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One day after promising to declare a climate emergency, our government’s inaction could see it barred from a meeting of the major nations dedicated to reducing greenhouse gases.
The “Sprint to Glasgow” event will be held on December 12th. Governments will be invited to submit more ambitious plans to reduce their carbon footprint and share effective policies.
The UK government was due to host the annual UN climate summit (known as the Conference of the Parties or COP) in Scotland this year. But after the Covid-19 outbreak, the event was delayed until 2021. The smallest meeting in December is a placeholder, to be held on the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement.
But Stuff understands the unambitious international promises of our government, and failing to introduce carbon reduction policies means he risks being left off the guest list.
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When contacted, the British High Commission said in a statement that no decisions had yet been made on which countries would be invited.
“The UK shares a close partnership with New Zealand on climate change issues and we look forward to working together in the run-up to COP26 next year,” said a spokesperson.
University of Canterbury political science professor Bronwyn Hayward said that if New Zealand was not invited to the summit, the omission should be taken seriously.
“I think it will be a wake-up call for the government,” he said. “The irony is that even under [President] Trump, the United States will have achieved better per capita reductions than we have. “
Our country’s lack of climate action has become shameful and unsustainable, Hayward said. So while the snub can be extremely disappointing, “it is not unexpected given that we are very rhetorical and very few in action. This is our reality check. “
I was hoping all the kiwis would pay attention. “We have to support the government to make some significant changes … We have lost political momentum between parties, all parties, to tackle climate change.”
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Last year, the government of Jacinda Ardern passed the Zero Carbon Law. But carbon reduction policies have been few.
Last year, our government passed the Zero Carbon Law, which commits us to reduce biological methane by 24 to 47 percent and all other greenhouse gases to net zero by 2050.
We also made an international commitment under the Paris Agreement to reduce our emissions by 30%, compared to 2005 levels, by 2030.
Hayward said our commitment does not align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“It was inappropriate when we signed it. If everyone followed that, the world would be at least 3 ° C warmer, “he added. “The consequences of that are a really chaotic climate.”
After receiving notice that our commitment is inconsistent with the 1.5 ° C targets, Climate Change Minister James Shaw asked the independent Climate Change Commission to review it. The council draft will be published in February.
Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
The Climate Change Commission, headed by Rod Carr, has been asked to consider the ambition of our Paris pledge.
Even if we increase our promise at that time, New Zealand will continue to try to catch up, Hayward said.
“We are already five years behind the eight ball,” he added. “By delaying and delaying and kicking the can along the way, we are falling further and further behind.”
Even with a relatively unambitious goal, the government has introduced few policies capable of bringing us closer to our international commitments, Hayward said.
“We have not taken any action on the ground. We are praising each other and patting each other on the back. “
Ministry of the Environment projections released last year, before the pandemic, found that we are not on track toward our 2030 goal.
An independent analysis by Climate Action Tracker, conducted after the Covid-19 outbreak and the economic hub, also found that the country is not aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement based on current policies.
The country will be lost if our government is not asked to join next month’s event, Hayward said.
“We don’t have the opportunity to learn from other countries,” he added. “It is such a missed opportunity. The summit presents new innovations and technologies, new ideas, new businesses and new policy models. “
Mark Tantrum / Getty Images
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern once described climate change as the “nuclear-weapon-free moment” of her generation. (File photo)
Hayward expected to see action after the government’s planned declaration of a climate emergency next week. The country could make real progress if the climate crisis were at the top of the agendas of all ministries and agencies, as it happened with Covid-19.
“We just have to start with meaningful planning and action by the entire government this year, not for the next two years when we will report to Parliament. But what are we doing right now. “
At the recent EDS conference on climate change and business, Shaw acknowledged that New Zealand was falling behind other countries, outlining the goals of Japan, the EU, and the US (under President-elect Biden) for all gases are net zero.
The conference also provided another sign that the British government is disappointed in our lack of progress. British High Commissioner Laura Clarke told attendees that New Zealand has a gap between its ambition and reality.
He called on the country to consider a zero-emissions goal in the 2040s and to publish a plan on how our goals would be achieved.
“What else can you do as companies, innovators, leaders? Because it’s no longer about decarbonizing the economy, but about how quickly we can do it. “
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
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