Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGraham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 20 August 2013. Volume:692;Page:12581. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green)to theMinister for Climate Change Issues: Does he agree with the statement made in 2009 by then Minister for Climate Change Issues Hon Dr Nick Smith in reference to New Zealand’s previous target of 10 to 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 that “…a less ambitious target would undermine New Zealand’s clean green environmental reputation”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Acting Minister for Climate Change Issues):Yes and that target of 10 to 20 percent below 1990 levels still stands. Just as was the case when the Hon Dr Nick Smith made those comments that target is conditional on there being a comprehensive global agreement. In addition to this just last week we announced anunconditional target of 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 which we will meet irrespective of what other nations are doing. This unconditional target makes it clear that New Zealand is absolutely doing its fair share to address global climate change.Dr Kennedy Graham: Why has this new unconditional target been described by New Zealand’s leading climate policy and science experts including Associate Professors James Renwick and Ralph Chapman and Professor Jonathan Boston at Victoria University as “disappointing and inadequate” and that it “does not provide the leadership on climate change that New Zealand needs.”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Dr Boston fundamentally got a number of technical matters just plain wrong. He should go back and do his homework before he starts lecturing the Government. The fact of the matter is that the international reputation of this country in terms of our unconditional target has been enhanced. It has been seen around the world as acting progressively and responsibly and as creating a positive precedent. Countries have been impressed not only that we have set a firm target but that we are leading the way by applying the Kyoto Protocol rules outside of the Kyoto Protocol under the convention.Dr Kennedy Graham: Which other developed country does the Minister plan to nominate to make up New Zealand’s shortfall given that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change prescribes 25 to 40 percent cuts for developed countries by 2020 but New Zealand is committing to 5 percent?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I am not in the business of telling other countries what to do but the fact of the matter is that our unconditional target compares very favourably with our traditional trading partners’ actions. If we go through the countries the fact is that when you look at Australia America and Canada—trading partners of New Zealand—we have a good unconditional target that shows us absolutely doing our fair share.Moana Mackey: Is he concerned that a recently released section 89 report shows a huge increase in deforestation and foresters exiting the emissions trading scheme in droves over the last year which will make achieving even his very modest target difficult; if so what is he planning to do about it?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No I am not concerned. The fact of the matter is that Moana Mackey plainly has her facts wrong again. More trees have been planted than cut down since National has been in Government. Although 26000 hectares of forest have been cut down under our Government 42700 hectares have been replanted. The fact of the matter is that—I know that again Moana Mackey does not get this—foresters plant they cut down and they replant again and under this Government they have replanted more than they have cut down.