Dear Helen Clark, Climate change is the biggest environmental threat civilisation has ever faced. And it is proving worse than we thought. Things are happening that no one predicted would be happening by now; the "tipping point" predicted for some years away now looks to be on our doorstep. Urgent action is required to reduce emissions in order to avoid climate catastrophe. The Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill is a small step towards New Zealand doing its bit, but there are still crucial areas of climate policy missing. We have a long way to go if we're going to truly contribute to the global fight against climate change and hold our heads high on the international stage. When you announced the date of this year's General Election, you said that New Zealand would be a climate leader, not a 'fast follower.' But there are two glaring gaps in New Zealand's climate policy that mean we're barely keeping up, let alone leading the pack. Firstly, New Zealand must put in place an overall emissions reduction target. The countries of the EU have promised unilateral 20% emission reductions and 30% emission reductions should a global deal be achieved in Copenhagen in 2009. Greenpeace is calling on all political parties to set an emission reduction target of 30 per cent by 2020. This target is within the range of 25- 40 per cent signed up to by developed countries - including New Zealand - at the Bali climate change negotiations in 2007. We must then reach that target, and to do so we must deal with agriculture. Agriculture makes up half of all New Zealand's emissions, yet does not have to take any responsibility for those emissions. It is exempt from the ETS until 2013, and even then will receive the vast majority of its emission permits for free. So for the foreseeable future, agriculture gets a free ride while taxpayers pick up the cost of the sector's soaring pollution under Kyoto. Greenpeace is calling for agriculture to be brought into the ETS before 2013, and for a range of other measures to be put in place to encourage low input, less intensive agriculture around New Zealand. Thinking that the job is done now that the Climate Bill is law would be a big mistake. We call on you to commit your party to an emission reduction target of 30% on 1990 levels by 2020 and hold agriculture accountable for its contribution to climate change. New Zealand and the international community will judge your sincerity in tackling climate change on your determination to tackle our biggest polluting sector. Please respond with your position on the issues raised.