A Nelson based climate change group has launched a campaign to bombard politicians with postcards that show support for the emissions reduction plan.
The National Campaign for Emission Reduction is calling on people to send postcards of support to politicians. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
The Nelson Tasman Climate Forum has launched a National Campaign to Support Emission Reduction and is encouraging those who are "climate aware" to make their voices heard.
Member Jenny Easton said MPs in all parties needed to support the plan and collaborate with urgency to meet the country's targets, as part of the global effort to reduce emissions.
"We really need to take action, because we haven't for the last 30 years, we've just kept on doing business as usual and this is the time when us as citizens, we have to acknowledge that the country has to turn around.
"We have to start thinking about carbon emissions reductions all the time, instead of just leaving it up to a few people."
The government announced its first Emissions Reduction Plan earlier this month.
It sets out a strategy to achieve the reductions demanded by the 2022-2025 emissions budget, and includes $2.9 billion of spending from the $4.5b Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) over the next four years, funded through the Emissions Trading Scheme.
It is the first time New Zealanders have had the opportunity to see and comment on the targets for carbon emission reduction in three steps to 2035.
Nelson Tasman Climate Forum member Jenny Easton with postcards she has made to send to MPs. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
While it had been criticised by other political parties, Easton said that was no reason not to take action.
The group chose postcards as they would send a strong visual message that couldn't be achieved through petitions or emails. People could make their own or buy them from a charity shop, and send them at no cost as postage to parliament is free.
Easton had made her own using photos cut out of old Forest and Bird magazines. She had already sent a bunch of postcards to parliament - starting with one party who had criticised the plan.
"I told the ACT MPs that I hope that they will change their mind and be able to support the emission reduction plan, because we need cross party support. It has to keep on going through the decades for New Zealand to do its part to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees."
The national campaign action kit includes a map of New Zealand showing who the parliamentary representatives are in each region.
"To the MP in your electorate, you can say either that you voted for them, or you live in their electorate, and you want them to give priority to the work needed for the emission reduction plan."
"Future generations are relying on your government to really make climate change our nuclear free moment. So please get going and work hard making the additional reduction plan the boldest that can be."
She said the first four years of the emission reduction plan was about flattening the curve, ahead of a steeper decline.
"That's because up till now we've just kept on increasing carbon emissions, we haven't reduced them at all so it mightn't look like much but it is actually a turnaround.
"It's quite important that the legislation that's going to make it possible for both council and industry to undertake emission reductions will have to be passed in the next couple of years. So they, the MPs and ministers really need a lot of support."
Easton said she hoped MPs from all parties would receive colourful postcards from all over Aotearoa and realise they had public support.
The National Campaign to Support Emission Reduction runs until 20 June, more information can be found in the action kit on their website.