The Green Party should be getting very worried. The Labour led Government is doing everything possible to muscle in on their support base. Because only the most absolute of believers could be taking some of what David Parker has been saying in Bali as serious. His speeches to an International Carbon Action Partnership side event and to the the OECD side event have just been released. We understand that several attendees at these events are questioning New Zealand's ability to deliver on the commitments that Parker is bragging about. And back home industry has been quick to comment with e-mails flying around the country.
Aside questioning the realism of the commitments to carbon neutrality etc. one well placed observer has commented "He also looks to be advocating that if NZ capital is going to developing countries through emissions trading (buying CERs) that the NZ government might like to have an agreement with a recipient government that they introduce regulations to require all new coal generation (for example) is not to go ahead without CCS. I think he must be dreaming if I am interpreting his comments correctly. I don't think the volume of CER's that NZ would be purchasing would have much pulling power in this regard and I imagine such a move would be strongly resisted by countries like China and India. "
The Hive agrees fully. We need India and China to be part of the commitment process, and advocating such silly things is only going to alienate them.
