Subscribe to RSSTransport Emissions Shock
The first annual report on the New Zealand ETS, released today by the Government, reveals transport, or liquid fuel emissions, was about 25% higher than expected.
New Zealand’s net emissions grew by 23% between 2000 and 2008, or an average of 3% per annum.
Environment Minister Nick Smith says he remains “very confident we will comfortably meet our Kyoto target.”
So what is the Government going to do about the transport emissions?
Dr Smith’s answer, straight from the Steven Joyce Hymn Book, says: “In transport we’re investing more than $1 billion in electrification of Auckland’s rail network and introduced road user charge exemptions to encourage the adoption of electric cars.”
Come on Smithy, that is just a ridiculous answer. You missed out the other recent Government actions:
- You’ve given Auckland authorities only a loan to buy the train set to go on the tracks
- And you’ve increased the track access fees
- And you’ve started taking millions out of public transport projects
- The Government plans a reduction of $69m nationally – a 33% reduction and around a $57m reduction for Auckland between the existing and proposed 3 year allocation. Auckland Transport said in May the Government’s proposed reduced allocations “pose a real risk to realising the benefits of the increased PT services allocation.”
- Auckland Council discovered the other day NZTA is taking another $14m transport funding away from Auckland
- And your latest GTS infrastructure plan ahead is all about more and more urban motorways
- Fund the rolling stock as well
- Initiate new plans that were not begun under Labour’s old government
- Stop thieving money from PT projects
- Take seriously Auckland Council and Auckland Transport’s pleas and help Auckland fund the CBD Rail Link of National Significance
Then there is the data about the effect of the emissions, however up or down they are.
Auckland Council estimated the other day 700 Aucklanders die each year from pollution from transport and home heating.
How many more need to die while we build more roads?
The ETS report notes that in the transport sector does not receive allocations from the Government, because it is able to pass the full cost on to customers.
Businesses in this sector are required to monitor and report on their emissions for every calendar year. They submit their emission report in March of the following year, and surrender units in May. For the first surrender period, these companies were only required to surrender units for the six months between 1 July and 31 December2010.
Because of the transition phase, they were only required to surrender one unit for every two tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted.
11 Comments
DISGUSTING
And on top of the above points Government will not introduce proper emission testing for vehicles, only a visible smoke test !!!! The real nasties are invisible.
Why is this Government so popular, it’s unbelievable
Now there’s a don’t panic chaps attitude report and comments from the Minister regarding pollution in our lakes and rivers………………
The only change in the next 3 years (as National will be re-elected) is that emissions will get worse and honestly how can they not. The encouragement to use cars and trucks is paramount and it defines this government.
Apart from tax income I don’t know why we have an emissions trading scheme. I have not seen one realistic or even minor incentive to encourage alternative means of transport to lower emissions.
Even the threat of closing the North Auckland rail line suggests this government couldn’t care less about lowering emmission output or the road toll.
And since National are being given a blank cheque at the moment by a spell bound electorate, for reasons I cannot fathom, its more of the same. This subject will probably make them more popular.
Appalling.
Nothing National is doing will reduce emissions. Only the opposite is going to occur. Look at their transport funding. Its all aimed towards cars and urban sprawl. Their emissions trading scheme is a joke. Taxpayers subsidise polluters. It should be the other way round.
Disgusting, just disgusting…..
Our government doesn’t believe in transport it thinks roads are the only form of transport there is, disgusting guys!!!!!!!!
No idea why this is a shock: what you feed grows.
The only way is up! Look at us, we’re WINNING!
You get the same spin from the Minister of Energy and MED about exempting electric cars from road user charges . Just how pathetic is this policy response ?
Well The government predicts 127 electric vehicles will obtain the exemption by 2012 when the scheme expires, with combined annual revenue foregone in road user charges over its four year duration is projected to be less than $105,000.”
$105,000 is less than 0.002% of the government’s planned spending on roads.
More demolition of the governments policy “response” at http://oilshockhorrorprobe.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-zealand-governments-response-to.html
What is wrong with this country, are we the only country in the world to invest so much money in roads. There must be something weird going on with our government. Melbourne City is spending billions on public transport, South Africa just got high speed rail. China has the Mag-lev. The USA is getting rid of streets and highways. The report that came out in the 1950s saying we need to reduce transport is exactly the same as this new GPS report.
Nick Smith is a member/ head honcho of the Blue Greens. If you want to see sheer po-faced hypocrisy of the most gut wrenching sickening worst kind read the greenwash of the National Party’s Blue Greens. If you’re not a halfwit you can’t read it without thinking they’re a bunch who think we’re all fools to swallow that kind of rubbish.
I really don’t like the National Party because they take advantage of the ignorance and stupidity of the average New Zealander. I find is incredibly dishonest and manipulative. I heard someone say if you earn less than $150,000 a year and vote National you’re voting against your own self interest. So why do so many people do so?
Why are conservatives so mean-spirited, and so continually wrong about just about everything?
and what is planned in Oz:
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/highspeed-eastern-rail-link-to-cost-100-billion-20110801-1i87y.html?from=smh_sb