Formalise cross-party partnership to protect children from further climate breakdown.

Formalise cross-party partnership to protect children from further climate breakdown.

Started
9 November 2019
Petition to
NZ Labour Party, NZ National Party, NZ First, Green Party of Aotearoa NZ, ACT Party (Elected Leaders of New Zealand)
Signatures: 625Next goal: 1,000
Support now

Why this petition matters

Started by Millions of Mothers

An Open Letter to our elected leaders petitioning for a formal Memorandum of Understanding between all political parties in Parliament to continue cross party partnership on climate mitigation.

New Zealand Labour Party, New Zealand National Party, New Zealand First, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, ACT New Zealand.

Dear Elected Leaders of Aotearoa New Zealand,

Congratulations on collectively passing the Zero Carbon Bill into law through working collaboratively and for the greater good of all New Zealanders and our Pacific Island neighbours. We believe it is vital this Parliamentary collaboration for the greater good continues. Therefore, we call for a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between all political parties in Parliament requiring them to continue their cross-party actions and work in partnership on climate mitigation.

This MOU includes but is not limited to the following:

  • To protect children’s right to a safe and healthy life, New Zealand needs to act now to cut our greenhouse emissions consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. This is our responsibility under the Paris Agreement, and we want cross-partisanship to urgently accelerate these actions in order to provide jobs and protect food, water and homes for young generations. This means acting from the best science available.
  • Te Tiriti, children and the most vulnerable in our communities must be centred in any decision-making process to ensure a just transition. This includes working with and learning from tangata whenua on how to create a fair and equitable transition. Te Tiriti must underpin any cross-partisan agreement.
  • We want to see any existing and future National Adaptation Plans and Emissions Reduction Plans be legally enforceable, including meeting our Te Tiriti obligations. Partnering not only with scientists and policy experts but also with tangata whenua, youth and other affected people in this process.
  • Parliament to continue working in partnership with Pacific leaders on supporting and advancing their climate adaptation plans and to ensure we uphold our obligations under the Paris Agreement to advance indigenous and human rights.
  • Parliament to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels which includes the following: Ceasing all exploration and extraction of fossil fuels in New Zealand and not granting any extensions to existing permits. This means working on strengthening and improving transport systems, making alternative transport affordable and investing more in renewable energy. For example, remove fringe benefit tax on electric vehicles to appeal to corporate fleets and create a second-hand market for the general public.
  • Parliament to divert investment and subsidies in fossil fuel industries into reinvesting in other more viable climate friendly industries and create pathways for secure transitions for current fossil fuel industry employees. This will include prioritising retraining and new employment opportunities to ensure no one is left behind.
  • Parliament to work with and support financially and otherwise, the rural community in good faith to support all farms to use current best practice that mitigates climate change impacts and results in New Zealand’s food and fresh water security as quickly as possible. Rural communities face significant challenges including well-being, which must be met by collaboration across all sectors, society and led by parliament, with crucial on farm support to take up existing and new sustainable practice opportunities to continue New Zealand's world leading status in a new era of food production.
  • Allow the independent Climate Change Commission to recommend targets for GHG emissions and ensure all advice by the Commission is transparently recorded alongside any climate related legislation.
  • Establish a Peoples’ Assembly or similar to make recommendations to Parliament on a national plan of action to mitigate climate change.
  • New political parties entering Parliament recognise the significance of continuing work on climate mitigation and commit to entering the MOU.
  • All the above is agreed to by a Memorandum of Understanding between parties to ensure successive governments live up to their commitment to working in cross party partnership to reduce the increasing effects of climate change on all groups including younger generations.

Why is this important?

We are parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, wider whanau and people who care about the world our children and all children will grow into. Every signature on this letter sends the strong message: co-operative politics over adversarial to keep moving progress forward on climate mitigation.

We need this Memorandum of Understanding to allow the political leaders of Aotearoa New Zealand to commit to work together to protect younger generations from the worst effects of climate breakdown. To help our Parliament form strong binding policies and develop trust with all New Zealanders that successive governments will continue to progress climate mitigation and reducing our emissions to net zero without delay. To enable our political leaders to create a different vision for upcoming generations and ensure New Zealand continues to be a world leader in positive change.

Our country has a history of stepping up and doing what is needed and inspiring other countries by our example, and we hope that will continue.

Thank you,

Alicia Hall and Millions of Mothers

Please find Our Why and Full Letter here: https://www.millionsofmothers.org/post/calling-for-formal-cross-party-partnership-to-protect-children-from-further-climate-breakdown

How it will be delivered
We aim to deliver the Open Letter To Ministers of Parliament from each of the five political parties currently in Parliament early 2020. We will also invite representatives from parties outside of Parliament as a symbol of good faith.

SUPPORTERS INCLUDE:

School Strike 4 Climate NZ

350.org Aotearoa

Common Climate Network

James Renwick (Climate Scientist)

Pink Dance

Fix and Fogg

Kapiti Island Nature Tours

Nisa

Hui E!

Paekakariki Pops

Wesley Community Action

Ora Taiao (NZ Health and Climate Council)

Support now
Signatures: 625Next goal: 1,000
Support now
Share this petition in person or use the QR code for your own material.Download QR code

Decision makers

  • NZ Labour Party, NZ National Party, NZ First, Green Party of Aotearoa NZ, ACT PartyElected Leaders of New Zealand