National's reason is that not enough other countries are signing into the Kyoto protocol... which is such a lame excuse. The vast majority will sign up again to reduce emissions and if we want to retain our clean green image, we should to as well.
The problem is that the right wing are a bunch of climate change deniers. They're also closely tied to the farming industry, that has been fighting tooth and nail against any regulation. Despite the evidence being clear, New Zealand currently runs propaganda on a weekly basis about why the farmers cannot reduce emissions. What a load of codswallop!
So it's no surprise that the Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations, Tim Grosser has already started making excuses before travelling to South Africa for the United Nations conference on the Framework Convention on Climate Change. A couple of days ago the climate change denier hinted at National's excuse:
“Only a comprehensive agreement will make a real difference to climate change,” Mr Groser says.
Japan, Russia and Canada refuse to sign up for new commitments under the Kyoto protocol and the U.S. never adopted the treaty in the first place. So that's an easy out for the climate change deniers.
Durban, South Africa (1/12/11) - The official New Zealand Government delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Durban, South Africa has made it clear that support for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol is "not unconditional".
Using other countries' refusal to commitments as justification to avoid New Zealand's own obligations is a tenuous and inadequate excuse; justifying a conditional commitment with reference to the positions of other states renders the negotiations a house of cards. A state's refusal to commit should not result in the collapse of a legally binding agreement among other states.
These talks are not like trade negotiations where a reflective period or hiatus on action is acceptable. New Zealand, as an active member of the international community, particularly in the Pacific, must step forward and commit irrespective of other states' positions.
Climate change is a real problem. The science is proven, the effects visible and an equitable binding solution required.
I don't mean to sound like an alarmist, but manmade climate change is real and we're already seeing some of its destructive effects. Those countries that do not sign up to the Kyoto protocol are making a decision that effects the entire planet.
It's immoral for them to not reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, but unfortunately it looks like National is going to commit that global crime against humanity... to not sign into a binding agreement to reduce carbon emissions.
