6. Paris Agreement—RatificationDr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change IssuesParis Agreement—Ratification6. Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Does she agree with the UN Secretary-General that we need to bring the Paris Climate Agreement into force this year; if so will she seek to ratify the agreement before the UN ratification event in September?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Energy and Resources) on behalf of the Minister for Climate Change Issues: It is great that more than 170 countries have signed the Paris Agreement and it certainly has a lot of momentum. It will come into force when at least 55 countries that make up at least 55 percent of emissions have ratified it. That may happen this year but it is not essential that it does. The Government is yet to make a decision on when New Zealand will ratify the agreement.Dr Kennedy Graham: When the defence Minister said last weekend that he is not sure whether in a blanket sort of way we're having more weather events than we have in the past" does that give her confidence she will convince Cabinet to ratify in 2016?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Minister Brownlee is a very deep thinker and he thinks a lot about weather but I do not think even he would claim that he is an expert in these matters.Dr Kennedy Graham: Given that Paris signatories are invited to resubmit their climate targets at the time of ratification and given that our target has been described as "grossly inadequate" will the Minister increase our target this year rather than wait for the 2023 global review which is 7 years away?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: The member should stop quoting himself. The truth is that we are working through these issues and we are yet to make a decision on ratification.Dr Kennedy Graham: Can the Minister tell the House by what percentage our emissions are estimated to reduce between now and the target year of 2030 as a result of the domestic action on climate change which she rather loosely described at the Local Government and Environment Committee yesterday with four bullet points?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: It is 30 percent on 2005 levels.Dr Kennedy Graham: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That is a target. The question was about what percentage emissions would reduce by as a result of policy.Mr SPEAKER: I think the answer has been given. I will invite the member to ask the question again but if that is the answer that is given by the Minister that will be the answer. Dr Kennedy Graham repeat the question.Dr Kennedy Graham: Can the Minister tell the House by what percentage our emissions are estimated to reduce—not the target—between now and the target year of 2030 as a result of the domestic action on climate change which she loosely described at the select committee yesterday?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: We intend to meet our target. In terms of the precise question I do not have a percentage off the top of my head but as I say we intend to meet the target that we have set.Dr Kennedy Graham: Can the Minister give the House a ballpark figure for how much emissions are forecast to reduce by 2030 as a result of the Government's new electric vehicle policy?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No. What we are seeking to do is effect change—structural change—across the fleet by setting targets by looking at procurement and by having a series of funds that will encourage and accelerate electric vehicles. Good things take time and I think this policy will but I think it is certainly a more ambitious policy than we have seen from any other party in this Parliament.Dr Kennedy Graham: I seek leave to table the analysis provided for my office from the Minister of Transport showing that electric vehicles would reduce transport emissions by only 2.8 percent by 2030.Mr SPEAKER: No I previously ruled that if the document is an analysis prepared by the member's own office it does not reach a standard of authentication where I would be putting the leave.Dr Kennedy Graham: Does the Minister think that New Zealanders might be a bit concerned that their Minister for Climate Change Issues does not even know how far she is falling short of meeting the climate agreement that she is about to ratify?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I think what the member is failing to appreciate is that we have a considered process to go through here. We went to Paris we have signed the declaration—the Minister did that in New York—and now we are embarking on a process assessing the pros and cons for early ratification. That is where we are. I appreciate the member's impatience but good process on this important matter—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister is being asked as to whether or not something is known or not known. Thus far he has not addressed the question at all. Mr SPEAKER: No the question was hardly that specific: "Does he think New Zealanders might be a bit concerned …". That gave a very wide chance for the Minister to address the question; on this occasion he has."