New Zealand introduces Zero Carbon Bill

The government of New Zealand has unveiled a plan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, says: “To address the long-term challenge of climate change, today we introduce the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill to Parliament.” James Shaw, minister for climate change, says: “The critical thing is to do everything we can over the next 30 years to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius and the Zero Carbon Bill makes that a legally bindin
May 10, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
The government of New Zealand has unveiled a plan to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.


Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, says: “To address the long-term challenge of climate change, today we introduce the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill to Parliament.”

James Shaw, minister for climate change, says: “The critical thing is to do everything we can over the next 30 years to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius and the Zero Carbon Bill makes that a legally binding objective.”

Shaw explains that the government has listened to “science and also heard from industry” to create a target for a 10% reduction in biological methane emissions by 2030, with a provisional range of between 24% to 47% by 2050.

This range will be subject to review by the independent Climate Change Commission in 2024, taking into account changes in “scientific knowledge and other developments”.

According to Shaw, the commission will support the emissions reductions targets through advice, guidance and regular five-yearly emissions budgets.

“The Bill also creates a legal obligation on the Government to plan for how it will support New Zealand towns and cities, business and farmers to adapt to the increasingly severe storms, floods, fires and droughts we are experiencing as a result of climate change,” he adds.

Shaw insists that everyone has a part to play in helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global temperature increases.

“That includes New Zealanders making their contribution to see the Zero Carbon Bill become law by the end of this year,” Shaw concludes.

Related Content

  • Noise camera knowledge is far from sound, finds ITS UK
    January 27, 2025
    UK public doesn't like noisy vehicles - but also doesn't know about remedies
    Read More
  • European Commission: tighter rules for safer/cleaner cars
    December 12, 2017
    The European Commission (EC), European Parliament and the Council have reached a political agreement on the commission proposal from January 2016 to raise the quality level and independence of type-approval and testing before a car is placed on the market. It would enable the EC to be able to initiate EU-wide recalls and impose penalties on manufacturers or technical services of up to €30,000 (£26,000) per non-compliant car.
    Read More
  • Iteris spreads the word that ITS is essential to reducing carbon emissions
    June 15, 2016
    Iteris is spreading one of the most important messages in the transportation industry: ITS can help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions today. On Monday, two Iteris associate vice presidents for transportation systems, John Lower and Sam Morrissey, took the stage in an ITS University session to make the case. “The focus of the session was to reinforce the reality that ITS can manage movement of traffic to meet environmental goals that we all share and combat the misunderstanding that ITS drives an increas
    Read More
  • Road user charging comes a step closer in Oregon
    December 19, 2017
    Having been the first US state to introduce the gas tax a century ago, Oregon is now blazing the road user charging trail. Colin Sowman looks at progress to date. For more than a decade, authorities in Oregon have known of the impending decline in fuels tax income and while revenue increased by more than 5% in 2016, that growth will slow considerably this year and income is projected to start declining in 2020.
    Read More

Highlighted Content