Sunday, February 05, 2012
   
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Caring for the Environment

Our strong economy is of little use if we don’t also protect our natural environment now and in the future. That’s why the Labour-led government made a commitment to a sustainable, carbon-neutral future with measures that uphold our reputation as a good international citizen, and why Labour recognises the importance of partnering with the business community to achieve them. In my own region, I was particularly proud to accompany Prime Minister Helen Clark when she announced $6.5 million of funding for the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary’s Visitor and Education Centre. This will become a major tourist attraction and an important educator of our children.

Perhaps the most significant economic and environmental challenge we face is to guarantee that our future energy supply both meets our needs, and has minimal environmental impact. According to MED, “the New Zealand Energy Outlook to 2030 predicts energy use to increase by 35 per cent and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions to rise by 30 per cent by 2030 if we do not change the way we produce and use energy.”

New Zealand has led the way in the past with sustainable electricity generation; our hydro stations, which according to MED produce about 60% of our electricity, are testament to that. When I was the Deputy Chair of Meridian Energy, our largest electricity generator, I was proud of our Board’s insistence on moving the company to a 100% sustainable generation stance. But it has become clear over recent years that our current generation capacity will not last us for too much longer. Under the MED reference scenario, we will require 3355 megawatts of new capacity between 2005 and 2025, and it forecasts this will be met by about “890 MW of hydro, 630 MW of geothermal, 635 MW of wind, 350MW of cogeneration, 800 MW of gas combined cycle (GCC), and 50 MW distillate.”

I am really proud that the Fifth Labour Government adopted the goal of 90% sustainable generation by 2020. This was an achievable and sensible goal because we have the natural resources and innovation already here in New Zealand. And despite its critics, new generation costs for wind are the lowest for any source including coal and co-generation. We just need the political will to assist this transformation. The New Zealand Energy Strategy outlined the previous Government’s plans for this transformation, and I look forward to working with parliamentary colleagues and the wider public to achieve results we can be proud of.

In my own region of Wellington, I would like a greater focus on public transport needs, including a high-speed, high-quality link from the CBD to the airport. I think we have an incredible opportunity to become the first carbon-neutral region in the country, and therefore a ‘best-practice’ example to other regions. The public service is already leading the effort, and by 2012 all core agencies will be on the path to carbon-neutrality. Wellington City is starting to think along the same lines. Households and businesses should also be encouraged to be more energy efficient, and to consider options like micro-generation. There are exciting possibilities here that we all need to work on further.
Labour Spokesperson for Justice
Labour Spokesperson for the Environment

Labour List MP Based in Ohariu
Authorised by Charles Chauvel, 103 Johnsonville Road, Johnsonville