March 06, 2014
Greens back iwi carbon push
Greens co-leader Metiria Turei says Maori have been short changed by National’s refusal to accept the reality of climate change.
Iwi leaders are pushing for the Government to stop the use of cheap European carbon credits, which have led to an estimated $600 million drop in the value of Maori forest assets and the drying up of investment in the sector.
Ms Turei says they mount a convincing case that raising the carbon price will create jobs and wealth for the country, but National prefers to subsidise oil companies and other large polluters.
"They don’t believe in human-induced climate change so they really don’t want to have to do anything about it. As a result all of the economic opportunities, because the rest of the world understands it is happening and the rest of the world is moving to do something about it, which means New Zealand is being left out of that economic opportunity," she says.
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