Opportunity to provide feedback to help shape Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2035 international climate change target

Closes 8 Dec 2024

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Opportunity for feedback

There are 5 questions that can be answered.

Read the full public feedback document

Read the Commission’s advice on their website

Read the Ministry’s summary of the Commission’s advice

Opportunity for feedback

This is an opportunity for you to provide feedback on the Climate Change Commission’s advice on Aotearoa’s international climate change target for 2031 – 2035, and on NDC2. We’re interested in feedback on the Commission’s advice, and on how the Government could or should weigh the different factors it must consider when setting the target: 

  • New Zealand’s highest possible ambition: Parties are able to determine what is the highest possible ambition for their own contribution to the global response in line with their national circumstances and capacity. This considers the fact that all countries have a responsibility to contribute to global efforts, but the level of responsibility and capability to contribute will be different for each country.    
  • New Zealand’s National Circumstances: A country’s unique conditions, such as its natural resources, economic sectors, and level of development, that impact a country’s ability to take climate actions. For New Zealand, relevant circumstances may include our status as a developed country, high proportions of agricultural emissions and renewable electricity).  
  • Cost and impact of reducing emissions: This covers the costs and impacts of reducing emissions. More action to reduce emissions could impact the competitiveness of New Zealand businesses and place unnecessary costs on households 
  • Alignment with the Paris temperature goal: The Paris Agreement has a goal of limiting global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius, while pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees.   
  • New Zealand’s fair share of the global effort: Climate change is a global issue requiring a truly global response. All countries, including New Zealand, need to do their fair share to meet the Paris temperature goal. The level of target that is ‘fair’ will be different for every country. 
  • The outcomes of the Global Stocktake: The first ever Global Stocktake of emissions under the Paris Agreement was carried out in 2023. Global Stocktakes occur every five years and provide insight into how countries are progressing toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. The first Global Stocktake showed significant concern with how countries were tracking to limit warming to 1.5 degrees and highlighted the urgent need for action. Specifically, it encouraged countries to set more ambitious NDCs for 2031 – 2035, focusing on economy-wide transformation to reduce emissions.    

Considering how to balance the various factors when setting the next NDC is complex, as factors interact and require trade-offs. For example, a stronger contribution to the global temperature goal will require more action to meet it, and higher costs. Whereas a target that is lower cost and easier to deliver is likely to have a lesser contribution to the global effort. That’s why we want to understand how important each of these factors are to you.   

Responses will be analysed by the Ministry and will help to inform the Ministry’s advice to the Government on the Commission’s advice, and on the NDC2 target. A summary of feedback will be published on the Ministry’s website.  

1. Do you have any comments on the CCC's advice?

The Climate Change Commission released advice on the level of domestic emissions reductions that could be achieved as part of the second nationally determined contribution (NDC2) on 7 November 2024.

Read the Commission’s advice on their website

There is a limit of 800 characters
2. What factors should the Government prioritise when setting NDC2?

1 - Global Stocktake recommendations

Among other things, the first Global stocktake:

  • Encouraged Parties to come forward in their next NDCs with ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets, covering all greenhouse gases, sectors and categories and aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as informed by the latest science, in the light of different national circumstances.
  • Indicated Significant concern that the world is not on track to achieve the temperature goal, and that there is a rapidly narrowing window for raising ambition and implementing existing commitments in order to achieve it.
  • Reinforced the need for urgent action and support to keep 1.5°C within reach; and noting that feasible, effective and low-cost mitigation options are already available in all sectors to do this.
  • Urgent need for accelerated implementation of domestic mitigation measures as well as the use of voluntary cooperation under Article 6.  

The GST also calls for countries to contribute to specific efforts on energy emissions, methane emissions, and forestry/ecosystem restoration. The strength of New Zealand’s contribution to these efforts could have implications for our NDC2 target.

Please select your top 3, with 1 being the most important priority.

There is a limit of 300 characters
3. What factors in New Zealand’s economic outlook should be taken into consideration when setting NDC2?
There is a limit of 800 characters
4. What factors do you think are most important for deciding a “fair share” for New Zealand for its NDC2?
There is a limit of 800 characters
5. Should NDC2 be set at a level that is achievable with domestic action only or should it be set at a level that is achievable with a mix of domestic action and international cooperation (offshore mitigation)?