New Zealand submits 30% GHG reduction target to UN

New Zealand will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, according to a government announcement on Tuesday.

The target will be submitted to the United Nations as part of New Zealand’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) that the 192 UN member states are required to submit as part of global deal due to signed in Paris in December.

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser said: “Almost 80 per cent of our electricity is renewable already, and around half our emissions come from producing food for which there aren’t yet cost-effective technologies to reduce emissions. So there are fewer opportunities for New Zealand to reduce its emissions right now.”

Groser added: “The Government will adopt an appropriate mix of policies to ensure the target is met. In particular, we will begin a review of the Emissions Trading Scheme this year, which will include scope for further public discussion on what New Zealand will do domestically.”

Some groups have been critical of the move saying it is not ambitious enough.

Chris Howe, executive director at WWF New Zealand said: “The Government’s new climate target is well below what is needed to play our part in stopping climate change. The Government’s long term target is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent from 1990 levels by 2050 – they will not reach this with the weak 2030 target announced today. To really make a contribution on climate change and be taken seriously, NZ needs to commit to a reduction of 40 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030.”

Reports suggest that the 2020 target uses gross GHG emissions for the base year, meaning it does not take into account carbon stored in forests, making the emissions level of the base year artificially high.