Greens: Plant forests, create jobs, save climate

Planting 665,000ha of new forests would create 50,000 new jobs and store nearly 34 million tonnes of carbon, the Green Party said today when it launched its latest economic plan.

Co-leader Russel Norman said planting the new forests, making existing forests more healthy and dealing with pests would cost less than $500 million over the next 10 years.

"We have 150,000 Kiwis out of work and the world desperately needs to reduce its carbon emissions," he said.

"This bold Green New Deal response can tackle both of these problems at the same time if our government has the courage to act."

Dr Norman said the plan could put thousands of people in work over the next decade building a sustainable economy and the Government would see a return on its investment.

"Unemployment is particularly bad in places like Gisborne and Hawke's Bay, and investment in forestry and pest control would be a great boost to their rural economies."

The Greens' 40-page document details how forestry could create more than 36,000 jobs over the next 10 years while enhanced ground-based pest control and stepped up efforts to rid the high country of wild conifers would generate a further 12,000.

Additional environmental benefits included flood and erosion control as well as improved water quality.

Dr Norman said the Government seemed short of new ideas and reluctant to take decisive action.

"John Key's government has been slow to grasp the fact that the economy depends on the environment and we need ways to look after both," he said.

"Mining our national parks isn't a good answer. Neither is the Government's focus on cutting benefits rather than creating jobs."

- NZPA