The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 is an

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...

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that amends the

Climate Change Response Act 2002 The Climate Change Response Act 2002 is an Act of Parliament passed by the government of New Zealand. The Climate Change Response Act 2002 created a legal framework for New Zealand to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and to meet obligations under the ...

to provide a framework for New Zealand to develop and implement climate change policies in support of the

Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement (french: Accord de Paris), often referred to as the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords, is an international treaty on climate change. Adopted in 2015, the agreement covers climate change mitigation, Climate change a ...

Legislative features

The Act amends the

to provide a framework for New Zealand to develop and implement climate change policies that contribute to global efforts under the

to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. New Zealand ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2015. Its first nationally determined contribution (NDC) was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. In 2021, the NDC was increased to a 50 percent reduction below 2005 levels by 2030. Key provisions of the Zero Carbon Act include establishing a Climate Change Commission, requiring the government to set five year emission budgets, requiring the development of an emission reduction plan and establishing a target to reduce net carbon emissions (except biogenic methane) to zero and biogenic methane emissions by 24-47% (from a 2017 baseline) by 2050. Unlike the NDC under the Paris Agreement which can be met with offshore mitigation (offsetting), the carbon budgets under the Act must be met via domestic action.

History

Minister for Climate Change Issues and

Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and nonviolence. Greens believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation ...

leader James Shaw introduced the Zero Carbon bill into Parliament on 8 May 2019. The opposition National Party supported it at its first reading, while expressing concerns about its methane targets, and the bill passed its first reading on 21 May 2019. It passed its second reading on 5 November 2019. The bill passed its third and final reading on 7 November 2019 unanimously.

David Seymour David Seymour may refer to: * David Seymour (English politician) (died 1557/58), 14th-century Member of Parliament (MP) for Wareham and Great Bedwyn *David Seymour (New Zealand politician) (born 1983), leader of the ACT Party *David Seymour (photo ...

of the

ACT New Zealand ACT New Zealand, known simply as ACT (), is a right-wing, classical-liberal political party in New Zealand. According to former party leader Rodney Hide, ACT's values are "individual freedom, personal responsibility, doing the best for our natur ...

party was opposed to the bill and intended to vote against it, but missed the vote. It received

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...

on 13 November 2019. The National Party said that they opposed the 24–47 per cent methane reduction target and that they would remove the methane target when they next form a government.

References

External links

* *{{cite web , title=Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill , url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_87861/climate-change-response-zero-carbon-amendment-bill , publisher=

New Zealand Parliament The New Zealand Parliament ( mi, Pāremata Aotearoa) is the unicameral legislature of New Zealand, consisting of the King of New Zealand ( King-in-Parliament) and the New Zealand House of Representatives. The King is usually represented by h ...

, accessdate=8 August 2019 2019 in New Zealand law Climate change law Climate change in New Zealand Environmental policy in New Zealand