At Voters Voice, we argue that what has been termed the 'climate scam' is strategically designed to stifle production in developed countries like New Zealand under the guise of environmental protection. The proliferation of climate-related regulations, taxes, and schemes like the ETS(emissions trading scheme) is believed by some to be more about economic control than environmental benefit, increasing production costs in vital sectors like agriculture, energy, and manufacturing. We question the effectiveness of these policies in genuinely reducing global emissions, especially when major polluters outside developed nations continue business as usual.
Carbon pricing and taxation are often criticized for not directly translating into environmental improvements but rather serving as a revenue stream for governments or international bodies. We see these taxes as a means to decrease economic activity by making production more expensive, thus reducing competitiveness on a global scale.
There's a concern that climate policies are pushed by global institutions more interested in a one-size-fits-all approach rather than solutions tailored to local conditions. This can lead to policies that do not account for New Zealand's unique environmental or economic context, potentially serving to slow down our industries for the sake of international political narratives.
Many current environmental policies are accused of focusing on optics rather than outcomes, with initiatives like banning fossil fuel exploration while importing energy or promoting renewable targets without practical implementation and cost considerations stifling innovation and investment in genuinely viable solutions.
The agricultural sector, crucial to New Zealand's economy, faces disproportionate scrutiny and cost under these policies. Methane emissions from livestock are targeted with regulations that might not reflect the actual climate impact, potentially leading to reduced production or farm closures without corresponding global environmental gains.
By increasing the cost of doing business within developed countries, these policies might inadvertently drive production to countries with less stringent environmental laws, ironically increasing global emissions as manufacturing moves to less regulated environments while achieving little net environmental benefit.
Voters Voice pledges to critically review these policies, advocating for an approach that maintains or enhances New Zealand's economic output while genuinely protecting our environment. We believe in promoting local innovation, supporting our farmers, and ensuring that any environmental policy is grounded in realities that benefit New Zealand, not merely in alignment with globalist agendas that might not serve our national interest.
We acknowledge the policy frameworks of New Zealand's major political parties - Labour, National, ACT, Green, and NZ First - but propose our own approach to environmental and economic policy, focusing on local stewardship, economic vibrancy, and scepticism towards globalist agendas.
We aim to integrate environmental and economic policies by ensuring water quality standards apply uniformly to both rural and urban areas, building on Labour's freshwater reforms and the Green Party's environmental protection ethos. We will support farmers with incentives for sustainable practices, recognizing them as environmental stewards, and invest in urban waterway restoration, differing from National's infrastructure focus by prioritizing environmental outcomes.
Our approach to economic competitiveness will be nuanced, setting our own pace for emissions reduction without hampering our industries, in contrast to ACT's proposal to tie our emissions to trading partners. We'll review the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to ensure it doesn't disproportionately burden local producers, echoing National's economic pragmatism but with a stronger local focus.
Like NZ First's emphasis on rural communities, we'll champion policies that support agriculture without punitive emissions taxes, especially on biogenic methane, which we believe should be treated differently due to its shorter atmospheric lifespan. We'll push for technology adoption to reduce emissions, not just regulation.
We'll advance the Zero Waste Strategy by fostering a circular economy, ensuring that waste management benefits both urban and rural areas, combining the Green Party's environmental ethos with practical economic benefits.
Our energy policy will not follow Labour's push for 100% renewable electricity or ACT's critique of such targets; instead, we'll promote a diverse energy mix, emphasizing energy security, affordability, and innovation in clean technologies, ensuring New Zealand is not reliant on one energy source.
Echoing ACT's call for less red tape, we'll streamline regulations to remove unnecessary costs and bureaucracy, ensuring environmental policies are effective without stifling economic activity. This includes a comprehensive review of all climate-related legislation to assess their real impact versus their cost to society.
Instead of focusing on global climate targets that might not reflect our national interest, we'll prioritize local adaptation measures, like resilient infrastructure, to cope with environmental changes, a stance somewhat akin to NZ First's localism but with an environmental angle.
We'll borrow from Labour's community engagement model to ensure that all environmental policies are developed with public input, ensuring they are both practical and acceptable to New Zealanders.
Voters Voice is sceptical of policies that appear to prioritize globalist agendas over local benefits, particularly those that could lead to increased costs without corresponding environmental gains. We believe in a balanced approach where economic growth and environmental stewardship go hand in hand, focusing on policies that are rooted in New Zealand's unique landscape and economic structure. Our goal is to craft a policy environment where New Zealanders can thrive economically while preserving our natural heritage, without being unduly burdened by international pressures or ineffective regulations.