New Zealanders urged to pressure Govt to act

New Zealanders need to "make enough noise" to persuade the Government to take a tougher line on climate change, the Green Party says.

The Government plans to hold meetings during an 11-day tour of nine centres, starting on July 6, before setting New Zealand's 2020 greenhouse gas emissions target.

Some meetings including one in Christchurch on July 8 will be public, while talks with business groups and hui with iwi will be held behind closed doors.

Green Party spokeswoman Jeanette Fitzsimons said New Zealanders' concern about climate change contrasted with the Government's willingness to act.

More than 60 per cent of Kiwis believe climate change is happening as a result of human activities and its effects are already being felt, a survey released in March shows.

Fitzsimons said it was important New Zealanders engaged the Government over the issue.

"I think if enough New Zealanders turn up and make enough noise ... then they will have to listen."

The Government's central climate-change policy is a 50 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, at 1990 levels, by 2050.

However, Fitzsimons said the target was so far into the future no-one would be accountable.

"When will New Zealand's emissions stop rising and start turning the other way?

"Worldwide emissions need to peak and start declining very soon if we want to stabilise the climate."

In March, research from Britain's Met Office said there was no more than a 50-50 chance of keeping climate-change-induced temperature rises below the threshold where there would be catastrophic damage to the world and humans.

The Government announced its intention to consult the public over the 2020 target at an overseas climate-change meeting.

Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith will table the target at climate-change negotiations in Bonn, Germany, in August.

Smith said there was a big economic cost associated with constraining and reducing emissions. The Government wanted to set achievable targets and protect the country's clean, green brand.

"I'm cautious of big, bold, unrealistic targets," he said.

New Zealand is now the only developed country to have signed the Kyoto Protocol climate agreement that has not set a 2020 target.

Environmental groups warn the Government's dithering could harm the country's international reputation.

Greenpeace wants a reduction target of at least 40 per cent, on 1990 levels, by 2020.

"New Zealand must do its fair share to save the planet and not what is politically convenient," Greenpeace climate campaigner Simon Boxer said.

Forest & Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said the Government had a tight time frame, considering the Copenhagen conference which will take the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 would be held in December.

Under a post-election deal with the ACT Party, the Government has set up a parliamentary select committee to review the previous government's planned emissions trading scheme.

The Government will give a presentation on the proposed 2020 greenhouse gas emissions target at the Christchurch Convention Centre on July 8 at 7.30pm.

Public meetings will also be held in Dunedin (July 9), Queenstown (July 10) and Nelson (July 17).

- David Williams

- © Fairfax NZ News