All our climate change sceptics should remember when the earth was flat. Those that dared sail off beyond the horizon dissapeared off over the edge and were never seen again. It would be so easy to keep on thinking as we think instead of trusting our adventurers who dare to think outside the square. Its the adventurers(the greenies) of our day that have taken to time to explore whats happening to our world that we should be listening to. Those that are of this flat earth mentality should take some time to tune in to whats happening to their own natural environment. Or have we evolved to such a degree as a species that we are no longer able to survive in it? Those that have not takenthe time to understand their environment should not be charged with it's guardianship. Roll on our new green economy! Bring out the new ways of living!

Re: Roger #84

"the ipcc is funded by the UN!! who wants to control us through recyling and taxing industry to help build a communist world government"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!

And global warming is far-fethcehed, right?

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

While I'm not a tree-hugging, dope-smoking, communist, sandle-wearing hippie I'm a definitely very much aware of the environment but I don't buy into the human-induced climate change. I believe that NZ's focus on carbon emissions will have no real environmental benefit.

What I do buy into is personal responsibility for your own actions. I cannot influence or control China and their coal-fired power stations or even the destruction of the Yangtze River. But I can control what I buy, how much "stuff" I consume, and how much rubbish I produce.

I do buy into community responsibility for their environment. Local planning is critical to this to manage water demand and use, waterways, waste streams, local air quality, protecting natural habitats and the like.

I do buy into national responsibility for the environment in which we live. Again, planning and analysis is critical to provide standards for air and water etc.

The problem I see for NZ in the climate change hype is distracting us from focussing on what are our critical environmental issues, in particular water demand and use and the impacts it has on water quality and quantity.

I think shoudl be focussing on issues that would have an actual benefit to the NZ environment.

@ "MM" #95

I suggest you study harder then. This has been reported from numerous sources.

I cannot believe the sheer ignorance of some of the posties in response to this article; None of you have any idea what so ever.

"raj #45 03:18 pm Oct 29 2009 If NZ did not exist..the total green house gasses/emissions would only fall by 1% or less.."

It's much much samller than that. Total CO2 is ~385ppmv. That is ~0.0385% of total atmosphere. We humans are supposed to be responsible for ~2%-4% annually. ~1%-2% of that no-one knows where it goes, that's why a satellite was launch a while back to find out, but it crashed.

So what is 2%-4% of 0.0385% and what percentage of that, given that Australia is cliamed to contribute ~2% of all human based CO2 emissions, is NZ responsible for? The numbers are so small it boggles the mind.

"Antarctica is remaining constant or getting slightly colder" really ? Proof please ? This is news to me and im studying this. Please could you explain #93 ?

I am sick of BS around it. According to some research the planet is actually getting colder. Al Gore is only trying to make a name for himself. Lets remember one thing. The Green party are a political party. Anyone that thinks they actually care for the environment should think again. This is about power and only power. They are left wing in the extreme. Sue Bradford ex communist youth etc. This is why they will never work with National. If they truly did care for the environment they would work with anyone. Their ideas to fix things always - always - begins with putting a tax on it or taxing somebody - anybody. Labour who was a partner out of necessity with the Greens came up with things like the fart tax - the showerhead debacle and the light bulbs - which just happens to contain a lethal dose of mercury. Dumb ideas all to appease the Greens.

Jigadesh

"To all you skeptics, please enlighten us as to the benefits of making something like climate change up or supporting the theory? What do we stand to lose if the proponents are correct?"

...Just another means to which the state can impose extra taxes and control society by creating fear. Fear is the common denominator of all societies and most humans will get sucked in...I am sure you were really mortified by SARS, Bird Flu, Y2k and Swine as well Jigadesh?? I would also not be suprised if there is some collusion within the scientific community. The worst example was when NASA produced images that the Antarctic sea ice was at its greatest extent for 30 years but the news was brushed over by the scientific/media community.

For the record I have studied alot of literature on the subject and I think that maybe 10-15% of the planets warming cycle is from anthropogenic effects, so yea it is an issue that is worth combating, but not to the degree that is made out.

The green party makes out that the climate would remain the same were it not for greenhouse emissions. This is a ridiculous claim to make, the worls climate has never stood still. Anyone who has read anything on this issue would know that the global climate has been warming for the last 150 years after a period called the little ice age, the glacial records corroborate this fact. Concerning though that the Greenland ice sheet is melting fast so sea levels are on the rise, thankfully Antarctica is remaining constant or getting slightly colder so the effects are not going to be huge for our weather.

Yes your rite, we did land on the moon #7. Why do people get so defensive when it comes to caring for the environment? Even if you are sceptical about global warming shouldnt you still do your bit for the environment? Go to any major city in the world and tell me CO2 emissions are not effecting things.

@Invictus #68

Well said!! Couldnt agree with you more, it is a complete con and New Zealanders should be ashamed for letting themselves get sucked into it.