New Zealand’s ambitious plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 is at risk of being derailed, as the government backslides on climate policies, new figures show.
In 2019, the Labour government passed landmark climate legislation, committing the nation to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 and meeting its commitments under the Paris climate accords. It requires future governments to detail how New Zealand will meet its greenhouse gas targets on the way to a carbon-neutral future.
The coalition government – made up of the centre-right National party and two minor partners, the libertarian Act party and populist New Zealand First party – released its first draft emissions reduction plan on Wednesday.
Figures published alongside it show the country is on track to reach its first and second emissions budgets, covering the years 2022-2030, but will overshoot its third budget and will fail to meet its long-term 2050 goal.
The country had been poised to meet its third budget but the projections have been updated, partly because the government has yet to announce robust new climate policies after scrapping a number of the Labour government’s carbon reduction plans.
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Austerity measures need to be put in place to curb /reduce climate change in New Zealand
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@rosebellendiritu exactly, there is no time for backwardness
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The relevant government ought to come up with measures to deal with the issues of climate change before the effects are irreversible.
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@jane_wangui Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time and it must be dealt with.
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@jane_wangui I second you
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So alarming. It will have detrimental effects on both the environment and public health. urgent effective policies and collective action to mitigate climate change and foster sustainable practices is needed.