National Must Open Its Eyes On ETS

Act Party media release 15 November 2010

ACT Deputy Leader and Climate Change Spokesman John Boscawen today urged the Government to open its eyes and see what New Zealanders have already begun to realise - that the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) poses an enormous risk to our standard of living for absolutely no environmental benefit.

"The climate change survey released today shows more and more New Zealanders are of the view that there is no point in continuing to pour money into the ETS," Mr Boscawen said.

"Our emissions levels are miniscule compared with those of other nations, yet we’re the only country with a comprehensive ETS.  In the absence of meaningful international action, our ETS will not affect the climate - in fact, National may as well start dumping money into the ocean for all the good that its ETS will do for global weather.

"And, as I predicted, the cost of the ETS is causing public opinion to turn even further against the scheme.  While New Zealanders want action on climate change, they don’t want it to be in the form of a scheme that imposes a significant cost burden for absolutely no benefit.

"ACT predicted that the ETS would harm New Zealand, which is why I campaigned so strongly to have it scrapped or at least delayed.  Thanks to the ETS we are now isolated from our major trading partners - Australia, China, Japan and the US - and our standard of living is at risk.

"And things will only get worse - no other country will implement an ETS, next week’s climate change talkfest in Cancun will achieve nothing, and New Zealanders will continue to pay for a policy that is nothing more than a meaningless gesture.  I urge the Government to open its listen to the public and scrap the ETS," Mr Boscawen said.