In response to the passing of the Zero Carbon Bill into law, Oxfam New Zealand Advocacy and Campaigns Director Jo Spratt said:
“Together with our supporters, Oxfam has been calling for robust climate action for many years, to protect the world’s poorest people from the very worst of climate breakdown. New Zealand is now taking a critical step up for those communities.
“The passing of this law is a tribute to the years of hard work and leadership of organisations like Generation Zero, and a win for the thousands of New Zealanders who mobilised for an enduring and bi-partisan climate action framework.
“This law is just the beginning of making sure we play our part in tackling climate breakdown. People on the front lines of the climate crisis have been waiting for decades for us to step up and act to stay within 1.5C. We have the basic legislative framework in place – the task now is to keep pushing for ambitious policies so we can truly meet the calls for climate justice.
“That a country such as Aotearoa can achieve cross-party support for climate legislation is a small beacon of hope for our Pacific neighbours facing the impacts of climate breakdown right now. It shows the power that we have when we join together and stand for a thriving, climate-resilient world – one where everyone has a stable environment to grow up in and the resources to determine their own future.”