Climate Change Response Act 2002
This Act puts in place a legal framework to enable New Zealand to meet its international obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.
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Climate Change Response Act 2002 [New Zealand Legislation website]
The Act includes powers for the Minister of Finance to manage New Zealand’s holdings of units that represent New Zealand’s target allocation for greenhouse gas emissions under the Protocol. It enables the Minister to trade those units on the international market. It establishes a registry to record holdings and transfers of units. The Act also establishes a national inventory agency to record and report information relating to greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with international requirements.
In 2019, the Act was amended by the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act.
These amendments provide a framework by which New Zealand can develop and implement clear and stable climate change policies that:
- contribute to the global effort under the Paris Agreement to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels
- allow New Zealand to prepare for, and adapt to, the effects of climate change.
This Act is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
There are seven regulations and four orders under this Act covering a broad scope of technical regulations including general exemptions, fishing allocation plan, eligible industrial activities, removal activities, stationary energy and industrial processes, synthetic greenhouse gas levies, the New Zealand Refining Company Limited, unique emissions factors, Unit Register, waste, forestry, and fossil fuels.
Read the regulations on the NZ Legislation website.
Climate Change (Agriculture Sector) Regulations 2010
Climate Change (Eligible Industrial Activities) Regulations 2010
Climate Change (Emissions Rulings: Fees and Charges) Regulations 2010
Climate Change (Forestry Sector) Regulations 2008
Climate Change (Liquid Fossil Fuels) Regulations 2008
Climate Change (Other Removal Activities) Regulations 2009
Climate Change (Stationary Energy and Industrial Processes) Regulations 2009
Climate Change (Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Levies) Regulations 2013
Climate Change (Unique Emissions Factors) Regulations 2009