Kiwis question climate change deal

Published: 6:14PM Saturday December 19, 2009 Source: ONE News

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Many are wondering what the Copenhagen climate change deal means for New Zealand with world powers continuing to argue about exactly what action will be taken.

There is money to be made in climate change politics as Tony Pearson of Proven Energy knows.

His company sells wind turbines for around $25,000 each and even folk on lifestyle blocks are buying them.

"They want a saving but the deciding factor is often that they want to be doing something for the environment," Pearson says.

Turnover is likely to only increase as New Zealand cuts emissions.

Copenhagen looked hopeful but the conference failed to reach a binding agreement.

Green Party co-leader Russel Normal says it is now up to citizens all around the world.

"Put pressure on the political leaders to make sure that there is a binding agreement in the next 12 months," says Norman.

The government is already seriously tackling climate change with the emissions trading scheme starting in July next year meaning petrol will go up 3.5 cents a litre and power prices by 5%.

But with no binding agreement there is no certainty others will cut as much New Zealand.

Phil O'Reilly from Business New Zealand says it also means New Zealand is likely to be more conservative.

"Regrettably it'll mean that New Zealand is likely to be much more conservative about the amount of emissions cutting that we'll be likely to do because of this lack of certainty about what other countries might be doing and potentially the cost to the New Zealand taxpayer," says O'Reilly.

So rather than winds of change, it seems Copenhagen has cemented that the world still is not tackling climate change together.

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