10. Question No. 10—Climate ChangeTODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Minister for Climate ChangeQuestion No. 10—Climate Change10. TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty) to the Minister for Climate Change: Does he stand by his statement in relation to New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions We're estimating that they will peak some time in the mid-2020s and decline from that point on" and by what year does he expect greenhouse gas emissions will peak under this Government's policies?Hon JAMES SHAW (Minister for Climate Change): In response to the first part of the question yes. That statement was based on greenhouse gas emissions projections in New Zealand's third biennial report reflecting the policies that were in place in July of 2017. In answer to the second part of the question New Zealand's fourth biennial report will be published in December of this year and will include revised projections reflecting the policies that are in place under this Government.Todd Muller: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have a question on notice where I specifically asked the year in which greenhouse gases will peak. The Minister made a reference—SPEAKER: Sorry I was temporarily diverted. I will ask the Minister to give the second part of his question again and if he didn't address the second part of the member's question he will.Hon JAMES SHAW: Well in response to the second part of the question New Zealand's fourth biennial report will be published in December of this year and will include revised projections reflecting the policies that are in place under this Government. I cannot give him a year in which we're projecting the policies of this Government to manage peaking; I can only give him the year that we have the most recent data for which is the third biennial report which is the answer to the first part of the question.Todd Muller: Taking the Minister's Radio New Zealand comments then around the mid-2020s why can he not commit to reducing emissions until 2025—mid-2020s—given the Government's promise and I quote "to urgently reduce New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions."?Hon JAMES SHAW: My comments on Radio New Zealand reflected the most recent biennial report that we had which was the third biennial report which reflects policies that were in place in July of 2017. The entire work programme of this Government in relation to climate change is intended to accelerate the peaking and decline of emissions in this country. It includes for example things like setting up an independent climate change institution reforming the emissions trading scheme planting a billion trees developing a renewable energy strategy heat and industrial processes work under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority fund transport emissions—putting $14.5 billion into heavy rail light rail walking and cycling over the course of the next 10 years dramatically unlocking the transport in Auckland and Wellington and so on. So if you add up all of those policies we'll be able to give him a year in which we can actually project the decline in the fourth biennial report in December of this year.Todd Muller: Why has he on the one hand actively encouraged school children to strike for urgent action on climate change but on the other hand given himself six seven years from the time he became Minister until New Zealand's emissions start declining?Hon JAMES SHAW: I have not. As I've said my comments on Radio New Zealand reflected the policies of the previous Government which is the year that we had the third biennial report for. The reason why I support people who are taking to the streets to protest the lack of action over the course of the past 30 years in relation to their future is because it is the single most important thing that they are facing. I think that that is up to them.Todd Muller: Why is he video-conferencing into council boardrooms around the country urging them to declare climate emergencies while at the same time overseeing emissions that he has just said intend to peak into "the mid-2020s"? Hon JAMES SHAW: Because video-conferencing has lower emissions than flying there in person. Todd Muller: Isn't this yet another example of the Government failing to deliver on its promise and on all issues the nuclear-free generation moment? Hon JAMES SHAW: No as I said in answer to the primary question and the supplementary the data that we have is the third biennial report that reflects the policies that were in place under the previous Government. We will have new projections which I am hoping will show that we will peak our emissions sooner as a result of the increased—those will come through in December in response to your question. You'll be happy to see that when that gets published. I think that the policies of this Government will show that we will peak emissions earlier than the policies of the previous Government."