Climate change legislation will become a major campaign issue if the New Zealand government can't pass its Emissions Trading Scheme bill before the election, Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Monday.
The government hasn't got a majority for the bill since opposition National Party withdrew its support, and negotiations are going on with minor parties.
Under the scheme, all sectors of the economy will eventually come under a regime that sets limits on the amount of greenhouse gas they can emit.
Those that exceed their limit will have to buy carbon credits from those who are under their cap.
"This is an issue for New Zealand," Clark told a press conference on Monday.
"If you can't get an Emissions Trading Scheme established the taxpayer is going to pay and pay and pay, and you won't get the behavior change that an Emissions Trading Scheme incentives."
Clark said she would not bring the bill back to Parliament, and force a vote on it, without a majority.
"It would become a central element of the election campaign, about who is serious about meeting New Zealand's international environmental commitments, and who is serious about actually doing something about climate change rather than trying to destroy constructive elements," she said.
Source: Xinhua
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