Emissions must still come down – minister

Climate change minister James Shaw says the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report is a stark reminder of why New Zealand needs to plan for the worst effects of climate change.

“This latest report is unequivocal about the adverse impacts of climate change and how we’ll need to adapt the way we live in a warmer world.

”Here in Aotearoa – where every year sees a new set of broken temperature records – we can expect more droughts, fires, storms, and floods. More lives and livelihoods on the line.”

Shaw says Kiwis mustn’t lose sight of the urgent need to lower emissions.

“The next 10 years is make or break for the planet, and the severity with which we will experience climate change can be lessened if we do all we can to limit warming,” he explains.

“Very soon we will release New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan, which will outline the changes we need to make across every sector to lower emissions and limit catastrophic warming.”

The Emissions Reduction Plan will build on the climate action already taken by this Government, such as making it easier and more affordable for people to purchase low-emission vehicles like EVs.

The draft national adaptation plan will explain how the top priority climate risks facing New Zealand – which were identified in the first National Climate Change Risk Assessment released last year – will be addressed over the next six years, says Shaw, adding it will be ready to comment on in coming months.

Shaw says a huge step change in New Zealand’s approach to climate adaptation is needed

“Later this year the Government will consult New Zealanders on a national adaptation plan to do just that.”

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C can reduce projected losses and damage, but cannot eliminate them all, he adds.

The IPCC’s latest report, its sixth assessment (AR6), features predicted impacts on people and other species, while another report on what people can do to help mitigate climate change damage is expected in April.