Climate bill passes its first reading

Legislation allowing regional councils to consider the impact of new projects on climate change passed its first reading in Parliament last night.

That authority was held by councils until 2004, when it was taken out of the Resource Management Act because the Government had a national climate change policy centred on a proposed carbon tax.

The carbon tax proposal was dumped in December last year, and Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons drafted a member's bill to replace it.

She argued that councils should be able to consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions when granting consents and setting rules for projects like new power stations.

"There is a gaping hole in climate policy, and it must be filled," she said.

Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said the carbon tax was dumped because the Government did not have enough support in Parliament to bring it in.

Mr Benson-Pope said the Government supported the legislation, but the local government and environment select committee would have to carefully consider whether a national approach would be better.

National's environment spokesman, Nick Smith, said his party opposed the bill because climate change needed a global approach.

- NZPA