Ardern Jacinda; Mallard TrevorCLIMATE CHANGEDeclaration of Climate EmergencyRt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): I move That this House: declare a climate emergency following the finding of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that to avoid a more than 1.5°C rise in global warming global emissions would need to fall by around 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030 reaching net zero by around 2050; recognise the advocacy of New Zealanders in calling for action to protect the environment and reduce the impact of human activity on the climate; join the over 1800 jurisdictions in 32 countries to declare a climate emergency and commit to reducing emissions to avoid a more than 1.5°C rise in global warming; recognise the devastating impact that volatile and extreme weather will have on New Zealand and the wellbeing of New Zealanders on our primary industries water availability and public health through flooding sea-level rise and wildfire damage;note that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time that the Government has made significant progress on meeting that challenge through the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 and that New Zealand has committed to taking urgent action on greenhouse gas mitigation and climate change adaptation; acknowledge the core tenets of New Zealand's response by establishing emissions budgets that set us on a path to net zero by 2050 setting a price on emissions through the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme transitioning to a low-carbon economy and planning for climate adaption; implement the policies required to meet the targets in the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 and to increase support for striving towards 100 percent renewable electricity generation low carbon energy and transport systems; seize the economic opportunities that a clean green reputation provides; create green jobs in the low-carbon economy while managing risks for workers and communities currently reliant on carbon-intensive sectors; recognise the alarming trend in species decline and global biodiversity crisis including the decline in Aotearoa's indigenous biodiversity and acknowledge New Zealand's strategic framework for the protection and restoration of biodiversity Te Mana o te Taiao; note that the Government will take further steps towards reducing and eliminating waste; and show leadership and demonstrate what is possible to other sectors of the New Zealand economy by reducing the Government's own emissions and becoming a carbon-neutral Government by 2025.I think the first and most important point to make is that this is a declaration based on science. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change the pre-eminent scientific body in the world on this matter has determined that in order to avoid a disastrous 1.5 degree Celsius rise in global temperatures and beyond—a rise that would see increased risk to human health and livelihood civil unrest mass drought disease loss of lands and homes increased fires increased tropical storms mass human displacement and globally exhausted resources—we must act with urgency to ensure global emissions fall to net zero by 2050. This is a declaration grounded in a deep sense of responsibility—responsibility that we all must feel but particularly given that we as New Zealanders are members of the Pacific. In 2019 I visited Tokelau a rare privilege. A population of only 1500 only accessible by boat—and so perhaps therefore their story is not often shared. But there I physically observed newly built coastal walls that were already toppling over from the assault by the sea. Those walls had been erected to prevent a seaside burial ground that had been there for many many years from being inundated—to protect it against significant erosion. Those walls were already failing. Tokelau is not alone. The Pacific Islands Forum has called climate change our greatest threat—their greatest threat—and that is why the goal to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees is embedded in our legislation. That's not something that every nation has done but we have because anything more than that means consigning the Pacific—it means consigning our region—to a devastating reality that if we are responsible members of the Pacific we cannot and will not accept.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. This declaration is about our global responsibilities. As a nation it is not in our nature to turn our back on a problem and it's certainly not in our DNA to ignore a sense of responsibility and obligation. On climate change we will only make progress if we absolutely accept that collective action is required. If any nation falls short we all fall short. So importantly this is a declaration that records the formal importance of our intent as a nation and our intent on the global stage. It's a declaration that now serves as a directive to all aspects of the public service around the urgency that we as a Government require and the urgency that we require around action. It acts as a catalyst for change.It's a declaration that says we must get our own house in order. It serves as the clearest of signals to the private sector and I acknowledge significant action has been taken by many in the private sector. Many are taking action now demonstrating leadership. But to others I say there is no more runway to push back on. Globally we have entered an age of action and that includes the private sector as well. So with action in mind today as a Government we are also announcing the Carbon Neutral Government Programme that requires Government organisations to be carbon-neutral by 2025. We must get our own house in order. How can we stand and take a leadership position amongst the private sector unless we take the same action that we expect of them? It will require Government agencies to measure and reduce their emissions and if they are unable to achieve carbon neutrality they must offset. They will be required to develop emissions reduction targets and plans. They will be required to individually report to Parliament on their emissions. Ministers will be held accountable. And from 2025 as I've said if they do not reach their own targets they will be required to offset. This means they will have to act differently. They will have also a major financial incentive to do so. There are three specific elements to our plan around a carbon-neutral Public Service. First we will phase out the use of coal boilers in the State sector. We'll prioritise getting rid of the largest and most active boilers using the $200 million State sector decarbonisation fund to replace them with clean alternatives. There are over 200 coal boilers still in the State sector; that needs to change. Secondly we're requiring mandated Government agencies to only purchase electric vehicles (EVs) or hybrid vehicles. If electrics are not appropriate for their specific needs then there is a specific operational requirement that they must go through in order to demonstrate why. We are also requiring them to optimise their fleet at the same time. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority estimates that we can reduce the size of our fleet by up to 20 percent. We've also allocated $20 million from the State sector decarbonisation fund to co-fund the cost of EVs and charging infrastructure. We spent the better part of last term putting in place the infrastructure that would enable this transition to happen. Thirdly we are putting in place an energy efficiency building standard on all mandated agencies who occupy office space over 2000 square metres. So let me be clear. This is a declaration that will need to be supported by ongoing continual action and activity. It sits behind the work that we did in our first term of office: our plan to plant one billion trees; our ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration; our goal of 100 percent renewable electricity generation by 2030 and we are already under way investigating a scheme that would allow New Zealand to have essentially the battery that helps us overcome dry years to reach that 100 percent renewable goal; our record investment in rail trains buses walking and cycling and now we are moving to decarbonise that public transport fleet too; our $100 million Green Investment Fund; our world-first partnership with farmers to reduce primary sector emissions; and our intention to make action on climate change an integral part of our COVID recovery so that we don't only build back our economy we build it back in a sustainable way with a focus on carbon neutrality. We issue declarations sparingly. The reason we have done this today is that those cases where we do issue declarations are often where there are threats to life threats to property or civil defence emergencies. If we do not respond to climate change we will continue to have those emergencies on our shore. I do want to acknowledge as I conclude the Minister of Climate Change and the Green Party endless advocates for activity in this space that we will continue to work in partnership with. But I encourage every member of this House to take the issue of climate change with the utter seriousness that it deserves. Vote in favour of this declaration today. Be on the right side of history. Be part of the solution we must collectively deliver for the next generation.SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.