EVs included in drive for climate action

Electric vehicles represent “the greatest opportunity” to reduce transport emissions.

So says EV advocacy group Drive Electric, one of more than 15,000 submitters to the Zero Carbon Bill.

Generally supporting the bill, Drive Electric says there’s a strong opportunity linked to decreased environmental costs in the next decade through the uptake and mainstreaming of EVs.

As well as providing health and air quality benefits, New Zealand also stands to gain from decreased oil imports and increased energy independence, it says.

Other submitters included electricity and energy agencies, Z Energy, EROAD, KiwiRail, automotive representatives, motoring clubs, local government, environmental groups and more.

Analysis of the submissions provide a critical insight into New Zealanders’ thinking on our country’s path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, climate change minister James Shaw says.

“The submissions clearly show that the New Zealanders who participated in the consultation support a path to a low emissions economy by 2050, with nearly universal support for an independent Climate Change Commission to advise on and monitor New Zealand’s progress towards emissions reduction goals,” he says.

“The vast majority of respondents want New Zealand to do everything we can to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and offset the remainder, to reach ‘net-zero’ emissions by 2050.

“At the same time, there was a strong representation from people and businesses who, whilst supporting the overall direction, expressed caution about the speed and scale of the transition and the pressure it will put their sectors under.”

The submissions will be combined with advice from the Productivity Commission, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Maori interests, and consultation with other political parties to help finalise the draft Zero Carbon Bill for introduction to Parliament next year.

The Ministry for the Environment has released a summary of submissions here.