National supported the Bill through its final reading despite uncertainty over whether it would do so, fuelled by National MP Judith Collins tweeting on the morning of the vote she was firmly opposed to it and National had a solution to problems with it.
“I’ve made it very clear that I do not support the Zero Carbon Bill in its current form but am supportive of the @NZNationalParty‘s bottom lines of what is needed to be responsible for both the New Zealand economy and the environment.
“Winston Peters’ NZ First Party has given its full support to the anti-farmer Greens and Labour. @NZNationalParty has the solution. Let’s see what NZ First says about our solution,” Collins said.
National leader Simon Bridges said the party takes a bipartisan approach to climate change but that does not mean it has given up making changes further down the track.
It is committed to tweaking the Bill should it win next year’s election.
“National proposed a series of changes that would have ensured the Bill is in line with National’s climate change principles of taking a pragmatic and science-based approach but, unfortunately, the coalition Government voted down all of our amendments.”
Those changes included that the target for biological methane reduction be set by the independent Climate Change Commission and that the Bill ensures the commission considers the appropriate use of forestry offsets and has regard for the carbon sink represented by crops, riparian planting and other farm biomass.
Beef + Lamb and DairyNZ said bipartisan support for the legislation will give farmers certainty but there are aspects of it they continue to oppose.
“We support many elements of the Zero Carbon Bill, however, we remain unhappy with the 24–47% methane target range as this is based on an international report that clearly stated it should not be used on an individual country basis,” Beef + Lamb chief executive Sam McIvor said.
“We are absolutely committed to playing our role to address climate change. We have reduced our absolute emissions by 30% since 1990.”
Progress on reducing emissions will be continued with the establishment of a farm-level approach that will address agricultural emissions and ensure farmers get credit for sequestration on their farms.
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said the methane targets are not only out of step with science, they are more than rural communities can sustain.
“This is not a scientific target but a political one.”
Mackle is encouraged Climate Change Minister James Shaw is considering sending the methane target to the commission to receive independent advice.
“It is important this is done quickly. The commission is asked to recommend the first three carbon budgets, out to 2035, by early 2022. We need clarity on the methane target before this is done.”
Mackle said farmers have never been afraid of the facts.
“They simply want a methane target that is fair and firmly grounded in the best available science, applied in a NZ context.”
Federated Farmers vice-president Andrew Hoggard said the Government failed to take on board common sense suggestions to improve the Bill.
The primary sector recently put a proposal that would have achieved the Zero Carbon Bill’s aims and built on the good faith established by the recently agreed industry-Government climate change commitment, He Waka Eke Noa.
“This was a sad day for common sense as our coalition Government not only walked away from an important part of our commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which requires all its signatories not to forsake food production for climate goals, but also relinquished the opportunity to be true leaders and adopt targets for methane which truly reflect its actual warming impact.
Shaw said the passing of the Bill, which attracted almost 11,000 submissions, will help ensure a safe planet for generations to come.
The landmark legislation provides a framework to support New Zealanders to prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change, delivers on the Government’s Coalition and Confidence supply agreements and is a key part of the Government’s plan to tackle the long-term challenge of climate change.
