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April 2020 Update

Well, what a time we have had in the past month, lock down and everything that goes with it has been challenging for all. Our dedicated team at 50 Shades of Green have been relentless throughout this period. We’ve had many digital meetings with a raft of people and organisations, and all of this has been positive.
One thing we had hoped while NZ and New Zealanders work to keep us all in good health, is that global warming and the ETS scheme would temporarily be pushed into the back room, however that is far from the case with the Environment Select Committee still working through lock-down. It remains at the forefront of Government policy making, and so sees us continuing to take the battle against the blanket planting of pine trees to the people that need to make change.
One thing that has been a real positive for all of New Zealand is that farmers and primary producers are now being recognised for the value that they input into our economy and society. This should give us good ammunition going forward to alleviate the absolutely disastrous policies that the coalition Government put forward with their feel-good attitude.
Sense must prevail!

Andy Scott
President 50 Shades of Green

The Environment Select Committee deliberating the ETS Reform Bill.

Our particular concern in the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme bill before the Environment Select Committee is the omission of a clear mechanism for limiting exotic plantings. Effectively this means, no present or future Government has a tool to manage land use or to prevent a barrage of more hill country farms being taken out of the supply chain.   We are deeply concerned about the lack of a mechanism, because the bill also proposes to lift the cap on the carbon price. As soon as this happens, we expect to see an acceleration in the conversion of land into exotic forestry. This is what has been modelled by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in their report on Farms, Forests and Fossil Fuels last year. The Climate Change Commission in their submission to the select committee identified the lack of a mechanism as a flaw in the current Bill.
As we know if the beginning of the supply chain is hollowed out there would be massive downstream impacts on the industry, jobs that rely on the sector,  New Zealand’s export earning potential, and the nation.
Fundamentally, allowing exotic offsetting is not going to achieve what we want, nor is it what the ETS is designed to do. The intention of the ETS is to provide a price mechanism to change behaviour at source, but it does the opposite, it allows emitters of carbon to abdicate their responsibility to reduce emissions

In the pipeline

We continue to engage where we can with people who can influence, and decision makers. We have found its clear there is a concerning disconnect between policy makers and advisers and the impacts of their decisions on the three pillars that count; social, environmental and economic. This means we focus on finding where we can add value and add to the information pipeline.

We resubmitted to the Environment Select Committee this week to reiterate our concerns. Covid19 has warned us. It's time to reset some of their proposals which threaten the primary industry rather than decimate it while getting getting to carbon zero. You can read our submission here. https://www.50shadesofgreen.co.nz/letter-to-environment-select-committee/

Today we meet with the Climate Commission, and welcomed their approach to hear what our views and concerns are. What a productive meeting, it enabled us to raise enduring ideas that can take all New Zealand on the climate management journey. Amongst the discussion, the ETS, the cumulative impact of different policies, the lack of a cohesive view of all proposed policies that currently sit in their own silos. We will meet again!

What is all this costing NZ households?

(1) Source: Zero Carbon Bill Regulatory Impact Statement.

Paying wealthy foreign and domestic investors to plant carbon sinks is a double cost, a stealth tax on us all. Taking that land out of food production will reduce exports and make us all poorer. We are selling land to foreigners and domestic investors, then guaranteeing them income. We end up paying twice.

2020 plans

We acknowledge the challenge our country is facing, for those of us in a bubble on the land it is a privilege as we do our bit to help all aspects of containing this virus and helping to keep the economy going. Given the circumstances, we proceed with caution, we want to take farmers and the New Zealand public with us. Sentiment certainly appears to be positive as people are gaining a good appreciation of the value of the primary sector and this is the industry that is going to bring New Zealand back through this dreadful economic headwind.

It will be made more difficult if our key asset at the top of the supply chain, hill country farms, are blanket planted in exotic forestry

On the smell of an oily rag we have lifted the debate on blanket planting of pinus radiata and the damage to our countryside by investors planting good farmland for carbon credits.
We are progressing with plans to continue our advocacy and help broader New Zealand understand what the changed landscape will bring with it, and it's impacts on New Zealand households
Social media is still our main communications tool. However we continue to seek support for campaign funds to talk to people outside of those that follow us and understand our raison d'être. We were heartened recently with a generous donation that has enabled to kick start our next major communications push. We'd love more big business to get on board and everything we do is to support and back up work by our industry bodies.

As always, thank you to those who have already generously donated with either cash or kind. There is much more work to do.

Regards

From our bubble to yours -

(Links to our support page where you can donate online or find an address to mail a cheque! All forms welcome
https://www.50shadesofgreen.co.nz/become-a-supporter/)