Climate Red - News and Views on Climate Change Issues.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has lost her way in the climate debate and is making bizarrely incorrect and misguided statements on the subject, says Greenpeace.

"I am shell-shocked that the leader of New Zealand is so confused over the biggest threat that this country faces," said Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Vanessa Atkinson.

"And this is the very woman who's issued a vision of a carbon –neutral, sustainable New Zealand."


The Prime Minister, in Sydney on a week-long tour of Australia, told the Seven Network that arguments against traveling overseas or buying foreign food because of the carbon footprint were "idiotic" and not the way to tackle climate change.

She also said arguments about the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through the use of fossil fuels were "false science".

"This is of real concern," said Ms Atkinson. "Helen Clark is either playing dumb in order to downplay a very serious situation or she's got completely the wrong end of the stick. Either way, it's dangerous.


"She's effectively rubbishing the proven science of climate change, which is that fossil fuels lead to carbon emissions which lead to climate change.

"And to top it off, she's labeling the world's leading scientists idiots.

"Of course traveling overseas in a plane contributes to climate change. A return flight to Australia alone causes the release of greenhouse gases equivalent to 1.3 tons of CO2 for every passenger on board.

"And it's not just CO2; the full climate change impacts of air travel are much worse when you factor in nitrous and water vapour emissions.

"People should be considering climate change when choosing whether to travel, and they should also have it in mind when sourcing their food.

"It just beggars belief that the New Zealand Prime Minister could make such rash and wrong statements about such a crucial issue.

"New Zealand needs to be taking positive action to tackle climate change, not burying its head in the sand."