Climate change minister: keep expectations realistic

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Climate Change Minister Nick Smith has just arrived at the summit in Copenhagen

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:03p.m.

By Kim Chisnall

Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is warning campaigners not to expect “unrealistic targets” to be set at the climate summit in Copenhagen.

The minister has just arrived in the Danish city, and his words came as hundreds of protestors took to the streets to demand strong action.

“It puts a huge onus on the ministers gathering this week to actually knock through an agreement, a deal for which those leaders can put their signatures to on Friday,” Mr Smith says.

“It’s a big ask – we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

New Zealand has come under fire from protestors for refusing to budge from its carbon emissions reduction target of 10 to 20 percent of 1990 levels by 2020.

But Mr Smith says anything else was unrealistic.

“The reason the Government is not prepared to go further is quite simply we don’t think it’s doable,” he says.

“This is the fifth climate change conference I’ve been to. If there are lessons to be learnt it’s that, if we don’t deliver anything, we are doing a disservice to our future.”

Protestors are doing their bit to urge action from the politicians. One such protest had been planned well in advance – as had the police response.

After Saturday’s day of action Sunday was more of a day of rest in Copenhagen.

But this is the eye of the storm – activists have promised a fresh wave of protest, and on Wednesday a group called Climate Justice Action say they will storm the Bella Centre and disrupt the conference.

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Comments [2]

David

14 Dec 2009 2:18p.m.

Goes to show how professional s**t-stirrers like the CJA are ignorant of the economic implications of their extremist views. If totalitarianism one day becomes the norm for world governments one way or another we will have groups like these to blame.

cynical

14 Dec 2009 1:19p.m.

Nick, ask the protestors who is paying them to do nothing, as well as cause a massive police presence and thus create untold emissions. Ask them how they got there - walking? And Climate Justice Action want to disrupt? - is that so all the politicians have to go home? They (CJA) are just profesional troublemakers.