NZ Govt actions against Climate Change
02/02/2021
The government is taking great urgency to tackle the climate crisis. Last year NZ declared a climate emergency, with the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern saying, “This declaration is an acknowledgment of the next generation. An acknowledgment of the burden that they will carry if we do not get this right and do not take action now,” she said. And declaring NZ to be carbon Neutral by 2025.
A powerful statement to show NZ’s commitment for future generations to come.
Recently the government announced reducing transportation emissions with an increase of low emission cars and trucks to help reach the 2050 net-zero carbon goals. Transportation emissions produce 47% of NZ’s carbon emissions. So setting up an initiative like this are imperative to tackle climate change.
Here are key action points NZ Government has made for the fight against the climate crisis:
- Passing the Zero Carbon Act 2019– to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050
- Declaring a climate emergency in Dec 2020
- Started planting 1 billion trees by 2028– to capture carbon and clean waterways
- Restored the Emissions Trading Scheme act
- Setting up the clean car standard– to boost supply and reduce the price of electric and hybrid vehicles.
In more news… The Climate Change Commission has released its draft plan for ways NZ can reduce its emissions.
Although NZ accounts for 0.2% of global emissions doesn’t sound like much, it’s a lot more than we can afford to emit for our small country. The Climate Change Commission states NZ needs to ‘’increase efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if it is to meet its obligations under the Paris climate accords.’’
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/climate-commission-report-get-it-right-or-face-catastrophe
Here are other relevant links:
https://pureadvantage.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PRE-CCC-ADVICE_FACTS_v2-2.png
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/02/new-zealand-declares-a-climate-change-emergency
