Greens to announce new climate change proposal

New Greens co-leader James Shaw says the party will put forward a members’ bill to make it harder for governments to pass laws that are bad for the environment.

He announced the move at the Federation of Asia-Pacific Green Parties Congress in Wellington on Sunday.

The Climate Impact Disclosure Statement Bill will require all new legislation introduced to parliament to be accompanied by a climate impact disclosure statement that outlines what impact, if any, the new legislation would be likely to have on New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions.

This is similar to regulatory impact statements Treasury already prepares for all new laws and Bill of Rights Act reports. 

Climate impact disclosure statements would be prepared by the Ministry for the Environment.

“This bill won’t stop National from passing laws that are bad for the climate, but it will mean people can hold them to account for those decisions,” Mr Shaw says.

The bill will be submitted to the members’ bill ballot where it will compete with other bills for selection.

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser told TVNZ’s Q+A programme on Sunday New Zealand will make a “respectable” contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 but he would not be drawn on a figure, saying “it’s a cabinet decision, so wait and see”.

Mr Shaw was installed as the Green Party’s new male co-leader earlier in June.

In total 16 countries are represented at the congress, which got underway on Friday, including Nepal, India, Indonesia, Australia, Pakistan, Japan, Taiwan and Mongolia.