Writing and listening blue text indicates clickable linksI am writing this week's post on Thursday afternoon, for posting on Friday, while listening with one ear to BUDGET 22, our government's fiscal plan for the next year with carry-over into the next two or three. The budget is the second big government policy announced this week. On MondayOn Monday came the first biggie – AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN, a long awaited climate change policy document. I've been reading that – the at-a-glance version plus dips for detail into the full document. Now I’m writing about it. Interesting how the plan is being sold. Look at this introduction: 'The transition to a low-emissions economy is a significant opportunity to improve our economic prosperity, lower the cost of living, restore nature, address inequality and improve living standards for all New Zealanders. Climate action is an investment in higher paying jobs, more productive businesses and resilient supply chains.' Climate change action is often seen by comfortable public opinion as irrelevant interference but here it is proclaimed as investment in prosperity. Is it? Or is it better described as an investment in survival? Features to note - transportThe scheme will let those who qualify turn in an old car and buy a cleaner low-emission vehicle. And that goes alongside the oft repeated intention to offer more cycleways, trains and buses. More EV charge stations are to be installed throughout the country. Yes, transport gets a big hit. Features to note - housingHousing improvement receives high priority. Low income households are to receive funding for heating and insulation upgrades. Insulation standards are to be improved so that new buildings will be warmer, drier and need 40% less energy to heat. Features to note - farming'The actions in the plan will ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most sustainable providers of food in the world.' That's the boast! (To enlarge the graphic please click it.)
Features to note - otherTransport, housing and farming are the features of the Emissions Reduction Plan of which I've taken particular notice but the plan doesn't stop there. 'Embracing innovation and technology to lower emissions' (with the tag-on 'to improve living standards') is a repeated theme. Coal is black listed. In industry, existing coal burning boilers are to be phased out and no new coal burners are to be installed. Most importantly, throughout the plan there is an emphasis on developing more renewable energy – installations both small (e.g. house solar panels) and large (e.g.wind farms). Worth the wait?I'm glad our New Zealand curb emissions plan has come at last even if it is open to criticisms. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said when speaking a day or two ago (18 May) about a just released report from the World Meteorological Organisation: “It’s time to jump-start the renewable energy transition before it’s too late.” As reported by his press office he later outlined five actions: 'These include: treating renewable energy technologies as essential and freely-available global public goods; also securing and scaling up the supply of critical components and raw materials for renewable energy technologies; building frameworks and reforming bureaucracies to level the playing field for renewables; having governments shift subsidies away from fossil fuels to protect the poor and most vulnerable people and communities and tripling private and public investments in renewable energy to at least $4 trillion dollars a year. ‘ That's an interesting set of actions. Let's hope that activating the New Zealand Emissions Reduction Plan will make a significant contribution to Antonio Guterres' wish list. □ John McInnes Friday 20 May 2022 ##########
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