Govt to unveil 2020 emissions target today

The Huntly Power Station, New Zealand's single biggest emitter of CO2. Photo / Greg Bowker.

The Government will announce later today its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for 2020.

It has to take the target figure, or a range of target figures, to a UN meeting in Bonn this week.

Countries have to commit to reduction targets based on 1990 levels and speculation is that Climate Change Minister Nick Smith will settle for around 15 per cent.

Scientific opinion is that a reduction of 40 per cent is needed to prevent serious global warming but few countries are expected set that as a target.

Prime Minister John Key said last week New Zealand's emissions had risen 24 per cent since 1990 and setting a 40 per cent reduction target would effectively mean they would have to fall by 64 per cent.

"That would have a catastrophic effect on the New Zealand economy," he said.

During last year's election campaign National set a target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2050, which equates to about 15 per cent by 2020.

Smith said last month New Zealand had to play its part in dealing with "the biggest environmental challenge of our generation" but targets had to be realistic and achievable.

Labour's climate change spokesman, Charles Chauvel, yesterday called on the Government to set a bold target.

"We need to show other countries that New Zealand is serious about climate change," he said.

"If the Government sets a low target - in the 5 per cent to 15 per cent range - this will tell the rest of the world that New Zealand does not have leadership that is serious about taking action on climate change."


NZPA