New Zealand has been ranked the sixth worst polluter by the UN. File photo / Alan Gibson
Figures released by the UN Climate Change Secretariat in Oslo today showed only five countries did worse than New Zealand in the growth of emissions by industrialised nations between 1990 and 2006.
Only Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Australia and Greece performed more poorly, but 34 nations did better than
New Zealand.
According to the secretariat's figures New Zealand emissions rose 25.7 per cent in the period.
Incoming Climate Change Minister Nick Smith said today that the report showed Labour's record had been big on rhetoric, while emissions had "gone through the roof".
"The flaw in the previous government's approach has been to keep shooting for the moon with huge bold policies...and actually very little delivery," Dr Smith said.
"The approach I will be taking with the portfolio is not being as ambitious, being more conservative and realistic about what can be achieved."
The figures showed New Zealand had a difficult challenge to stop emissions growing, let alone reducing.
Asked if delaying an emissions trading scheme (ETS) would make things worse, Dr Smith said there had to be a price on carbon so there was an incentive for polluters to look for alternatives. Labour's ETS had been rushed, he said.
"We want to take a slower, more considered approach."
Dr Smith said reversing the ban on thermal energy production would not make a difference as it had been a "Claytons" ban and it would be simpler just to place a price on carbon.
The UN report said emissions by Turkey, the worst performer by far, were up 95.1 per cent while Australia's rose 28.8 per cent.
Some countries registered minimal increases and others recorded falls.
Monday's data only covers industrialised nations - developing nations face no obligation to cut or even report annual emissions.
The secretariat said emissions of greenhouse gases by industrialised nations rose 2.3 per cent from 2000 to 2006, led by gains in former Soviet bloc countries after sharp falls in the 1990s,
Total emissions dipped 0.1 per cent from 2005 to 2006, helped by a US fall, but the Secretariat said the trends were still up this century.
Overall, emissions by industrialised countries were 4.7 per cent lower than their 1990 levels, the UN benchmark for action to slow climate change:
- NZPA
