Turn unused farmland into carbon sinks - United Future

United Future leader Peter Dunne. The party's environmental policy package includes plans to turn non-viable farmland into carbon sinks.

United Future's newly announced environmental policy package includes plans to turn farmland into carbon sinks.

The political party today said in a statement it wanted the government to take a leading role in encouraging owners of unproductive farming land to gift it to public ownership so it can be planted with native trees and act as a permanent "carbon sink", "to help mitigate our carbon footprint and extend coverage of our native forests".

It's one of six steps the party believes New Zealand needs to adopt to ensure the right balance between environmental guardianship and access to our "unique outdoors".

United Future also wants a $25 fee placed on tourist visas with all revenue going towards maintaining and upgrading the conservation estate.

Leader Peter Dunne said the cost of maintaining walking tracks, rivers and lakes currently fell on locals.

"This policy allows the costs of maintenance and upgrades to be shared amongst all the people who make use of our conservation areas."

Prime Minister John Key has said funding ideas, including a tourist tax or levy, would be considered.

Other policies in the package include:

• A $5 million annual grant to promote electric vehicle ownership, that would allow up to $5000 to be claimed, or up to 30 per cent of the cost of a vehicle, whichever is smaller. The scheme would also apply to businesses replacing company fleets.

• A $10 million per annum contestable fund for promoting innovation and research into the environment.

• A fund of the same value for homeowners to purchase solar panels and similar units, with homeowners able to claim up to $5000 or 80 per cent of the cost, whichever is smaller.

• Develop new protection categories for marine reserves that would ban commercial fishing and allow recreational fishing.