Government uncertainty over ETS must end

Business leaders and the public favour prompt Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) action to doing nothing by a margin of 2:1, according to a survey by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development (NZBCSD).

The survey of 482 business decision makers shows 48% want a multi-party deal to ensure long term policy stability. Only 17% of respondents opposed a multi-party deal.

"Uncertainty is all we have been offered since the election. Uncertainty on climate change, the ETS, energy policy, and forestry policy and this is affecting business confidence," said Jeanette Fitzsimons, Green Party Climate Change Spokesperson today.

"New Zealand is getting left behind. Other governments around the world are sending clear signals to business with their stimulus packages that we can solve both the economic and the climate crises with the same Green New Deal policies."

Forestry joined the ETS last January and the energy sector is scheduled to join January 2010, but the Government has stopped all work on policies needed for this to happen smoothly.

"It will now be impossible for either the existing legislation to progress on schedule or for new legislation to fix the delays," Ms Fitzsimons said.

"We need a clear, multi-party policy on the price of carbon, and we need it to stick. This is the message coming through loud and clear from the NZBCSD survey. Business has been put in an impossible situation, and so have the politicians and support ministries."

"It is time the Government had the courage to take action, end the uncertainty around the ETS and forge a multi-party deal that is both good for the environment and business confidence," Ms Fitzsimons said.