People rightly worry about what we can do to lessen greenhouse gas emissions, and to adapt to the impacts of climate change. We need to do both.
Last week in parliament my select committee debated the Emissions Reduction Plan.
Both Labour and National agree we need to get New Zealand to net zero carbon by 2050; we disagree on how to get there.
The Emissions Reduction Plan contains 300 actions to reduce emissions; these are in addition to the Emissions Trading Scheme offsetting by planting new forests.
We can’t plant our way to net zero – we also have to reduce emissions.
In practical terms, this means things like swapping coal boilers for electric ones, using more public transport, and driving EVs instead of gas guzzlers.
We are blessed to have an abundance of hydro and this works to our advantage.
In Dunedin we have the Waipouri Hydro Scheme and also the wind turbines close to Lake Mihinerangi.
Electricity can replace a lot of other energy from fossil fuels, so we need to increase renewable generation. We also need to increase our energy efficiency, through things such as better housing insulation (aside from the health benefits of warmer homes).
Last week we introduced the replacement for the Resource Management Act, something I worked hard on prior to entering parliament.
One of the things the new act aims to achieve is to encourage more renewable energy, and building communities that rely less on cars and fossil fuels.
A further aim is to reduce risk to our communities of the hazards of flooding and sea level rise. This means we need to acknowledge that some areas are too hazardous to develop.
The replacement RMA can address new development but existing communities in areas subject to climate change effects will be addressed in a separate bill on climate adaptation.
Planning for climate change requires a sophisticated and multi-pronged approach. The impact will stretch for generations and requires courage, long-term thinking, and accepting that we can’t do things the same way as we always have.
Because of climate change, we need to change as well. I’m proud of the work that we have started in government but am very clear this is only the beginning.
