Survey shows NZ too fast on Kyoto

By Felicity Anderson, Nzoom.com Business News Editor

Tuesday 21st May 2002

Business New Zealand says its survey shows the government has failed to consult businesses over the potential impact of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

The survey of 481 firms shows 96% were not consulted on the potential impact of the protocol, including carbon taxes and increased costs.

Business NZ Executive Director Anne Knowles says this is a failure of the policy development process and the situation needs to be rectified before business confidence and investment decision-making are risked.

The survey found 85% of respondents think New Zealand is moving too fast to ratify the protocol, before its trading partners, and 94% don't have enough information on the costs of Kyoto to be able to plan properly.

"There is a clear message here - for New Zealand to slow down and take a more measured approach to this international treaty," Knowles says.

Knowles said an interesting issue in the survey was the large majority - 84% - who thought the Resource Management Act should be amended urgently, to help get more renewable electricity plants built.

"Business is saying we need to fix the Resource Management Act so we can move forward on renewable energy projects," she says. "This would be a more useful way to help the environment than the costly, trade-endangering Kyoto Protocol."

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