A change to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s (EECA) levy funding will enable an increased focus on improving New Zealand’s energy productivity and reducing emissions, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.
Keeping up progress on global climate action and sharing insights about New Zealand’s efforts to reduce emissions will be the focus of Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennett’s visit to Canberra this week.
Mrs Bennett will meet with several Australian Federal Ministerial counterparts, including Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Julie Bishop; Environment and Energy Minister Hon Josh Frydenberg; and Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Hon Greg Hunt. She will also meet with Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Hon Mark Butler.
The Government plans to ratify the Paris agreement on climate change by the end of the year, Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennett says.
The agreement was finalised last December and made available for signature in April this year. Ratification is the formal step that countries must take to be full participants and to ensure the deal takes effect.
New Zealanders are benefiting from the Government’s continued focus on front-line services and restraint of bureaucracy, State Services Minister Paula Bennett says.
The latest report of the public sector cap shows a decrease of 190 to 35,917 full-time equivalent positions in the core public service compared to the previous year.
Currently set at 36,475 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions within core government administrative roles, the cap was introduced in 2008 and reset at the present lower level in 2012.
Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett has returned from a trip to the Pacific where she saw first-hand how communities are working to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to big weather events and King tides.
Mrs Bennett travelled to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tuvalu last week. While in those countries she met climate change ministers and officials and reinforced New Zealand’s commitment to providing climate-related support to the region.
A new round of research funding and the appointment of a Special Representative are big steps forward for New Zealand’s involvement in the Global Research Alliance, Ministers Paula Bennett and Nathan Guy say.
“New Zealander Hayden Montgomery has been endorsed by GRA member countries as its first Special Representative. The appointment highlights the confidence other countries have in New Zealand and the value they place in the work we do managing the GRA Secretariat,” Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennett says.
The Government is phasing out a subsidy in the Emissions Trading Scheme that allows some businesses to pay one emissions unit for every two tonnes of pollution they emit, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says.
The one-for-two subsidy was a temporary measure introduced during the global financial crisis to help moderate the initial costs of the ETS while businesses were struggling.
“The subsidy will be phased out over three years to give businesses time to plan and adjust, to support a more stable market,” Mrs Bennett says.
A historic global climate change agreement has been signed today on behalf of New Zealand by Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett.
The Paris Agreement was concluded in December 2015 and is the first truly global deal to address climate change. 188 countries took part in the negotiations, covering more than 90 per cent of the world’s emissions.
Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett travels to the United States today to represent New Zealand at several major international events.
Mrs Bennett will sign the Paris Climate Change Agreement on behalf of New Zealand at the United Nations in New York on Saturday 23 April.
“It’s an incredible privilege to represent our country at this historic event. The Paris deal is the first truly global deal on climate change, and it’s appropriate the event is being held to coincide with Earth Day,” says Mrs Bennett.
Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett announced today that New Zealand’s next Climate Change Ambassador will be Mark Sinclair.
Currently New Zealand’s Ambassador to Japan, Mr Sinclair is a senior and experienced diplomat with extensive international negotiation experience.
“Mark has a deep understanding of New Zealand’s interests and is an exceptional choice to lead the next steps of our negotiating effort,” Mrs Bennett says.
Two technical documents are being released to help New Zealanders engage with the second phase of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) review, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says.
The Forestry technical note seeks feedback on the way the ETS and forestry sector interacts and how it will contribute to New Zealand meeting its future. international targets
The second report covers administrative issues including compliance requirements, exemptions under the Climate Change Response Act 2002, and the public’s access to information.
Submissions on the first phase of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Review have now closed.
The priority matters being considered in this phase relate to removing the transitional measure where emitters pay one unit for two tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.
“Following on from the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Government is focusing on ensuring our domestic settings are in the right place to help New Zealand meet our fair and ambitious 2030 target,” says Mrs Bennett.
New Zealanders wanting to have their say on the future of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Review have one more week to make their views heard.
Submissions on the first phase of the review close 5 PM, Friday 19 February 2016. The priority matters being considered in this phase relate to removing the transitional measure where emitters pay the cost of one unit for two tonnes of Carbon Dioxide.
Three technical documents are being released to help New Zealanders engage with the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) review, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says.
The first report, modelling the economic impact of removing the transitional measure where emitters pay the cost of one unit for two tonnes of Carbon Dioxide, was produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
The second report outlines different ways the forestry sector may respond to various carbon prices and was produced by the University of Canterbury’s School of Forestry.
Three reports released today show New Zealand met its target for reducing emissions under the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and is on track to meet its 2020 target, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett says.
“New Zealand’s second biennial report to the United Nations shows that we met our target for the period from 2008-2012 through a combination of emissions reductions, carbon removal by forests, and international trading,” says Mrs Bennett.
A New Zealand inspired Ministerial Declaration on carbon markets was launched by countries at the historic climate change conference in Paris today.
The declaration signals countries' support for carbon markets as a tool in the ambitious global response to climate change. Already 18 countries have aligned with the declaration.
"New Zealand wants to ensure development of a strong and robust global carbon market that has environmental integrity," says Mr Groser.
Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser welcomes the conclusion of a new global agreement at the Paris conference on climate change.
“The agreement is a huge and historic step forward,” says Mr Groser.
“This is the first truly global agreement on climate change. All countries are committing to take ambitious action.
Associate Climate Change Issues Minister Simon Bridges will tomorrow travel to Paris, France to take part in the Paris Climate Change Conference.
“For the first time leaders will seek to agree a new binding climate change agreement that includes contributions from all major emitting countries.
“Ensuring maximum participation will be essential for putting the world on a path to keeping global temperature rise below two degrees.
New Zealand will ratify the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser announced today.
“We see ratification of the amendment as critical for maintaining momentum in global climate change negotiations,” says Mr Groser.
The Doha Amendment created a second commitment period from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2020. It needs to be ratified by three-quarters of Kyoto Protocol parties to enter into force.
The Government has begun its review of the Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) to assess its operation and effectiveness to 2020 and beyond, Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser announced today.
“In July we set an ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2020,” said Mr Groser.
“This review will look at how the NZ ETS may have to evolve to support New Zealand in meeting this new target.
