Environment Committee’s examination of the emissions budgets published in 2022, and the first emissions reduction plan

The Environment Committee Komiti Taiao invites public submissions on Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions budgets and the emissions reduction plan, Te Hau mārohi ki anamata Towards a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy—Aotearoa New Zealand’s First Emissions Reduction Plan (published May 2022).

Background

• On 16 May 2022, the Minister of Climate Change published New Zealand’s first emissions budgets for the periods 2022 to 2025, 2026 to 2030, and 2031 to 2035. On 17 May 2022, the Government presented New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan.
• The Environment Committee has been referred the emissions budgets for select committee examination in accordance with Standing Orders.

Terms of reference for the select committee examination

• The terms of reference for the select committee examination are attached/below.

Links to relevant papers

Submissions are due on Monday 27 June 2022

Make a submission via the Parliament website by 11.59pm on Monday 27 June 2022. The terms of reference are attached.

For media enquiries contact:
Environment Committee staff, environment@parliament.govt.nz

Emissions budgets published in 2022, and the first emissions reduction plan

Terms of reference for select committee examination (issued 23 May 2022)

Under Standing Order 383 and Appendix E to the Standing Orders, Parliament’s Environment Committee is considering the Government’s emissions budgets published in May 2022.^[1]

The Environment Committee Komiti Taiao invites public submissions on Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions budgets and the emissions reduction plan Te Hau mārohi ki anamata Towards a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy—Aotearoa New Zealand’s First Emissions Reduction Plan (May 2022).

For the purposes of its inquiry, the committee is particularly interested in:

1. Is the emissions budget for 2022-25 achievable, and if not, what additional actions or changes to the key actions in the Emissions Reduction Plan would make it more likely the budget was achieved? Please state reasons.
2. Any analysis of the costs and benefits of the actions in the Emissions Reduction Plan, the adequacy of the costs and benefits analysis, and any gaps.
3. Is the emissions budget for 2026-30 achievable and if not, what additional actions or changes to the key actions in the Emissions Reduction Plan would make it more likely the budget was achieved? Please state reasons.
4. What tools or initiatives would help implement the key actions in the Emissions Reduction Plan and why?
5. Are there other key actions which can better achieve the emissions budgets than those in the Emissions Reduction Plan, what are they, and why are they more likely to succeed?
6. What type of monitoring and reporting would enable you to be confident that the key actions in the Emissions Reduction Plan are being implemented, and that emissions are falling in line with the emissions budgets?  Please state reasons.

The following matters are not being considered in the examination:

• whether climate change is happening
• whether limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is appropriate.

[1]        https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/climate-change/emissions-budgets-and-the-emissions-reduction-plan/