Tue, 18 Aug 2009 6:25p.m.
By Samantha Hayes
Greenpeace are upping the pressure on Prime Minister John Key with a hand-delivered message on climate change - and it is his hand they are using.
Wearing a blue cast, like the one Mr Key had earlier this year, Greenpeace ambassadors Lucy Lawless and Keisha Castle-Hughes have been out gathering campaign signatures.
Mr Key recently said Castle-Hughes should "stick to acting", but apologised at the weekend. Wearing a blue cast, Castle-Hughes said Mr Key should now be signing world leaders up to her cause.
"Earlier in the year when John Key broke his arm he turned it into quite a positive thing, and that's what we're doing," says Castle-Hughes.
Mr Key broke his arm leaving a stage. Now Greenpeace fear he is stumbling again - this time on the world stage.
Last week the Government announced a 10-to-20 percent target reduction of carbon emissions from 1990 levels by 2020. But Greenpeace argue that is not even on the bottom rung of what climate scientists say is needed - they want 40 percent.
"I heard that at the meeting when New Zealand announced its target - people would clap for other countries - there was silence," says climate scientist Jim Salinger.
"The people in New Zealand have gotta speak up," says Lawless.
There was nothing quiet about Lawless though, from the flame-coloured hair fresh from the Spartacus set, to the Warrior Princess challenge.
"The world leaders are going to be there, he's representing us, what do we want him to say?" she asks.
Mr Key told 3 News he has got the message, but his decision is already cast in more than plaster.
"I won't be signing on myself," he says. "I've made it quite clear that New Zealand can achieve a 10, maybe 20 percent reduction by 2020, but I think 40 percent is way too ambitious."
He has however apologised to Castle-Hughes for that "stick to acting" comment.
"It was nice to have a chat and I apologised if she took any offence, and she made it quite clear that she hadn't."
"He did apologise and it was totally fine, because there were no hard feelings," says Castle-Hughes. "I looked at it quite positively and it gave me an opportunity to talk about the campaign again."
A campaign that will climax in Copenhagen in a few months time when Mr Key joins other world leaders to decide life after the Kyoto Protocol.
Greenpeace says that if the US and Europe take an ambitious stance on climate change, then New Zealand will have to fall into line to protect our trade and clean and green image.
Until then the star campaigners plan to pursue Mr Key relentlessly with their ever-growing cast.
3 News