A climate of change?

Not with this Government.

"A study into the government's climate change policy has found it falls short of what's needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet targets.
Research published on Friday in the New Zealand Medical Journal questions New Zealand's commitment to international targets and agreements on climate change.
The joint study by University of Otago and Victoria University researchers says there has been a series of missed chances over the last three years to make a difference.
"What we've seen in this analysis of the last three years is wasted opportunities to make critical progress to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions," said lead researcher, Associate Professor Nick Wilson.
"Instead, what has happened are public relations, watered-down policy, and media releases with 'aspirational' goals which are unlikely to result in a major reduction in New Zealand's climate-damaging emissions," said Prof Wilson.
He says there appeared to be a lack of appreciation of the potential impacts of climate change on health and the environment, and commercial interests, including the agricultural sector, seemed to have influenced policy.
The approach needs to change, he says and a 2050 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent and a weakening of the Emissions Trading Scheme wouldn't help things.
"Action on climate change needs to be considered as an urgently required form of catastrophe insurance, but we are clearly not seeing this, with minimal government action in recent years," said Prof Wilson."