James Shaw wants five principles in Emissions Reduction Plan

Climate Change minister James Shaw has outlined five main principles to business, unions, Maori, and environmental organisations he wants to see guiding decisions about how the government intends to meet New Zealand’s emissions budgets and, therefore, what goes in the final Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) to be published by the end of this year.

EVs and low to zero emissions transport are implied but not specifically included by Shaw, with Cabinet yet to make any decisions on what goes into the ERP.

That’s aside from his mention of New Zealand’s first hybrid vehicle the Toyota Prius arriving nearly 30 years ago.

“And now here we are, with policies like the Clean Car Discount making clean and green ways of getting around a more realistic option for many.”

Shaw’s five principles include prioritising a “just” transition to mitigate and adapt to climate change in a way that creates good jobs and ensures no one is left behind, a science-led response to ensure New Zealand plays its part fully in global efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels (Paris Agreement), enhancing the role of nature-based solutions (restoring indigenous biodiversity), a partnership with Maori ensuring a treaty-led approach, and establishing a clear and affordable path to provide business with long-term certainty to invest in low carbon solutions.

Following the release of the Climate Change Commission’s final advice in June, work is underway across government on an ERP to determine how it will meet emissions budgets.

The Zero Carbon Act requires that, from December 2021, there must be one current and two prospective emissions budgets in place at any one time.

The first budget will cover from 2022 to 2025, the second 2026-2030 and the third 2031-2035.

“The question will be whether we have the courage to step outside; to find the space we need to rethink and change the way we do things,” says Shaw who wants cross party support and suggests innovations here can be exported.

“The cost of inaction or delay will be an estimated 2.3% of GDP by 2050,” he says.

“No one can veto the scientific reality that we need to cut emissions, fast.”