Government resets 2050 biogenic methane target

The Climate Change Response Act requires the Government to review New Zealand’s legislated 2050 climate change targets every five years to ensure they are fit for purpose.  

As part of this process, the Government considered advice from the Climate Change Commission, which was released in November 2024, alongside findings from an independent review of methane science and targets, which was released in December 2024.

See Reviews of the 2050 emissions target (Climate Change Commission)

See Review of methane science and target

New Zealand has adopted a split gas approach for its domestic climate change goals. This acknowledges that biogenic methane – which is a short-lived greenhouse gas – has different warming impacts than long-lived greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide.  

The current targets are: 

• Net zero emissions of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions other than biogenic methane by 2050. 
• 24 to 47 per cent reduction below 2017 biogenic methane emissions by 2050, including 10 per cent reduction below 2017 biogenic methane emissions by 2030. 

Today, the Government has announced its decision on the 2050 target: 

• Reset the target for reductions required in biogenic methane emissions by 2050 to 14 – 24 per cent below 2017 levels.   
• Retain the current net zero 2050 target for long-lived gases  
• Defer decisions to set the fourth emissions budget and consider whether to reset the first three emissions budgets to 31 December 2027. These decisions were due to be made before the end of the year.   

The Government has also committed to reviewing the 2050 biogenic methane target again in 2040 to ensure it remains relevant. The 2030 biogenic methane target remains unchanged.  

Changing the 2050 target and deferring the decision to set the fourth emissions budget requires an amendment to the Climate Change Response Act. The Government expects to pass an amendment bill to the Act before the end of 2025.  

As part of the 2050 review, the Climate Change Commission recommended including emissions from international shipping and aviation into the 2050 target. Decisions on this are expected before November 2025. 

The Government will also formally respond to the Climate Change Commission’s advice on the 2050 target, including international shipping and aviation, before the deadline on 21 November 2025. 

New Zealand’s international climate change targets are set through a different process to our domestic targets, and international targets will not be changed as a result of this decision.  

The decision also has no impact on the 2025 ETS settings decisions, which were announced recently. Changes to the 2050 target will be considered during the 2026 ETS settings process once the change has been passed into legislation.