Green Conference 2017 – Green Infrastructure Plan & NZ carbon neutral by 2050

The Green Conference is on this weekend. James Shaw has announced a Green Infrastructure Plan which looks pretty good.

It will be set up to invest making NZ Carbon neutral by 2050.

• The fund will provide opportunities for long-term investors, including iwi, to achieve good financial returns, positive environmental outcomes, and create jobs.
• In time, the Fund will invest billions of dollars (mainly) private sector finance into funding new renewables energy plants, solar panel installations, energy efficiency retrofits, biofuels, and other clean technology projects.
• The fund will have a minimum target rate of return of 5%, a goal of reducing emissions by one million tonnes of CO2 annually, and generate thousands of jobs.
• Establishing the Fund will cost $10million plus a $100million line of credit over three years, paid for by raising royalty rates on oil-drilling.

It’s a pretty strong idea which will have positive results and is a reminder that the Greens are very pro-investment. It’s optimistic economics and the Greens should aim to highlight the emotional positivity of hope that this approach takes rather than the technical jargon because it’s that emotional positivity that will resonate with voters.

Cynics will argue that being Carbon neutral by 2050 won’t mean much because by 2050 …

At least half a million people will die in the year 2050 as a result of the impact climate change will have on food production, according to experts.

The stark forecast is expected to occur because of changes in diet and bodyweight from reduced crop productivity.

Most of these additional deaths will be in China, India, and other low-income countries in the Pacific and Asia, but the effects on food availability will also reach into richer countries.

…so while carbon neutral by 2050 is radical in the NZ political spectrum, it isn’t nearly radical enough  to mitigate or adapt the country for the enormity of climate change, but the voters don’t need to know that, so play up the hugs and feel good vibes that this announcement generates.

Bernie Sanders’ campaign consultant Zack Exley is online via video link explaining tactics and strategy to the Greens.

In light of the last week the irony was rich.

Green Party strategist Sarah Helm is up next explaining their campaign tactics. Given the events of the last week and the numerous mis-steps in strategy over the last 3 years it has an oddly large amount of backslapping self-congratulating to it, but this is the Party faithful they are preaching to here today so it’s all zealously positive.

Seeing the level of criticism TDB has levelled at the party and our role in the Barry Coates blog, I’m greeted with all the enthusiasm of a cancer patient in remission discovering a tumour. They seem convinced that their war against Winston is a winning strategy and they all seem to believe that they are going to romp home with a far larger result than 2014.

To be fair, they’ve got some reason to believe that. Their fund raising is far more successful than ever before, they have lifted their level of candidates and they have signed up 30 000 volunteers over the last 3 years.

They have 100 000 followers on Facebook, far more than any other Party.

There’s a huge amount of energy in the room.

They have decided to personalise their Billboard’s rather than promote the Green brand which seems awfully risky.

In another surprise twist, they are also going to push for the electorate vote in some electorates and not just the Party vote.

Is that the supreme confidence of the 3rd largest Political Party in NZ on the move up or is it the smug self-certainty of middle class activists living in a social media bubble of their own creation?

We can only tell when September election rolls around.

Tomorrow Metiria is apparently making a huge policy announcement, I was going to go and cover Winston tomorrow, but I’ve been convinced Metiria’s announcement is unmissable.

So I’m going to cover Metiria and not Winston, I’ve voted Greens my entire adult life and if anyone can rekindle my faith in them, it’s Metiria.