Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act

Legislative features

The Act amends the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to provide a framework for New Zealand to develop and implement climate change policies that contribute to global efforts under the Paris Agreement to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. New Zealand ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2015. Its first nationally determined contribution (NDC) was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. In 2021, the NDC was increased to a 50 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. Key provisions of the Zero Carbon Act include establishing a Climate Change Commission, requiring the government to set five year emission budgets, requiring the development of an emission reduction plan and establishing a target to reduce net carbon emissions (except biogenic methane) to zero and biogenic methane emissions by 24-47% (from a 2017 baseline) by 2050. Unlike the NDC under the Paris Agreement which can be met with offshore mitigation (offsetting), the carbon budgets under the Act must be met via domestic action.