New Zealand’s 2020 Emissions Reduction Target
The Government has announced a 2020 target range to signal New Zealand’s commitment to a successful and ambitious outcome from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.
New Zealand is prepared to take on a responsibility target for greenhouse gas emissions reductions of between 10 per cent and 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, if there is a comprehensive global agreement. This means:
- the global agreement sets the world on a pathway to limit temperature rise to not more than 2°C;
- developed countries make comparable efforts to those of New Zealand;
- advanced and major emitting developing countries take action fully commensurate with their respective capabilities;
- there is an effective set of rules for land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF); and
- there is full recourse to a broad and efficient international carbon market.
New Zealand’s 2020 target was decided following consultation with New Zealand business, farmers, environmental groups, Māori, scientists, academics and other stakeholders. The question and answers below set out the government’s rationale for setting New Zealand’s 2020 emissions target.
- Press release (Beehive site)
- Questions and Answers (Q&A) (MfE site)
- Graphical depiction of 2020 targets (PDF, 25 KB)
- Statement made by New Zealand Ambassador for Climate Change, Dr Adrian Macey, to the United Nations Climate Change negotiating session on 10 August 2009 in Bonn, Germany (MfE site)
Last updated: 8 October 2009
