WASHINGTON -- The global warming religion runs so deep today that most politicians figure it's best enact some sort of green policy, regardless of whether that policy actually reduces global warming. Exhibit No. 1 is New Zealand.
The National Party-led government recently announced amendments to the country's existing emissions trading scheme, fulfilling a campaign pledge. Some sectors now will enter the scheme earlier than planned, while the country's largest export industry, agriculture, will get a two-year reprieve. Wellington's bureaucrats also will measure businesses' "emissions intensity" rather than set hard emissions targets, so that firms aren't penalized for their expansion plans.
New Zealand's Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says the changes take "a responsible approach to the climate change problem caused by greenhouse gas emissions while being realistic about how much a small country like New Zealand can contribute."
The Nationals are nominally conservative and keen to appear pro-business.
What Smith doesn't say is that from an environmental perspective, it doesn't really matter what New Zealand does. The island nation contributes 0.2 percent of total global emissions. The amended scheme isn't expected to reduce even that already-mini-scule figure much.
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The Nationals are pushing to pass the bill before the December United Nations climate-change meeting.
"This emissions-trading scheme will be the first of any country outside of Europe and, as of 1 July, 2010, will be the most comprehensive," Smith says.
But to what end?
