to get on with it.

From the SS4C press release,

As climate change affects every New Zealander and every part of society, we are inviting everyone to join us. This rally will be intergenerational. Parents, teachers, aunties, uncles and grandparents are asked to join youth on January 26th to stand up for climate justice, and the many issues that follow such.

…

Our demands focus on what climate action New Zealanders want from our government. This includes:

  • Prohibiting the implementation of, and phase out the use of fossil fuels nationwide
  • Investing in a 100% Renewable Energy economy
  • Investing & implementing in a just transition
  • Honouring its [the Government’s] responsibility to our Pacific Island neighbours
  • Decreased Agriculture Emissions
  • Invests in Climate Education

The rally starts at 12.30pm Tuesday 26th January on Parliament Lawn.

In the lead up to the rally SS4C have been asking for people to submit their top three demands of the government for climate action.

What do you want our government to achieve in their first 100 days?

Have at it Standardistas. What should the government be doing right now on climate?

38 comments on “What do you want our government to achieve on climate action in their first 100 days? ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Stuart Munro 1
    23 January 2021 at 7:09 am

    Thus far their efforts seem to concentrate on coastal properties threatened by rising sea levels. I don't feel that the public should be compensating private owners for this – and it discourages prudent efforts to mitigate climate threat.

    In terms of regulation, the fastest carbon reduction is probably getting cargo from trucks onto ships and trains. Reducing maximum size or axle weight of trucks would also significantly reduce roading or eroding costs.

    The single use plastic bag rule was a good first step, but the logical followups, discouraging plastic prepacks of produce in favour of less toxic options has not materialised. Nor has one of the largest plastic generators, water bottling, been regulated.

    A broadly applied packaging levy, and a right to return noxious packaging to the purveyor might go some way to deterring the worst offenders.

  2. Robert Guyton 2
    23 January 2021 at 7:18 am

    I'm so glad the School Strike 4 Climate movement didn't fade away. I hope their planned actions are widely reported and taken notice-of, by Government and by the public. I marched with them and spoke at their rally last time and will endeavour to do again if invited. Their actions give me significant leverage in the council chamber, speaking of which, on the agenda for our first 2021 meeting this coming Wednesday: climate change and the presentation of our Urgent Action Plan.

    • In Vino 2.1
      23 January 2021 at 10:32 am

      I hope that there is action this time: Unfortunately, the date was set in Europe where students are actually at school. Here in NZ they are still on holiday, so it won't be so easy for them to organise unless they have the enthusiasm to do it by text, Facebook, etc.

      So many right-wing cynics have said that they just want a day off school, etc… I hope there is a good turn-out this time just to prove the Righties wrong.

  3. Snape 3
    23 January 2021 at 7:56 am
  4. Prohibiting the implementation of, and phase out the use of fossil fuels nationwide
    Investing in a 100% Renewable Energy economy
    Investing & implementing in a just transition
    Honouring its [the Government’s] responsibility to our Pacific Island neighbours
    Decreased Agriculture Emissions
    Invests in Climate Education

    5. The world needs to see a still-prosperous nation where all of the above has been put into place. IOW, New Zealand could serve as a role model to the much bigger emitters like the US.

  5. Ad 4
    23 January 2021 at 8:30 am

    Does James hold a pre-term caucus retreat? The Climate Change Minister should be able to start the year with something.

    His Commission needs to get some runs on the board real fast or people will lose faith.

  6. Macro 5
    23 January 2021 at 12:05 pm
    1. Ban the TV advertising of cars. Particularly SUVs. These are one of our biggest contributors to GHG emissions.

    2. Bring agricultural emissions into the ETS.

    3. Promote greater use of public transport and extend its coverage.

    And if I can have 4,

    4. Implement regulations to move freight from road to rail.

  7. Bazza64 6
    23 January 2021 at 4:41 pm

    The government could provide a few taxpayer subsidised heaters, its bloody cold for the middle of summer !

  8. mosa 7
    23 January 2021 at 5:46 pm

    Start treating this coming apocalypse with the attention it deserves and start planning now for a rise in the ocean level which will change the current coastline and drive out those who live there forever. The cost will be enormous but fortifications will be needed and the impact of entrenched drought with water becoming scarce and the threat to bio diversity that we rely on to survive is already beginning to retreat and disappear.

    Forward planning to adapt for a vastly different world than the one we know now.
    Have a plan to deal with the millions of climate refugees that will want to come here including the island nations that will see their countries fall away into the sea.

    I doubt anything that needs to seriously address the coming disaster will be done. We love to kick the can down the road and leave doing anything for as long as possible or until we are pressured into actually doing something or anything as we start to feel the intense pain and dislocation that climate warming will bring…..sooner rather than later.

    • Jamie 7.1
      24 January 2021 at 3:51 pm

      Ha ha ha you who live in the cities are the ones who will be hammered by droughts. How much water have you got stored in your cupboards. Enough for the shitter and the shower and flushing your excrement discharges straight out to sea or into the nearest river.
      if I was you I wouldn’t be worried about managed retreat- most of our city CBDS Are in big trouble. I’d be worried about what happens when you run out of water in the city. It’s going to happen and happen soon.
      I’ll be sitting pretty on my farm. I’ll just reduce my production plant some more trees and offset my omissions. Oh yeah and shop online so no trips to town. When this happens across the ag industry where is the export money going to come from? It’ll be like COVID we’ll just print more cash ha ha ha remember the adage “nothing comes for free” and that applies to money and climate impacts

      [New user on TS]

  9. Pat 8
    23 January 2021 at 6:35 pm

    First hundred days?….its now 98 days since the election.

    • In Vino 8.1
      23 January 2021 at 8:50 pm

      Hmmm. Better not time it from the election then.

    • Incognito 8.2
      23 January 2021 at 9:15 pm

      Ardern declared climate change as the “nuclear free moment” of this generation on 20 August 2017. This is 1,252 days ago, which seems like an eternity. Now she has declared this year 2021 as the Year of the Vaccine. It is going to be a long year, I fear.

      • In Vino 8.2.1
        23 January 2021 at 10:46 pm

        Now that is sobering.. Perhaps a start date should be made mandatory for all such statements of vague chronological specification.

      • RosieLee 8.2.2
        24 January 2021 at 7:23 am

        How about the Year of State House builds and CGT so that we actually do something meaningful about housing and rents?

  10. Incognito 9
    23 January 2021 at 10:07 pm

    Government could set up a Lottery for all NZ owners of personal cars for private use that are over 15 years old. Once a week they’d draw 20 owners and offer to take over the ownership and possession of their current petrol or diesel car in return for the free lease & maintenance of a brand new EV for one year. After one year, there’ll be an option to continue leasing the car but start paying a minimal amount towards road/licencing costs and maintenance, et cetera. After 5 years, they will have an option to take full ownership of the EV or terminate the ‘lease’ agreement with Government.

    The main cost for Government would be the initial purchase of the EVs and these are not cheap, which is apparently the main issue with low uptake in NZ. After 5 years, the scheme would have replaced up to 5,000 older fossil-fuel cars with new EVs. This may create enough of a momentum for the public and ‘market forces’ to increase speed of uptake and use in NZ. One mission accomplished.

    They can call it the EV Lottery or EV Draw and I think it could be popular. Lucky winners are free to choose the colour of ‘their’ EV car 😉

    • Sacha 9.1
      23 January 2021 at 10:48 pm

      If there is any govt subsidy, it needs to be for electric buses and delivery vans, etc – not for bloody private cars.

      • Incognito 9.1.1
        24 January 2021 at 12:30 pm

        One subsidy does not exclude another, does it? To tackle and prepare for CC, a raft of changes is needed at personal, community, society, and global level. These levels are not quite different dimensions; they are not orthogonal and they are highly inter-linked and overlapping, of course.

        The problem I have with subsidies is that many don’t seem to directly target and/or reach individual people. Many subsidies are aimed at businesses and some of it might trickle down to consumers. Trickling down and actually reaching the people is nice on paper but if they are not aware of it, it has much less impact on them. For example, if you were to use a HOP card for use of subsidised public transport, how would you tell and how would you know what the subsidy is and why and for what reason? It might as well not exist if it doesn’t register. I think that lifting CC into our daily consciousness and practical decisions is crucial for the required ‘psychology’ and mental preparedness, as it is integral with meaningful action.

        I think Government should do much more ‘direct marketing’ to the people in order to reach them and encourage positive (desirable) behavioural changes. FB posts and the likes only go so far even when one has thousands of followers and I think they have limited impact in the overall scheme of things. We need to encourage and see real practical tangible changes, not just send & receive smiles, waves, ‘likes’, and feelz.

        • Sacha 9.1.1.1
          24 January 2021 at 2:16 pm

          Substantial, tangible change requires focus.

          • Incognito 9.1.1.1.1
            24 January 2021 at 2:36 pm

            The Q in/of the OP is clear. I gave a concrete suggestion for something that is actionable and achievable. I’m not wedded to it; if it is a crap suggestion, it is a crap suggestion.

            You disagreed and I countered with my reasons.

            There’s common ground in both our suggestions. Maybe money is better spent on subsidies to businesses, public transport companies, and the likes from an economic PoV. The problem is that economic imperatives don’t always produce (the) desirable outcomes; isn’t that one of the core criticisms against and flaws of the school of neo-liberalism?

            Focus, by whom, on what, and how?

            • Sacha 9.1.1.1.1.1
              24 January 2021 at 8:23 pm

              One subsidy does not exclude another, does it?

              To invest enough money and social effort to produce change, it needs to be focused. In this case, public transit and delivery vehicles will decarbonise our cities the most in the shortest time.

              However, if we also incentivise swapping private vehicles to electric, we lose some of the mode-shift advantages of better PT provision including congestion and carparking impacts on our built form.

              Unless the public money and goodwill is unlimited, we also risk not achieving critical mass. Climate change imposes some deadlines.

              Centrist safe politics, I agree, push towards private EVs which is why geniuses like Simon Bridges are so keen on them. Easier to persuade people to shift a tiny amount than a lot.

              It's much the same though as tackling our urban housing problems by building more $1m standalone houses on the fringes rather than more concentrated townhouses and apartments close to PT routes and local stores and services.

              Takes political courage and broad social leadership to do the right thing rather than the easy one.

    • Jamie 9.2
      24 January 2021 at 3:53 pm

      It would only be a state approved colour. This sounds like getting a trabant fron the factory in russia

      [New user on TS]

      • Incognito 9.2.1
        24 January 2021 at 10:19 pm

        Just like a Trabant, you sound like a choking 2-stroke engine without traction spouting smoke and dirty hot air, which ain’t good for the climate.

        Given that you are “sitting pretty on [your] farm”, maybe you could address the question raised in the post or make another positive contribution to it, yes?

  11. gsays 10
    24 January 2021 at 8:06 am

    From memory, Bill had a couple of real good posts along these lines.Something like free fossil fuel with a sinking cap.

    Unfortunately, when I read the post it all made sense, but poor memory and it's radical (and needed) nature I don't recall the details.

  12. Stunned Mullet 11
    24 January 2021 at 8:33 am

    Nothing ……… at least then I won’t be disappointed.

    • Incognito 11.1
      24 January 2021 at 12:00 pm

      Do you get out of bed every day? Do you know that the meaning of “achieve” is different from “aspire”? Do you aspire to anything other than being a high-achieving troll?

      • stunned mullet 11.1.1
        24 January 2021 at 12:43 pm

        In answer to your questions.

        1. Yes
        2. Yes
        3. Not on this site.

        [Self-confessed trolls are banned permanently, especially when their commenting history is consistent with their confession.

        I’ll leave you to ponder your commitment to this site for the rest of the day after which I will pull the pin on your commenting privileges on this site, depending on your response – Incognito]

        • Incognito 11.1.1.1
          24 January 2021 at 12:55 pm

          See my Moderation note @ 12:43 PM.

          • Stunned mullet 11.1.1.1.1
            24 January 2021 at 1:27 pm

            There is little reason to engage at The Standard with anything outside of groupthink for fear or the usual pile on or an attack by one of more of the moderators.

            Your own lack of self awareness regarding your own biases and trollish behaviour on this site is amusing.

            Ban away dear, ban away.

            [I have no idea what you’re accusing other moderators or me of but it is quite typical of people when challenged to ‘hit back’ with all sorts of wild unsubstantiated accusations and allegations. It is a predictable and pathetic ‘excuse’ for their own poor non-constructive commenting behaviour and lack of meaningful engagement. It is always somebody else’s fault and/or because of somebody else; we have heard it all before. Yawn.

            However, I admit I’m biased against trollish behaviour.

            Lprent and others have not set up this site for your amusement. People who are not interested in engagement should stay away rather than using TS for their personal hang-ups and amusement/entertainment. It is quite telling that you have trolled this site for many years and think that this is somehow ok and justified. Perhaps it is because you’ve got away with it for so long despite the odd ban?

            About the only time that you contribute to the convo here is when discussing medical issues. It’s a pity that your integrity doesn’t go further than that but so be it; I’m sure you have your reasons for mostly acting & behaving as a troll and interfering with others who do want to engage on this site.

            At the end of the day, I will terminate your long career as troll-commenter here, as you wish and given that you have made your intentions clear. You’re free to comment here until then unless you force me act sooner. I guess we’ll still see you around elsewhere – Incognito]

            • Incognito 11.1.1.1.1.1
              24 January 2021 at 4:33 pm

              See my Moderation note @ 1:27 PM.

              • Stunned Mullet …
                24 January 2021 at 6:17 pm

                Yes dear.

                While it's tempting to respond in an LPrentish mode referencing your penchant to self gratification there's some evening gardening to attend to so bye bye.

                • Incognito …
                  24 January 2021 at 8:10 pm

                  I’ve been doing some weeding today too as well as removing debris and dead wood.

                  It was hugely gratifying.