Climate Change Declaration ‘not a binding contract’

In a Radio New Zealand interview this morning the president of Local Government New Zealand, David Cull, rubbished the Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie’s statements yesterday that the campaign for Council to sign the climate change declaration was “politically charged and driven” and that it committed ratepayers to excessive spending.

Mr Cull said the Declaration “is not a binding contract – there are no specific goals – it’s just a recognition that we, the communities need to be looking to change the way communities operate and to reduce their carbon footprint for instance”

He said that the comments by Goudie about the campaign being politically charged was “a misunderstanding of the intention of the declaration”.

Mr Cull said the climate change declaration is “purely aspirational and no one is being pressured into signing up to it”

When asked what he would say to Sandra Goudie he laughed and said “nothing publicly probably”

78 Major NZ Companies DO Make firm Measurable Commitments

Embarrassingly, our Mayor dodges and weaves and refuses to answer a direct question as to whether she accepts the reality of climate change and says she will not sign the declaration.

Meanwhile 78 major companies (so far) have signed the Climate Leaders Coalition declaration.

These major New Zealand companies which contribute over half of New Zealand’s carbon emissions have made a firm commitment to make measurable reductions in their carbon footprint, and to be be accountable to their shareholders and the public. Contrast this with Mayor Goudie who says she will not sign the purely aspirational local government climate change declaration which has no binding commitments .

No wonder former Prime Minister Helen Clark is “incredulous”