NZ: Biofuel target is only a beginning

Whether the latter is due to pragmatism or realism is not yet so clear, and it is too early to tell which pedal will have the most pressure applied to it. However, it is obvious that Miss Clark’s “aspirational” vision of New Zealand leading the world towards carbon-neutrality will not be achieved without a significant commitment across the entire community: Government, business and individuals.

The Government has drawn early criticism for setting an apparently low national target for biofuel. Within five years 3.4 per cent of all oil companies’ fuel sales will have to be biofuel (made from animal or vegetable products) or the companies will face financial penalties. This is significantly below the target already set by the EU (5.75 percent by 2010). Visiting Australian scientist Ray Kearney, of the University of Sydney, describes this Government’s target as tokenism. He says a more meaningful goal would be 10 percent within three years. This, he estimates, would halve the 400 deaths a year in Auckland alone said to be caused by vehicle pollution. Presumably, he is equally concerned by his own government’s record on climate change, including its refusal to sign the Kyoto agreement.
However, it is important that the New Zealand targets be achievable. A reason a higher goal has not been set is the comparatively aged national fleet. A significant number of the vehicles on our roads, imported second-hand from Japan, would fail emission tests in many countries. In effect, we have imported Japan’s problem and made it our own. Despite the Government’s sudden enthusiasm for sustainability, it would be political suicide to push biofuels too quickly if this meant bankrupting businesses and rendering a third or more of private vehicles inoperable.

The crux will be getting sufficient quantities of ethanol or biofuels to add to petrol and diesel – and at a reasonable price.

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