Climate Change: New Zealand's 2020 Emissions Reduction Target

Portfolio: Climate Change Issues / Associate Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations)

On 10 August 2009, following reference from the Cabinet Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee, Cabinet:

1 noted that New Zealand has committed to announce its position on a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target at the climate change negotiating session to be held in Bonn, Germany, from 10 to 14 August 2009;

2 agreed that the New Zealand announcement be a responsibility target range of between 10 percent and 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, subject to the following minimum conditions being met:

2.1 a global agreement that sets the world on a pathway to limit global temperature rise of not more than 2°C;
2.2 comparable efforts by developed countries;
2.3 actions by advanced and major emitting developing countries fully commensurate with their respective capabilities;
2.4 effective rules governing land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF);
2.5 full recourse to a broad and efficient international carbon market;

3 agreed that “effective rules governing LULUCF” refers to broadly the current LULUCF rules, which include continuance of the Afforestation/Reforestation Debit-Credit rule, and with the addition of agreement to the Emissions to Atmosphere and Land Use Flexibility rules;

4 agreed that New Zealand retain the option to adopt a final target range less stringent than 10 percent if the conditions set out in paragraph 2 above are not met;

5 agreed that if the conditions set out in paragraph 2 above are met, a final figure for the target within this range would be decided based on the comprehensiveness and overall ambition of the final agreement;

6 noted the support of the Climate Change Iwi Leadership Group for a conservative target, in the range of between 12 percent and 20 percent, on the understanding of the following guiding imperatives:

6.1 equitable distribution of benefits, risks and liabilities;
6.2 fulsome engagement, as Treaty partners, in the development of domestic policy responses;
6.3 consideration of inclusion of the Treaty partner in the New Zealand delegation to the international negotiations;

7 noted that 317 written public submissions were received following consultation on New Zealand’s 2020 emissions target, and that over 1,600 people attended 14 meetings in nine centres;

8 noted that it is intended to announce the 2020 target domestically prior to the announcement internationally;

9 agreed to the proposed wording for the announcement of the 2020 target, set out in Appendix 3 to the paper under CAB (09) 446, amended as appropriate to reflect the decision in paragraph 2 above;

10 authorised the Minister for Climate Change Issues and the Associate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations) to make minor amendments to the announcement referred to above;

11 noted that the Minister for Climate Change Issues intends to publicly release the paper under CAB (09) 446, subject to any necessary withholdings that may be required under the Official Information Act 1982.

Secretary of the Cabinet Reference: CAB (09) 446; EGI Min (09) 16/6

Distribution: (see over)