KEY POINTS:
Visiting British Trade Minister Ian McCartney yesterday moved to quell concerns New Zealand produce would be lumbered with "food miles" taxes after the release of a major international study into global warming.
Former World Bank chief economist Sir Nicholas Stern's study, commissioned by the British Government, has hit the headlines worldwide.
It warned that if greenhouse gas emissions continued at the present level and energy demand continued to rise, the world would experience a major economic downturn comparable to the Depression of the 1930s.
It would also see millions of people displaced by weather events, drinking water shortages and crop failures.
Mr McCartney, visiting New Zealand after attending the Pacific leaders' forum last month, said he discussed the issue of "food miles" with Trade Minister Phil Goff this week but Sir Nicholas' report was not about Britons spurning kiwifruit.
"This is not about people in Britain not eating kiwifruit, this is about working with New Zealand and Pacific countries to prevent Pacific nations disappearing and the total devastation and dislocation of society," he said.
The New Zealand Government moved quickly to hit back at claims by British MP Stephen Byers after the report was released that food exports flown long distances contributed to global warming through aircraft emissions, and should therefore attract a tax for food miles.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said environmental barriers such as food miles could be the next trade problem for New Zealand.
Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton called arguments that local produce contributed to global warming a "smear campaign".
Mr McCartney said New Zealand-produced onions used less energy than out-of-season British ones did.
"Locally grown onions can be stored year-round in Britain but that would use up far more energy than importing onions from New Zealand out of season," he said. The Green Party said it would appeal to its European counterparts not to support any campaign against this country's lamb and dairy products on the basis of food miles but said New Zealand needed to cut its emissions.
FEELING THE HEAT
* Failure to cut greenhouse gases could warm the planet 2-3C within 50 years
* Seas will rise up to 80cm with a temperature rise of 3-4C, meaning higher risk of extreme weather events
* As habitats have got warmer in the past 40 years, species have been moved an average of 6km closer to the poles each decade
* Loss of forest contributes more to global emissions each year than vehicles
