Just consider the manner in which Corporate Dairy have seized control of NZ’s political right…
The Climate Change Commission recommends methane cuts of 35-47%. However, under pressure from lobby groups like Federated Farmers – whose ex-President Andrew Hoggard is now an ACT Party MP – the Government established a separate panel to review the methane target in line with this controversial tool. That panel landed on a much weaker methane target.
Documents released under the Official Information Act show that the methane panel was established because the Climate Commission’s independence meant the Government could not direct it to use “no additional warming”. Ministry for the Environment officials advised at the time that “no additional warming” was not in fact a matter of science, but a political decision.
Larsson says, “The Luxon Government chose to sideline its independent, science-based climate advisory body by setting up a separate review panel with the very narrow task of giving it the answers it wanted. No wonder international climate scientists are raising the alarm.”
Further OIA documents show that the Methane Review Panel only met with agribusiness stakeholders, including a Groundswell-linked lobby group.
Greenpeace says this is just the tip of the iceberg. The organisation has unveiled documents showing the startling level of influence that groups like Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ and Beef+Lamb NZ have had over government policy. This includes writing draft policy and communications plans for Ministers.
…consider the criticisms of Professor MacCulloch…
Perhaps the most under-explored aspect of MacCulloch’s critique is his consistent condemnation of corporate New Zealand’s underperformance. He argues that the real drag on New Zealand’s productivity isn’t just government bureaucracy, but the incompetence of private sector leadership.
Business is too focused on getting either special legislative deals from the government of the day, or else corporate subsidies from the taxpayer. According to MacCulloch, the last Government’s Covid Wage Subsidy Scheme was a giant transfer of $18bn to some of the wealthiest businesses in the country, most of whom didn’t need it.
Pointing to the stagnation of the NZX50 and the dismal share performance of dominant companies like Fletcher Building and Air New Zealand, he suggests that cushy directorships and an old boys’ club mentality have entrenched mediocrity.
…this total policy capture by polluter interests is the reason we are being attacked on the global stage by International Climate Scientists…
Scientists accuse New Zealand and Ireland of trying to cover up livestock emissions
Leading climate scientists have accused politicians in New Zealand and Ireland of using an “accounting trick” to back their sheep and cattle industries, warning their support for methane-emitting livestock could undermine global efforts to fight climate change. In an open letter shared with the Financial Times, 26 climate scientists from around the world warned that New Zealand’s proposed new methane targets risk setting a dangerous precedent.
…that’s right!
The Corporate Dairy industry has spent millions donating to National and putting dark money into Right Wing astroturf organisations to shut down any meaningful climate emissions targets that the rest of the world has noticed the policy corruption and are now calling us out.
We are being attacked internationally for being a climate criminal all because National refuse to stand up to their Corporate Dairy interests.
The Carbon Capture ‘technology’ that National have banked all our emission offsets on doesn’t work…
Carbon capture: Pivotal project for cutting greenhouse gas emissions looks shaky
A critical part of the government’s plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years appears to have fallen over.
…and in the last budget National cut 50% to climate finance, barely any cuts to emissions, all while slashing foreign aid for our Pacific brothers and sisters by cutting climate aid by $100m.
This Government is a Climate Denial Government who are refusing to do anything about the coming adaptation because they are paid by the polluters.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
Filthy bastards the lot of them. Groinswell are just knuckle dragging individuals with the intellect of a tanalised fence post.
The Paris accords die finally exempt emissions reductions that affect food production.
The carbon science is very sketchy with regards grass based farming – no allowance is made for carbon storage in grass or meat, methane is massively overestimated in its contribution to warming.only the negatives are counted. (Private jet emissions to climate summits are exempt)
It’s madness farmers are being targeted at all, a scam to make city people feel good, bureaucrats to control food production and middle men get rich.
Your knowledge of real information is far more sketchy than what we know about the carbon cycle. Carbon is unlikely to be stored in grass or meat as eventually both products either get consumed or decompose. Some will get stored or preserved but not enough to justify counting it and it’s highly likely that it will eventually be released into the environment again. Nothing is overestimated regarding methane so about the only hope that you have is that sustainable farming practices can increase the soil carbon level over time. I suspect that in a world increasingly controlled by the desire for profit that corporate farmers are more likely to “mine” the soil as they seek production with as low a cost as possible, some farmers do care about leaving the farm in a better condition so hopefully they can have a positive influence on others.
KCC you sound like a flat earther.
We the real kiwis are paying over the odds ,there by subsidizing farmers .Just saw on stuff this morning that NZ butter is selling cheaper in AUS than here .Clearly we pay more to cover the freight for the export market .Prices will go up again soon to cover the tariffs for the US market .I know the importer is meant to pay but our government will tell Trump that we will gladly pay the tariff.
They shame us. We’ve gone from being world leaders in so many ways to being a divided country going backwards. When they claim to be so clever, why can’t they see that nobody will escape the consequences of their petty quibbles about having to cut emissions. They are willfully ignorant and that is the worst crime.
Their grandchildren will hold them in contempt, as we do now.
Like the Orange Rump, Luxon and ACT have ruined NZ’s reputation in a matter of months.
Seymour was invited the Oxford Union debate, not because of his good reputation, but because of his death-cult politics. They wanted someone truly numb to the consequences of ignoring scientific and well-qualified advice. In other words, they wanted someone pig-headed, to make it a good show.
They sideline and undermine our democracy and expect we won’t notice.
The really terrifying thing is that so many, appear to think that’s ok. Which means at least half the population has no qualms at all about the damage they are doing to our country. As long as there’s money to be made, who cares how you make it?
Comments are closed.