Press release: Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says Emissions Trading Scheme won’t achieve needed cut in emissions
Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Inc. (LCANZI) says that the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is inadequate to achieve the reductions in emissions that are needed for New Zealand to meet its international obligations and to do its part to avoid catastrophic global warming. The group is calling for the Government to acknowledge this and to either:
• undertake more fundamental reform of the ETS framework and settings; or
• introduce a carbon tax as the main policy tool to reduce emissions.
In its submission on the proposed new settings for the ETS, the lawyers’ climate lobby group identifies a number of flaws with the scheme which will not be fixed by the amendments currently being considered Parliament, or by new settings for the scheme which have been proposed by the Ministry for the Environment.
LCANZI Committee member and submission co-author, James Every-Palmer QC, says that while the group supports the broad direction of the proposals, it is concerned that the proposed emissions budget is too generous and the proposed price parameters are too low. More fundamentally, the group questions whether the ETS will have any impact on the total emissions that New Zealand will generate going forward, given only 30% of New Zealand’s total emissions are properly covered by the ETS and there is a substantial existing stockpile of emissions units. Emissions from international transport to and from New Zealand are not accounted for at all.
“Successive governments have described the emissions trading scheme as our key policy tool for reducing emissions and meeting our targets. But design flaws and its limited scope prevent it from being effective as a carbon pricing and reduction mechanism.” Mr Every-Palmer said. “LCANZI considers that carbon pricing can and should play a fundamental role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and responding to the threat of climate change. To achieve this, either further substantial changes to the ETS are required or else our focus should be on other policy measures, such as a carbon tax.”
Background
Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Inc. (LCANZI) is a society comprising over 250
lawyers and an additional number of non-lawyer associate members. Our goals are to:
raise public awareness and understanding of the threat of climate change;
advocate for legislation and policies to ensure New Zealand meets or exceeds its commitment under the Paris Agreement and achieves net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible; and
facilitate free or reduced cost legal assistance to community groups working to fight climate change.
More information about Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Inc. is available at https://www.lawyersforclimateaction.nz/
Contact:
James Every-Palmer QC, email: James.EveryPalmer@stoutstreet.co.nz, tel. 027 580 1616
Jenny Cooper QC, email: jcooper@shortlandchambers.co.nz, tel. 021 632 260