The 10th Australia – New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference held in Auckland on 10 & 11 October was attended by our Deputy Chairperson (Rolf) and Treasurer (Inge). They took the opportunity, during discussions with other delegates to outline the concept of a Carbon Neutral Kerikeri which was received with keen interest. At the conclusion of the conference, delegates called for a statutory climate commission to set and monitor New Zealand’s carbon budgets. A resolution was passed supporting the concepts outlined in the Zero Carbon Act campaign led by the Generation Zero youth climate lobby group. The move followed speeches to the conference by retiring Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright and the chair of the United Kingdom’s Climate Committee, Rt Hon John Gummer, Lord Deben, endorsing the climate commission proposal. The conference also heard calls from business leaders for certainty over climate policy. The conference was organised by the Environmental Defence Society. Chief Executive Gary Taylor said: "that support among the business leaders and others at the conference for a climate commission was overwhelming". “We will now communicate the resolution to political leaders,” he said. “The election results show that progress on addressing climate change is a top-of-mind concern for a large number of New Zealanders and the creation of a climate commission is the single most important step forward.”

You can view the conference presentations on the EDS website -

http://www.eds.org.nz/our-work/CCBC/2017-ccbc-presentations/