National Party leader Christopher Luxon has given MP Maureen Pugh some homework in the wake of her climate change comment U-turn yesterday afternoon.
The West Coast list MP caused a stir in Parliament yesterday when she said she's "yet to see" evidence of man-made climate change.
"Of course, I believe in climate change... climate change is real; it's been happening forever."
"It's not what I think; it's what I can prove. I am waiting on the evidence from the minister.
"I'm not denying climate change; I've seen the evidence of it; we have cooled and warmed, cooled and warmed over millions of years," she said.
Her comments shocked many in Parliament, including deputy leader Nicola Willis, who said Pugh was set for "a lot of reading".
However, things took a twist later in the day when Pugh walked back her claims, saying she regretted her comments.
"I regret that my comments this morning were unclear and will have led some to think I am questioning the causes of climate change. That is not my position," she said.
"I accept the scientific consensus that human-induced climate change is real and there is a need to curb greenhouse gas emissions."
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, party leader Christopher Luxon revealed he'd set some homework for Pugh to undertake.
He said following a meeting; he's given his colleague a reading list, which includes the 2022 IPCC report.
"She has a reading list that I've asked her to go through to ensure she fully understands the science base."
Luxon said he gave her the task to reinforce her already-established beliefs, denying she ever thought human-induced climate change wasn't real.
He said she just spoke poorly, which led to the comments.
"Maureen had a terrible interview; she came back and said she fully understands the science base for human-induced climate change; we had a good conversation."
The opposition leader also defended his party's record on climate change, saying Pugh's comments don't reflect the rest of the party.
"You can't be living in the twenty-first century and deny that human-induced climate change is real."
"It is real; there's no reason for climate deniers and climate minimalists in the twenty-first century; that's why the National Government signed new Zealand up to the Paris Agreement, it's why we're committed to net-carbon zero by 2050," Luxon said.
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