Episode description
Episode description
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Reporter Anneke Smith looks at why New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets is on shaky ground.
"The projections for 2050 show, at this point, we won't be net zero by then" - RNZ climate change correspondent, Eloise Gibson
The government's draft emissions reduction plan - out this week - puts New Zealand's ability to meet its climate targets in jeopardy.
That was the key takeaway for RNZ's climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson, who pored over the document and gave it a two out of 10.
"The government has delivered on its commitment to give us really clear numbers about the plan and say what it's going to do.
"The issue is that when you add it all up, it's pretty clearly not enough."
The coalition's plan includes more EV chargers, making emissions-cutting tools available to frames and investigating carbon capture and storage.
It also wants to slash red tape for renewable energy consents, invest in public transport and improve organise waste and landfill gas capture.
Read more:
- Opposition parties slam government's plan to reduce emissions
- Critics fear carbon capture will be used as a smokescreen, but government says no
- Climate strategy 'as useful as teats on a bull', Greenpeace says
- Climate Minister Simon Watts outlines 3-page climate strategy
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is unapologetic about doing things differently and says National is still committed to the country's emissions budgets.
"We've been very clear around what we're starting, what we're stopping and the impact of that. A lot of the stuff we're stopping did not have a significant emissions reduction profile.
"We're on track in terms of our first two stepping stones...and we're absolutely focused around making sure that we're set up for success in the future."