Earlier this year, the NDU took up this issue in the NDU Express and over the last couple of months the Green Party has produced a presentation on a Green New Deal for discussion around the country.
Sue Bradford made a presentation on the Green New Deal to the NDU Manufacturing Conference and Keith Locke made a similar presentation to NDU delegates on their parliamentary tour as part of the recent senior delegates leadership course in Wellington.
The Green New Deal takes its name from the New Deal proposed and implemented by former US President Franklin Roosevelt between 1933 and 1935 to move that country out of recession it was in. In the current recession the call is for a New Deal that will address the growing environmental issues such as climate change, waste, pollution as well as the social and economic issues that were addressed in Roosevelt’s New Deal.
The Environmental Industries Commission in the UK produced an extensive report in January of this year entitled “Green Jobs Growth Strategy: Investing for the future” The report noted that the United Nations and many other countries are ahead of the UK in developing a Green new deal strategy. It noted that US President Obama had a raft of detailed policy proposals to make the USA the world leader in environmental industries. In January he stated that his 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan would spend over $US 50 billion to create half a million new green jobs.It noted that other governments such as Germany, Japan and Korea have just announced major growth plans for their domestic environmental industries. China’s economic stimulus plan includes a $US 142 billion programme of environmental measures.
And in October last year United National Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a report on a “Global Green New Deal-Environmentally-Focused Investment Historic Opportunity for 21st Century Prosperity and Job Generation.” The UK report proposed work in four key areas being:
(1) A £10 billion “Green Jobs Investment Fund”.
(2) Long-Term Regulatory Targets to Support Investment and Innovation, in for example:
• Carbon Management
• Energy Efficiency
• Sustainable Buildings
• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Transport Pollution
• Contaminated Land
• Waste
• Renewable Energy
(3) Extending Government Environmental Industry Support Policies, for example; use of public procurement, increased support for “green jobs” training, increased funding for environmental R&D to a level that is in line with major international competitors (particularly Germany and Japan) and export support at a level matching our international competitors.
(4) The development of a Formal “Environmental Industry Growth Strategy” and Environmental Technology Industry Forum" to coordinate the range of policies.
On a policy level New Zealand is currently even further behind the UK. However in our so-called clean, green country we have a huge opportunity to do so much more.
We already have a number of examples in New Zealand of where Green Jobs can be created in the alternative energy and home insulation area.
New Zealand Wind Farms Ltd is committed to having turbines manufactured in New Zealand. The turbines are designed and assembled by Windflow Technologies based in Christchurch. Approximately 50 staff are employed by Windflow. The factory has existing production of 60 turbines a year, and production capability to expand to 200 turbines a year. And there is a flow on to other companies. The blades are made by Windblades in Auckland, the tower is fabricated by ACME in the Hutt, the pallet is fabricated at Southern Cross Engineering in Christchurch, the Gearbox is made by AH Gears in Auckland, the hub is fabricated by Farrah in Dunedin. This list goes on. See www.nzwindfarms.co.nz and www.windflow.co.nz
There are many other possibilities for design and manufacture of alternative energy sources in New Zealand. A number of groups and companies are working on wave and tidal based electricity generation. The Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association (AWATEA) was established in April 2006 to promote the uptake of marine energy in New Zealand. Wave and tidal energy is sustainable, clean, available, reliable and forecastable. It believes that New Zealand can source a significant proportion of its new energy supply from marine energy in the medium term. If the design, development and manufacture of wave and tidal generators can also be undertaken in New Zealand this will be another great example of green jobs and the Green New Deal. See www.awatea.org.nz.
The Government’s recent budget announcement of the Green Party promoted home insulation package is another example of what is possible as part of a Green New Deal framework. The budget announcement was of $323 million over four years to help insulate and better heat older homes. Homeowners could be eligible for a grant up to $1800, which is not subject to income testing, towards the cost of insulating their house. More than 180,000 homes could have access to the grants.
Already Fletcher Building, whose Tasman subsidiary makes Pink Batts, is looking to capitalise on the Government's home insulation scheme by ramping up production across its Pink Batts business. Factories in Auckland and Christchurch are operating at full capacity, resulting in 11 new jobs. According to the head of investor relations Philip King, the building materials giant is looking to cash in on the $323 million insulation fund and offset falling commercial demand. Pink Batt's installation arm, PinkFit, has hired 14 more staff following the Government's budget announcement www.pinkbatts.co.nz.
There are examples of what is happening in the waste, recycling, transport, water and air pollution and other areas. But there is more that can be done. More that can be coordinated into Green New Deal for Aotearoa / New Zealand. More that can be translated into green jobs and green products that can be made here!
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