The NZ Climate Party was an unregistered political party in New Zealand. The party was focused on highlighting and addressing the threat of climate change.[1] The party launched in August 2014, and was led by Peter Whitmore.[2]
NZ Climate Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Peter Whitmore |
| Founded | August 2014 |
| Ideology | Reducing climate change in New Zealand |
| Colours | Red and Black |
| Website | |
| www | |
The party did not register to contest the party vote in the 2014 election, but stood two electorate candidates, in Auckland Central and Rongotai.[3] A representative from the party, Aaron Carter, attended a candidates meeting in Newtown, Wellington dressed in an elephant costume and bearing a sign which said "climate change". His main messages were: "Don't vote for me, vote thinking about the climate", "It's all rearranging furniture on the Titanic as it's sinking", and "Learn to swim".[4] Whitmore and Carter received 50 and 66 electoral votes respectively.[5][6]
Climate Party member Rob Painting contested the 2015 Northland by-election with the stated goal of "raising awareness of climate and coastal issues affecting the Far North".[7] He received 39 votes (0.13% of votes cast).[8]
The party opposed the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, arguing that it did nothing to stop New Zealand's emissions from increasing.[2]
The party did not run any candidates in the 2017 election.
