10 Logistics & Transport NZ
Emissions reduction plan What will New Zealand look like in the Climate Change Minister’s “future that is more equitable, more prosperous, and more innovative – and all within planetary limits”? BY JAMES PAUL
The Climate Change Response Act 2002 requires the Government to publish the emissions reduction plan by 31 May 2022, after it gave itself a five-month extension in September, setting out how New Zealand will meet its climate targets. In October, the Ministry for Environment released its discussion document (the document) seeking comment from the public about what should be included in the plan towards transitioning to a low-emissions future. Hon James Shaw, Climate Change Minister, wrote in the document’s introduction that the plan will set the direction for climate action for the next 15 years and require action across a range of areas, including energy, transport, waste, agriculture, construction and financial services. “You will see there is still work to do, but that is precisely why your feedback is so
important. We also want to make sure that the emissions reduction plan reflects the part we must all play in the transition to a lowemissions future. “Government policy will be crucial, but so too are the plans and strategies you will develop to reduce emissions in your own organisations and communities. We want to hear what these plans are – and how we can support you so that together we build a better, cleaner future. “The final emissions reduction plan needs to pull together the collective effort of every part of Aotearoa. It needs to set out future policy and regulatory change, but also the action that can be taken in every business, every town and city, and every community.” Therefore, all greenhouse gases, other than biogenic methane, must reach net zero by 2050, and emissions of biogenic methane must be reduced to at least 10 per cent below
2017 levels by 2030, and to at least 24–47 per cent below 2017 levels by 2050. Reaching these targets is no small task, so what does this mean for transport? Currently, transport is our second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for approximately 20 per cent of gross domestic emissions and 43 per cent of total domestic CO2 emissions. To achieve a zero-carbon transport system by 2050, the Climate Change Commission recommends reducing transport emissions by 13 per cent by 2030, and 41 per cent by 2035 (compared to 2019). This is equivalent to a 6.7 mega-tonne (Mt) reduction from 2019 levels. “The scale of change to achieve these reductions and complete decarbonisation cannot be overstated,” the document states. “Decarbonising transport also offers opportunities to improve the wellbeing of
