Climate Change Commission
| He Pou a Rangi | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2019 |
| Preceding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand |
| Headquarters | Wellington |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | www |
The Climate Change Commission (He Pou a Rangi) is an independent Crown entity that advises the New Zealand Government on climate change action within the framework of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act. The Commission was established as the successor to the Interim Climate Change Committee following the passage of the Zero Carbon Act in November 2019.[1]
Mandates and functions
The Climate Change Commission advises the New Zealand Government on actions that will reduce carbon emissions and meet New Zealand's 2050 emission reduction and adaption goals. The Commission also seeks to partner with Māori with developing advice and targets.[2] Other responsibilities including monitoring and reporting on government progress on climate change and developing advice on reducing emissions and meeting the Government's target of a "net-zero, low emissions" New Zealand/Aotearoa.[3]
Besides monitoring the Government's progress against the 2050 target, the first emissions budget and the emissions reduction plan, other functions including monitoring the adaptation plan and reporting on progress on primary sector climate change commitments.[4]
Membership
The Commission's Chairperson is Dr Rod Carr, a former Chair and non-executive Director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. Other members include:
- Lisa Tumahai, Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, former Deputy Chairperson of the ICCC, and Ngāi Tahu leader
- Jo Hendy, Chief Executive, former Secretariat of the ICCC and former Director of Research and Analysis for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
- Dr Harry Clark, an agricultural greenhouse gas expert and former member of the ICCC
- Dr Judy Lawrence, former Coordinating Lead Author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Catherine Leining, climate change mitigation policy adviser and former civil servant
- Dr James Renwick, climate change scientist and lead author on three IPCC assessment reports
- Dr Nicola Shadbolt, Chairperson of Plant and Food Research and former Director of Fonterra and Transit New Zealand.[5]
History
Formation
The Climate Change Commission was established as the successor to the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) in November 2019 following the passage of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act. The organisation was tasked with developing an evidence-based plan for New Zealand to fulfill its climate change goals within the framework of the Zero Carbon Act.[1]
On 24 April 2020, Climate Change Minister James Shaw asked the Climate Commission Change Commission to review New Zealand's emission reduction target under the Paris Agreement, focusing on New Zealand's methane and carbon commitments.[6][7]
In mid-May 2020, Climate Change Commission Chair Rod Carr criticised the 2020 New Zealand budget as insufficient for fulfilling New Zealand's carbon neutral goals. However, Carr welcomed the budget's commitments towards research, forestry, improving bush and wetlands, tightening the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, rail and home insulation.[8]
First report
On 31 January 2021, the Climate Change Commission released its first report which proposed phasing out petrol-powered cars, accelerated renewable energy generation, reducing the number of cows, and growing more native forests to meet New Zealand's carbon neutral goals by 2050. Chairman Carr defended the advice as ambitious but claimed it was realistic and advocated "immediate and decisive" action. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern claimed that the impact of the proposed reforms would not be an economic burden.[9][10]
In response, the Automobile Association's spokesperson Simon Douglas and Z Energy chief executive Mike Bennetts said that more investment was needed to encourage people to use electrical vehicles including charging stations and cheaper prices.[11] Gasfitters and plumbers also expressed concern that a proposed ban on new gas installations from 2025 would hurt their economic livelihood and careers.[12] The coal industry also expressed concerns about the Commission's plan to phase out fossil fuels by 2050.[13]
On 4 February 2021, Chairperson Dr Carr later corrected the Climate Commission's projection that implementing the its plan would reduce New Zealand's GDP by three to four percent, revising it to one percent.[14]
See also
- Climate Change Committee - the UK entity on which the Climate Change Commission was based
Notes and references
- ^ a b "Our Story". Climate Change Commission. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "How We Work". Climate Change Commission. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Our Work". Climate Change Commission. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Monitoring". Climate Change Commission. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Our People". Climate Change Commission. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Daalder, Marc (24 April 2020). "Climate Commission to review NZ's Paris target". Newsroom. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gibson, Eloise (23 April 2020). "Climate change: New Zealand's Paris pledge up for review". Stuff. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Gibson, Eloise (20 May 2020). "Budget too weak on climate - Commission". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Electric cars, fewer cows in New Zealand's climate change plan". The Jakarta Post. Agence France-Presse. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Climate Change Commission releases first official report". Radio New Zealand. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "Huge investment in infrastructure needed to meet climate change goal - AA". Radio New Zealand. 2 February 2021. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Steeman, Marta (4 February 2021). "Climate change report: Gasfitters fear for their businesses while consumers rethink installations". Stuff. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ Naish, Joanne (5 February 2021). "New climate change targets put future of West Coast coal mines in limbo". Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ du Plessis-Allan, Heather (4 February 2021). "Climate Change Commission chair admits mistake in economic cost of recommendations". Newstalk ZB. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.