Rob Campbell: We can't leave the climate up to Kiwi ingenuity

There does not seem to be much doubt that the recent COP28 was more like an energy investor’s 'Predators' Ball' than a serious effort to prevent an apocalyptic climate crisis. Playing with words while new climate records abound like entries in a Guinness Book of Carbon Failures may warm the hearts of career disaster diplomats and bulk up their air mile accounts but, to quote the Bee Gees, “It's only words”.

Back in Aotearoa, most observers and participants seem to have taken some succour from the event. Even those who might be expected to brush aside the resolutionary words that recognised the global issue, and the need to transition from fossil fuels, seem inclined to take a constructive view. There may even be a broad cross-party consensus that it is good a goal has been set. We are all in this, working on it together, “he eke waka noa” and all that.

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