While the petition organiser accepts that we all have an obligation to ensure the sustainability of our planet and our country's environment by better management and process, we demand that the current proposed National Government ETS scheme is rejected. The proposed scheme will not alter any emissions or practices by targeted industries or individuals, however will impose further costs to the average New Zealander and his family, and in particular will add further cost to the productive sector of this country. This, at a time that this country can ill afford such a tax imposition. The NZ Government proposes a modified Emissions Trading Scheme that taxes emissions based on calculation only, targeting supposed emitters and rewarding only one sector credited with mitigating carbon dioxide emissions, namely the forestry sector. Remember, carbon dioxide is an essential element and plant food for all growth, and agriculture in particular. The only reason it was chosen by climate change proponents was that it could be measured and taxed. At 3.116% of the atmospheric gases and of which 97% is generated by natural means, human generated carbon dioxide has little if not no effect on climate change, which occurs regardless of human activity and has done so for 4.7 billion years. The rationale for this petition is based on the following facts: a) The Ministry of the Environment measures atmospheric GHG at Bering Head, Wellington. Since 1960 (50 years ago) carbon dioxide has increased by 0.00012% or in other words 0.00006% per annum. b) The same Ministry measurements show methane has declined over the last seven years - the same GHG that makes agriculture responsible for 48% of NZ's emissions! Clearly, this scheme does not meet any litmus test such as above and this has been confirmed in writing by Dr Gerald Rys, Senior Scientist, Natural Resources Group, MAF Policy, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Richard Dickie, Executive Director, SI Dairying Development Centre. The petition organiser believes that this is badly based policy, the concerns of which have been well discussed. Now it is time to make your voice heard by the Government. Please respond to this petition which will be forwarded on your behalf. If you are concerned, please take action! Thank you for your time! Greg Gascoigne Cambridge

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