#5 - Andrew Atkin said:
2009-12-16 10:14 - (Reply)

Hi Mr Key: When you go to Copenhagen you should say something like this: "We of New Zealand have dedicated ourselves to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 (or whatever?). You have our word and our commitment that this will be done. This commitment will be integrated into our national constitution. We will only revoke on this obligation if, in the future, it becomes reasonably clear that the evidence associated with problematic AGW is definitively erroneous. We do not need to sign an international treaty nor participate in an international carbon tax to meet this responsible obligation, and nor do we intend on doing so". Of course it would be crazy to sign up to a treaty without a clause that eliminates the need to comply with the treaty, considering that the science is still controversial. Though the need for an international tax is in my view a nonsense, a clause based on the fact that we don't yet know enough about the science backing the premise of the treaty should surely be integrated with whatever deal is finally established. I think this is the least you can do. And here is an interesting link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2zaPCYgovg&feature=player_embedded