Isaac Davison writes in the New Zealand Herald about British economist Lord Stern’s warning that New Zealand needs to cut its carbon emissions or face the risk of being excluded from trade markets, or falling behind technologically.
The economist, who authored the Stern Review (which looked at the cost of mitigating/stabilising climate change), is in New Zealand to give a series of lectures on managing the risks of climate change, overcoming world poverty and creating a new era of growth and prosperity.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“He said New Zealand’s role was as important as any country’s in reducing carbon emissions.
“”Most of the countries in the world could argue that they’re not making any difference because they’re only 1 or 2 per cent [of emissions], or in New Zealand’s case even less.
“”But this has to be collaborative. Poorer countries could look at the richer countries, like New Zealand, and say ‘well if they’re not getting on with it, if they’re finding it difficult, how can we, so much poorer, be expected to get on with it?’. One country has a big effect on others.””