Why it matters
You can ask your MP to support a strong Zero Carbon Act!
Climate change is already killing our native animals. We’ve recently seen:
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kororā (little blue penguins) washed-up dead all over Northland and Auckland because increased easterly swells churned the water so they couldn’t hunt
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albatross eggs in Dunedin that didn’t hatch due to warmer weather
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dotterels on the west coast and at Ohiwa Harbour trying to move inland as the rising sea claims more of their nesting grounds
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kōkako chicks killed when nests are washed away in storms like ex-cyclone Gita
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dehydrated kiwi out in the daytime during droughts in Northland
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explosions of wasp populations, eating honeydew that would usually feed native birds
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explosions in rat populations due to an increased frequency of mast years.
If we continue at the current rate, we are heading for a warmer world than humans and many native species have ever lived in before. We need to keep climate change limited to 1.5 degrees of warming, for nature and for ourselves.
But there’s good news: we’re closer than we’ve ever been to getting action on climate change. Right now a draft of the Zero Carbon Act is in Parliament.
The Zero Carbon Act creates a plan for reducing our emissions
A Zero Carbon Act will put us on the path to action by setting a target to make New Zealand carbon neutral. It will create carbon budgets that keep us on track to meet our target. It will also establish an independent Climate Change Commission to monitor our progress and hold the Government to account.
Climate policy can no longer be kicked around like a political football. We’re seeking the long-haul support of every MP in Parliament, and we need your help! Tell your MP to support a strong Zero Carbon Act that protects people and nature.
What can you do
- Kids and adults can use this letter starter to write a letter to MPs asking them to support an effective Zero Carbon Bill.
