1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Back to We're in New Zealand. As I said before 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: the news, they pulled the pin on this twenty thirty 3 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,159 Speaker 1: carbon emissions target due to the resources needed being unaffordable, unavailable, 4 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: not to mention regulation, all sorts of things. Professor and 5 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: applied mathematics specializing in climate change, Robert McLaughlin is with 6 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: us on this. Robert, very good morning to you. 7 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 2: Good morning. 8 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: So this has gone international coverage the BBC, for example, 9 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: the New Zealand becomes first major airligne in the world 10 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: to drop twenty thirty climate goal. Are we setting a 11 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: bad precedent here? 12 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: Yeah? I think so. I was surprised by this. I 13 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 2: didn't see it coming, so it's surprised and disappointed a bit. 14 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 2: Any ze One made a lot of hay out of 15 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,959 Speaker 2: this when they signed up in twenty twenty two. That's 16 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 2: not so long ago. So yeah, I think it's a 17 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 2: bit soon to be pulling out of a twenty thirty target. 18 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: If you can't do something, you can't do something, what 19 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: else should they do? 20 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 2: Well? The many other airlines, big airlines around the world 21 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: are still in this system. It's called the Science Based 22 00:00:55,520 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: Targets Initiative. So it's a it's a private initiative, voluntary initiative, 23 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: but it is backed by the UN. It's pretty credible, 24 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 2: and other airlines are sticking to it, so China Airlines, 25 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: Delta United. So it can be done. But yep, as 26 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 2: you said, it is difficult. It's going to require some 27 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 2: investment in more efficient planes and new low carbon aviation fuels. 28 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: But when you say they're sticking to it, are they 29 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: sticking to it or are they just they're going to 30 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: announce in the next week or so exactly what are 31 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 1: New Zealands announce? In other words, everyone's working out they 32 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: can't stick to it. 33 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: Yes, So the purpose of these voluntary corporate initiatives, it 34 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: is kind of a commitment mechanism. You stake your claim publicly, 35 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: you say, yep, we've got this credible target and we 36 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 2: will stand up and be tracked against it. So that 37 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: is the purpose of how this is supposed to work. 38 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: Outside a lot of other large New Zealand companies are 39 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: in the same initiative, Fonterra, Fletcher Building Contact and that 40 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 2: is how it's supposed to work. That we know everyone 41 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: gets to them and how they're tracking and see if 42 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: they're chieving their goals. 43 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: Are we just getting a reality check? I mean, if 44 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: you're an airline you can't buy planes because they can't 45 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: make them fast enough and there is no aviational fuel 46 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: that's suitable at this present point in time, then that's 47 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 1: your reality check, isn't it. 48 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: Yeah? Trick. It is a tricky sector, and some of 49 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 2: the claims by the sector, like Zara twenty fifty are 50 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: a little bit implausible and not credible. So that's why 51 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: we really want to see a bit of short term progress. 52 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 2: It doesn't have to be revolutionary, we just want small, 53 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: steady steps. 54 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: Really should we temper our excitement because I was suggesting 55 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: before the news the reality here is a lot of 56 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: these people jumped on. There's a bit of green washing 57 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: going on here among court. I'm not a corporate U 58 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: Zealan at the whole world, everyone wants to be on 59 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: a bandwagon. What's the point of being on a bandwagon 60 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: if you've got a backtrack because it's not real. 61 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 2: Well, there is greenwashing, of course, and there's companies do 62 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: make sometimes make unrealistic claims, but there's also genuine progress. 63 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 2: And I think the government will be disappointed by this 64 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 2: because if you hear the messaging the same thing. They 65 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: do want the industries and business world to step up 66 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: a bit more and not have everything just done by 67 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 2: government regulation, which is true, it does require a partnership, 68 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 2: so I think the government would be disappointed by this. 69 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: Good on you, Robert, appreciate your time. Robert McLaughlin, professor 70 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: and applied mathematics specializing in the climate chain. For more 71 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks 72 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast 73 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.