It was such big news when the British High Commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke called New Zealand out on its environmental record.
“There is a gap … between ambition and reality,” Mrs Clarke said. “You have Scandinavian ambitions in terms of quality of life and public services, but a US attitude to tax. The brand 100% Pure New Zealand lulled many into a false sense of security when the environmental reality is far more challenging.”
Personally, my first reaction upon reading Mrs Clarke's statement was that she must have her facts wrong. I mean, who can trust politicians at all these days, right? They sensationalise and lie for their own agendas. This must be no different.
The problem, however, is that she is right. New Zealand had a net 57.16% increase in carbon emissions between 1990–2018. Proportionally, that is the 2nd greatest increase in greenhouse emissions out of any industrialised nations.
So what’s happened? Why haven’t we as a country been able to do as we have been saying? In fact, in the land of 100% pure, why haven’t we done much at all?
Within the last few days (likely in response to Mrs Clarke’s remarks) New Zealand has declared a climate emergency, re-affirmed its goal for 100% renewable energy by 2030 and reignited it's on again…
