ok @DaveSharma i promised i'd explain why your tweet is nonsense & why you shouldn't repeat it.

here's #australia vs #newzealand relative emissions since 2005:
• australia 6%
• new zealand 3%

(you'll notice that LULUCF is excluded…) https://twitter.com/DaveSharma/status/1338451770658287616

why is LULUCF (land-use, land-use change & forestry) excluded?

1. measurement methodologies aren't standard between countries & frequently change — no robust method to compare countries
2. annual fluctuations are high / noisy

data: PRIMAP-hist v2.1
https://www.pik-potsdam.de/paris-reality-check/primap-hist/#scenario=histcr&id=aus&entity=kyotoghgar4

3. the vast majority of australia's LULUCF variation is driven by changes to QLD land-clearing laws, a function of state political tussles, and nothing to do with commonwealth policy.
4. australia is famous for using LULUCF as a fudge, see @MichaelM_ACT: https://medium.com/@MichaelM_ACT/lulucf-the-australia-clause-and-how-the-australian-government-has-used-up-its-emissions-fudge-b162a1b6e315

don't get me wrong, NZ is no climate-angel… the kiwis have a long way to go.

…disappointingly their emissions have only fallen a little since 2005.

…shamefully, we have significantly increased ours — thanks #LNG / fossil gas!

…and while #australia is slowly reducing its per capita emissions intensity, #NZ's have never been as high as ours are now.

at this rate it'll take us _forever_ to get down to their historical peak!

…again, NZ is no climate angel, but while australia practically tied with #trump's USA for *last* place in the recent climate change performance index on policy, #NZ finished in the top third.

NZ: needs to do better.
AUS: fail!

https://ccpi.org/download/the-climate-change-performance-index-2021/

…at least NZ has a *legislated* net-zero target.

…and sure, NZ's target isn't perfect, but we:
• have a crap 2030 target
• don't have a net-zero target
• have a gov't that routinely lies about this stuff
• are on track for net-zero by 2294: https://twitter.com/KetanJ0/status/1337349753164750849

. @DaveSharma there's a fair chance you're going to be around for a while.

you're smart & i suspect you care.

you also come from a savvy electorate.

be honest with them… don't lie & you'll earn respect.

but if you lie like angus, you'll end up with as much respect as angus.