Government climate-change work programme
About the Government's work programme to help us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.
We have a framework for the whole of Government that drives our climate change policy towards low greenhouse gas emissions (emissions) and climate resilience in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The framework has a focus on:
- leadership at home and internationally
- a productive, sustainable and climate-resilient economy
- a just and inclusive society.
It supports Aotearoa New Zealand’s commitments under the Paris Agreement, including our target of reducing net emissions by 50 per cent below 2005 gross emissions for the period 2021-30.
It also recognises that we need to adapt to climate change impacts to address the changes we are already seeing and will continue to encounter (even with a global reduction in future emissions).
Guided by the framework, the Government’s programme of work and initiatives will help us reduce our emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change.
Cabinet paper: Framework for climate change policy and key upcoming decisions
The Government is committed to Aotearoa New Zealand becoming a world leader in climate change action.
- A domestic emissions reduction target by 2050 was set into law in November 2019 with the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act
- The Climate Change Commission was established in December 2019 to:
- provide advice to Government on climate change mitigation and adaptation
- monitor progress towards the new 2050 target emissions budgets and the implementation of a National Adaptation Plan.
A new interdepartmental executive board that provides oversight of the Government’s response to climate change.