Hughes Gareth: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHughes Gareth: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 23 July 2015. Volume:707;Page:5276. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.GARETH HUGHES (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Given criticisms that the carbon target he set is inadequate will he set a more ambitious target ahead of the Paris climate negotiations in December?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment) on behalf of theMinister for Climate Change Issues: The New Zealand target of a 30 percent reduction on 2005 emissions is ambitious and it is consistent with this Government’s policy of New Zealand doing its fair share. It is comparable with targets from similar countries like the US Japan and Canada despite the unique challenges that New Zealand has with 50 percent of its emissions coming from agriculture and 80 percent of electricity being renewable. We know from the experience of the last Government that setting wildly ambitious targets like carbon neutrality and then having net emissions go up by 25 percent do absolutely nothing for New Zealand’s credibility on this important international issue.Gareth Hughes: Well in light of that answer is he aware that only Russia South Africa South Korea and Ukraine have more inadequate targets than New Zealand according to analysis undertaken by four reputable European research organisations?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: No I do not agree with that analysis at all and actually there are key elements of that analysis that actually disagree with Green Party policy. If I look at the target for Japan it is minus 25 percent which compares with our minus 30 percent off the 2005 baselines. If I look at the figure for the United States they have said 26 to 28 percent which compares very well with our minus 30 percent. It will be interesting to see what other countries like Australia that face similar challenges to New Zealand do when they announce their targets prior to Paris. New Zealand’s position is very credible.Gareth Hughes: So does he disagree with renowned climate scientist Professor James Renwick who said recently “If all countries followed New Zealand’s lead we would be in for very significant climate change impacts and catastrophic damage to the New Zealand and global economy.”; if not why will he not consider setting a more ambitious target?Mr SPEAKER: Either of those two supplementary questions the Hon Dr Nick Smith.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: A minus 30 percent target on 2005 emissions is ambitious. Perhaps the Government might have been able to set a more ambitious target if during the period of the previous Government supported by the Greens emissions had not gone up by a net 25 percent.Gareth Hughes: So does the Minister think that he can negotiate with the science of climate change; if not which countries does he expect to pick up the slack if we are as a globe to avoid catastrophic climate change?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I can simply repeat that we think this target is ambitious. It is going to require New Zealand to do a lot more over the next 15 years than what both the previous Government and the Government prior to that have done. In respect of the negotiations I think every member of this House should be proud of the level of contribution that Tim Groser is making to the process. He has been more influential than any other climate change Minister since this issue first developed in the 1990s.