The Ardern Government in 2021 offered $30b to the acquisition of international carbon credits as part of its 2021-30 “Nationally-Determined Contribution” (
NDC) under the UNFCCC Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
That November 2021 Cabinet decision was the largest donation of taxpayer funds ever made by any New Zealand Government.
This had no mandate. It formed no part of the Labour manifesto in the 2020 elections. It was not the culmination of public consultation or any kind of public debate. It was not budgeted. Despite its pre-emption of subsequent governments, it made no pretence at all of being multi-partisan.
Parliament, which was suspended at that time because of Covid-19 lockdowns, was not consulted or even informed. Nor was the Labour Party’s own caucus or policy committee. Cabinet rode roughshod over the unanimous opposition of all of its officials and advisers. All the assumed checks and balances were simply ignored. This decision may eventually be seen as New Zealand’s largest-ever political scandal.
$30b could end poverty in NZ; buy a new hospital, university and stadium for every city in NZ. It works out at $24k per household in NZ. Imagine that as a tax cut? Well that’s what Ardern spent of your household money. There was no cost benefit analysis - What would be the consequence, in terms of increased poverty, lower literacy, higher mortality rates, bankruptcies, unemployment, hardships, etc? I hope National backs us out of this deal.
The posters on here complaining about outside influences affecting right politics need to look in the left mirror…
But would it have solved climate change??? The Glasgow delegates upon commitment, were more concerned that NZ was buying offshore credits rather than reducing its own emissions and actually fixing the problem… It would not reduce NZ’s emissions by a single tonne.