Today New Zealand has the dubious distinction of being the first country in the world to instigate an Emissions Trading Tax on it's businesses and citizens.
Power prices are already on the rise and fuel prices are set to increase as transport fuels and industry enter the scheme today.
The Climate Change Minister says the price rises are only half what they would have been had the ETS ( Emissions Trading Scheme ) of the previous Labour Government not been changed.
The Government is also adamant the ETS will see a fall in the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The Minister says he has been advised the country's carbon dioxide emissions will reduce by 19 million tonnes by 2012. He says it will allow the country to meet its Kyoto Protocol targets and not have to pay for excess emissions.
Geoff Bertram of Victoria University's Climate Change Research Institute disagrees. He says New Zealand's emissions are not going to fall and about the only payoff will be when the Government goes to international meetings.
Mr Bertram says taxpayers are paying for the government to gloat to the rest of the world about its emissions trading scheme. He says it is just a money go round with those handling the transactions clipping the ticket.
Personally I think this whole Global Warming hype is a scam based on suspect data, and there's no way that a country the size of NZ with a population a bit over 4m is going to make a difference.
The previous Government locked us into a commitment to the Kyoto Protocol which we are now going to pay dearly for.
As I say ... "Fools Rush In ..... "
Pete.
Power prices are already on the rise and fuel prices are set to increase as transport fuels and industry enter the scheme today.
The Climate Change Minister says the price rises are only half what they would have been had the ETS ( Emissions Trading Scheme ) of the previous Labour Government not been changed.
The Government is also adamant the ETS will see a fall in the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The Minister says he has been advised the country's carbon dioxide emissions will reduce by 19 million tonnes by 2012. He says it will allow the country to meet its Kyoto Protocol targets and not have to pay for excess emissions.
Geoff Bertram of Victoria University's Climate Change Research Institute disagrees. He says New Zealand's emissions are not going to fall and about the only payoff will be when the Government goes to international meetings.
Mr Bertram says taxpayers are paying for the government to gloat to the rest of the world about its emissions trading scheme. He says it is just a money go round with those handling the transactions clipping the ticket.
Personally I think this whole Global Warming hype is a scam based on suspect data, and there's no way that a country the size of NZ with a population a bit over 4m is going to make a difference.
The previous Government locked us into a commitment to the Kyoto Protocol which we are now going to pay dearly for.
As I say ... "Fools Rush In ..... "
Pete.
