Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:668;Page:14851] 
9. 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations 
: Will New Zealand support a legally binding agreement to cut global greenhouse gas emissions at the Cancun climate change conference this December; if not why not? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Acting Minister responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations) 
: 
 Yes that is this Government’s ambition. This was the position at Bali at Copenhagen and it will also be so at Cancun. However all indications are that this is unlikely to be achieved at Cancun but New Zealand is ready and willing to make as much progress as is possible. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: If such an agreement is not likely and we are then obliged to rely on the Copenhagen Accord instead does he believe that the combined voluntary emission cuts promised under the Copenhagen Accord will be sufficient to meet the agreed safe threshold of 2 degrees Celsius which requires a 28 percent reduction in global emissions by 2020? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The climate change negotiations are very much the art of the possible because they require the agreement of over 190 countries on such a complex issue. It is the Government’s view that the Copenhagen Accord was a second-best outcome from Copenhagen but it is better than nothing. Our hope is that we will be able to translate some of the good work that is included in the Copenhagen Accord into a more robust international agreement. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: If climate change negotiations are the art of the possible is it possible for him to reconcile his plan to cut national emissions by 10 to 20 percent with a global reduction target of 28 percent given that as a developed country we are obliged to take a larger share of the 28 percent notwithstanding our special situation on agriculture? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: I think it is very important that Parliament understands that the 10 to 20 percent reduction target range for New Zealand is of course based on 1990 emissions and 1990 emissions grew between then and 2008 by 25 percent which is a very substantial increase. The second point that is unique to New Zealand is that of course 50 percent of our emissions come from agriculture where the technologies are a lot more challenging. My view is that a 10 to 20 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2020 is a hugely challenging target for New Zealand. 
Louise Upston 
: What progress has New Zealand made in climate change and will this enable New Zealand to meet its Kyoto obligations? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: We have made good progress with the emissions trading scheme coming into effect on 1 July. I am encouraged that the future forecast projections of emissions show the first years of decline in New Zealand’s net emissions in any time since 1990—that is during every year of the previous Labour administration emissions went up— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: And we had growth and you’ve got a recession! 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: The member interjects. It is interesting to note that the big gains have been firstly in the area of forestry. Under his Government New Zealand deforested; under our Government we are planting trees. The second big gains have been in the area of renewable energy where rather than building thermal power stations which occurred under the previous Government we currently have a record level of investment in renewable energy and that should be welcomed. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: Does he agree with the Greenhouse Policy Coalition that when comparing New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme with the European Union emissions trading scheme from 2015 only 50 percent of emissions in the EU are covered compared with 100 percent in New Zealand; if so does he accept that New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme is more comprehensive than the European emissions trading scheme and may also render us “uncompetitive with Australia” as the Minister for the Environment has just explained to the House with reference to his props of Persil and Surf? 
Hon Dr NICK SMITH 
: Firstly in respect of the issue of the comparison with Australia it is interesting to note that electricity prices in Australia have gone up by more than 30 percent over the last 5 years in response to a whole lot of regulatory measures that Australian Governments have tried—in an inefficient way in my view—in order to deal with the challenge of climate change. So I think we are well placed in competitive terms with Australia. In respect of the comparison with Europe it is very important that we compare like with like. If we compare our emissions trading scheme today with that of the European Union we see that our scheme covers less and is less aggressive and we will have a review of the scheme next year. The commitment of this Government is to ensure that New Zealand does its fair share on climate change not that we should try to be a world leader because we have to carefully balance those economic and environmental responsibilities.