Comments on: Something is rotten in the state of Godzone… http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/ The Greenpeace NZ blog Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:15:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Kathy http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/comment-page-1/#comment-653 Kathy Sun, 11 May 2008 21:27:09 +0000 http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/#comment-653 Dear Harold, i suppose you could argue that on a global scale, New Zealand's emissions are small when compared to other countries (logical, given we're tiny both geographically and on a population basis). But i don't think that's the question. The question is how well we're performing with what we've got. And the answer is badly. New Zealand’s emissions record is poor to extremely poor when compared to other developed countries. We’re among the worst in the developed world for emission increases, the greenhouse gas intensity of our economy is fourth highest in the OECD and our greenhouse gas emissions per capita are in the top 12 countries worldwide. In things like car ownership rates (which may not sound important, but are a good indication of attitude to the environment), we're right up there with the worst performers in the world. For every person over the age of 15 in this country, there is a car. We are inefficient with energy, we create a lot of waste per person, and perhaps more worriedly, some of do indeed think that the size of our country should dictate our responsbility to act on the biggest crisis facing the planet. In one regard you're right though, CO2 is not the biggest issue in New Zealand - we are unique among developed countries in that almost 50 per cent of our emissions come from the agriculture sector. One third of these are from nitrous oxide (from livestock urine, manure and artificial fertiliser) and two-thirds come from methane. The emissions trading scheme will take these emissions into account, as well as CO2. Finally, New Zealand markets itself and its products on a clean green image, and we like to think of ourselves as being world leaders when it comes to the environment. If we don't act soon, this reputation will be revealed to be a farce. A recently-released State of the Environment Report (http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/enz07-summary-dec07/index.html) confirmed we're already on thin ice. The economic impact of a fall from grace would be catastrophic. The sooner sustainability is recognised as meaning opportunity rather than sacrifice; the sooner New Zealand can safegaurd its reputation and truly claim to be a leader. Dear Harold, i suppose you could argue that on a global scale, New Zealand’s emissions are small when compared to other countries (logical, given we’re tiny both geographically and on a population basis). But i don’t think that’s the question. The question is how well we’re performing with what we’ve got. And the answer is badly. New Zealand’s emissions record is poor to extremely poor when compared to other developed countries. We’re among the worst in the developed world for emission increases, the greenhouse gas intensity of our economy is fourth highest in the OECD and our greenhouse gas emissions per capita are in the top 12 countries worldwide. In things like car ownership rates (which may not sound important, but are a good indication of attitude to the environment), we’re right up there with the worst performers in the world. For every person over the age of 15 in this country, there is a car. We are inefficient with energy, we create a lot of waste per person, and perhaps more worriedly, some of do indeed think that the size of our country should dictate our responsbility to act on the biggest crisis facing the planet. In one regard you’re right though, CO2 is not the biggest issue in New Zealand – we are unique among developed countries in that almost 50 per cent of our emissions come from the agriculture sector. One third of these are from nitrous oxide (from livestock urine, manure and artificial fertiliser) and two-thirds come from methane. The emissions trading scheme will take these emissions into account, as well as CO2.
Finally, New Zealand markets itself and its products on a clean green image, and we like to think of ourselves as being world leaders when it comes to the environment. If we don’t act soon, this reputation will be revealed to be a farce. A recently-released State of the Environment Report (http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/enz07-summary-dec07/index.html) confirmed we’re already on thin ice. The economic impact of a fall from grace would be catastrophic. The sooner sustainability is recognised as meaning opportunity rather than sacrifice; the sooner New Zealand can safegaurd its reputation and truly claim to be a leader.

]]> By: Harold Poerce Jr http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Harold Poerce Jr Fri, 09 May 2008 09:56:52 +0000 http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/#comment-647 Good Grief! NZ is such a tiny little country that the world shouldn't hassle it about CO2 emission. There is probably for more CO2 bubbling out soda pop and beer in SE Asia than the entire yearly NZ emission! Good Grief! NZ is such a tiny little country that the world shouldn’t hassle it about CO2 emission. There is probably for more CO2 bubbling out soda pop and beer in SE Asia than the entire yearly NZ emission!

]]> By: Greg http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/comment-page-1/#comment-637 Greg Wed, 07 May 2008 03:58:48 +0000 http://weblog.greenpeace.org.nz/climate-change/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-godzone/#comment-637 "I've never seen so many (business)men ask you if you wanted to dance They're looking for a little (carbon credit)romance, given half a chance ... The lady in red is dancing with me ... The way you (backtracked) tonight I never will forget, the way you (backtracked) tonight The lady in red The lady in red The lady in red My lady in red" Ahh Chris De burgh. “I’ve never seen so many (business)men ask you if you wanted to dance
They’re looking for a little (carbon credit)romance, given half a chance
…
The lady in red is dancing with me
…
The way you (backtracked) tonight
I never will forget, the way you (backtracked) tonight
The lady in red
The lady in red
The lady in red
My lady in red”

Ahh Chris De burgh.

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