WELLINGTON, New Zealand: New Zealand’s government on Wednesday introduced an ambitious climate change bill that aims to make the nation mostly carbon neutral by 2050 while giving some leeway to farmers.
However, some farming industry groups say the measures remain too onerous and threaten the future of regional communities, while some environmentalists say the bill doesn’t go far enough because there are no penalties for noncompliance.
The bill represents a campaign promise from the liberal government that was elected 18 months ago. The government has also promised to plant 1 billion trees over 10 years and ensure that the electricity grid runs entirely from renewable energy by 2035.
The bill would require all greenhouse gases except methane from animals to be reduced to net zero by 2050. Methane emissions would be reduced by 10 percent by 2030 and by between about one-quarter and one-half by 2050.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said climate change was the biggest single challenge facing the world.
“We know the climate is changing. People can see that,” Ardern said. “This legislation makes a start on tackling climate change because the alternative is the catastrophic cost of doing nothing.”
Agriculture is a key source of overseas revenue for New Zealand, which is home to just under 5 million people but more than 10 million cows and some 28 million sheep.
Those animals burp and fart methane, resulting in an unusual greenhouse gas emission profile for the country. Almost half of total emissions come from agriculture. The bill says the lower targets for methane reduction reflect that it stays in the atmosphere for a much shorter time than carbon dioxide.
Tim Ritchie, the chief executive of the Meat Industry Association, said meat processors and exporters are alarmed at the targets, which could only be achieved by reducing herds.
“This will impose enormous economic costs on the country and threaten many regional communities who depend on pastoral agriculture,” he said in a release.
Meanwhile, Russel Norman, the executive director of Greenpeace in New Zealand, said the bill would have little clout because there was no mechanism to hold anybody to account.
To come into effect, the bill would need to be passed by a majority in the Parliament. A final vote is expected later this year.
New Zealand introduces climate bill to become carbon neutral
New Zealand introduces climate bill to become carbon neutral
- Agriculture is a key source of overseas revenue for New Zealand, which is home to just under 5 million people but more than 10 million cows and some 28 million sheep
France sends aircraft carrier to Mediterranean over Iran war
- France is also sending air defense capacities to Cyprus a day after Iranian-made drones hit the British air base at Akrotiri
- Macron said French forces downed drones “in self-defense” during the opening hours of the conflict on Saturday
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France was sending an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean in response to the widening conflict in the Middle East following US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
“I have ordered the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, its air assets, and its escort of frigates to set course for the Mediterranean,” he said in a televised speech a day after he warned of the risk of the conflict spilling over Europe’s borders.
Macron said he was also sending air defense capacities to Cyprus a day after Iranian-made drones hit the Mediterranean island’s British air base at Akrotiri.
“I have also decided to send additional air defense assets and a French frigate, the Languedoc, which will arrive off the coast of Cyprus this evening,” he said.
The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday, killing supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has responded by targeting US allies across the Middle East.
“The United States of America and Israel decided to launch military operations, conducted outside international law, which we cannot approve of,” said Macron.
But “the Islamic republic of Iran bears primary responsibility for this situation,” he said, because of its “dangerous” nuclear program, support for regional proxies, and orders to shoot “its own people” during protests in January.
Macron said French forces downed drones “in self-defense” during the opening hours of the conflict.
“We reacted immediately and shot down drones in self-defense in the early hours of the conflict to defend the airspace of our allies, who know they can count on us,” he said, referring to defense agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
