The Contrast with Big Business’ Denialist Opposition To Climate Change Action Under the Previous Labour Government is Striking

Sixty major New Zealand businesses have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and hold themselves publicly accountable by setting targets.

The newly formed Climate Leaders Coalition includes some very large corporations including Air New Zealand, Fonterra, Z Energy, Contact Energy, Westpac, Spark, KiwiRail, Sanford, The Warehouse Group, Ngai Tahu Holdings, Vector and Ports of Auckland.

The companies produce almost half of New Zealand’s total emissions when their suppliers are included.

The Climate Leaders Coalition has pledged to:

• Measure and publicly report on their greenhouse gas emissions in the same way they report their finances.
• Set a public emissions reduction target consistent with the Paris Agreement to keep global temperature rises below 2degC
• Back the introduction of a Climate Change Commission – now in the process of being established – along with the creation of law-enshrined carbon budgets.
• Work with suppliers to reduce their emissions

This video explains what the Coalition members have agreed to do

Check out what some of the business leaders said at the launch –

Carbon budgeting is a proposed part of the Government’s Zero Carbon Bill, which aims to reduce emissions of CO2 – and potentially other greenhouse gases – down to zero by 2050.

The climate commitment from these big corporations is a major breakthrough.  If you want proof, watch the documentary called “Hot Air – the Politics of Climate Change” which looks at the scurrilous, well-funded campaign which major corporations mounted against the previous Labour Government’s attempts to introduce emissions trading legislation. 

Back in the early 2000’s climate deniers led by the Business Round Table and many in the National Party mounted a fierce campaign of opposition to any attempt to pass legislation to limit greenhouse gas emissions.  The Business Round Table brought in climate denying shrills who were/are funded by the fossil fuel industry.  Whilst these disgusting efforts didn’t prevent the Labour Government from passing the emissions trading legislation near the very end of its term, they were ultimately successful when the incoming National Government completely gutted the emissions trading scheme.  The result has been that New Zealand’s emissions have continued to rise rapidly in the last nine years of National’s control.  Nine years wasted.

Hopefully, we will now see a bipartisan approach to the Zero Carbon Bill from all political parties and the establishment of a Climate Commission which will independently provide advice as to how we meet the Bill’s carbon-reducing commitments.