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The National Party on Environment and Energy

The environment has emerged as a significant political issue in the late 20th and early 21st century. As the debate surrounding global warming continues, and the source of future energy becomes increasingly uncertain, the importance of the environment has risen on the agenda of all political parties. Issues include the importance and relevance of climate change, the appropriate policies to address human pollution, and the source of future energy.

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The issues

The National Party supports the idea that human pollution is a significant cause of global warming

According to party policy, National views global climate change as the most serious environmental challenge of our time. “National believes that New Zealand, as a responsible international citizen, and as a country that values our clean, green environment, must act to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We are committed to honouring our Kyoto Protocol obligations and we will work to achieve further global alliances that build on the goals agreed to at Kyoto.” However, in May 2005 leader John Key said he was “somewhat suspicious” of global warming and thought that the Kyoto Protocol was “a hoax”.

The National Party opposes carbon taxes or credits to cut greenhouse gas emissions

National supports a modified Emissions Trading Scheme over a carbon tax and makes no mention of carbon taxes in its 2008 policy. When Labour was promoting a carbon tax in 2005, National opposed it as just the “latest tax grab”. The New Zealand Herald reported: “National environment spokesman Nick Smith said the National government in 1999 decided an emissions trading system, not a carbon tax, was the way forward but only when there was a truly international agreement”.

The National Party is neutral on the introduction of Emissions Trading Scheme

The National party official policy on the ETS is that introducing such a scheme needs to be done with great care and attention to detail. National did not support “Labour’s rushed ETS legislation as it was rammed through Parliament”. In amending the ETS the party says it will be led by six key principles: 1. The ETS must strike a balance between New Zealand’s environmental and economic interests. It should not attempt to make New Zealand a world leader on climate change. 2. The ETS should be fiscally neutral rather than providing billions of dollars in windfall gains to the government accounts at the expense of businesses and consumers. 3. The ETS should be as closely aligned as possible to the planned Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, with, where possible, common compliance regimes and tradability. National wants to closely co-operate with Australia as we develop our respective schemes. 4. The ETS should encourage the use of technologies that improve efficiency and reduce emissions intensity, rather than encourage an exodus of industries and their skilled staff to other countries. 5. The ETS needs to recognise the importance of small and medium enterprise to New Zealand and not discriminate against them in allocating emissions permits. 6. The ETS should have the flexibility to respond to progress in international negotiations rather than setting a rigid schedule. This way, industry obligations can be kept in line with those of foreign competitors.

The National Party strongly supports reform of the Resource Management Act, so that it is easier and quicker to get consents

National supports the underlying principles of the Resource Management Act (RMA) - sustainable management, integrated decision-making, and an effects-based approach. According to party policy, National will introduce an RMA reform bill in the first 100 days in office to reduce the costs, delays, and uncertainties in the Act, and pass this into law within six months. Amendments will include provision for simplifying the Act, Priority Consenting (consents must be completed within nine months), improving consent processing, removing the ministerial veto on coastal consents, preventing vexatious objections, and simplifying resource management plans.

The National Party is neutral on increased investment in public transport rather than more roads

National’s view on roading is as follows, from the party’s website. “As a country we need more and better roads. In particular, we need more and better state highways. We need to move from maintenance mode to expansion mode. Building roads is not the only solution. We can't build our way out of all traffic delays. We also need to manage travel demand to make more efficient use of the roads we have. In addition, we have to be aware of the environmental impacts of building roads and of the vehicles that use them. After all, about a quarter of our total greenhouse gas emissions come from transport. As a whole package, we need to look at effective public transport, at vehicle efficiency, at land use planning, and at traffic management. In the longer term, we need to look at other forms of road pricing as well.”

The National Party is neutral on fuel emissions standards for cars

National has no specific policy on fuel emission standards, but its New Energy Technologies policy says it will “Develop a process for approving sustainable biofuels to gain tax exemption, taking into account net greenhouse gas emission reductions, impacts on biodiversity, and effects on food supply”. It will also exempt electric cars from road-user charges.