Many goals, but no easy options
New Zealand is indeed in a tight spot. Decades of delay and spurious manoeuvring have seen emissions rise steadily, with few transition plans in place.
The main emitting sectors are often also key export industries, which should not face unfair competition, while consumption sectors (like private cars) lie broadly across the whole society.
Some key approaches from the past - international carbon trading, and extensive forest planting - have fallen out of favour. Following a collapse in credibility, international carbon trading will need new rules to allow it to restart, while afforestation, though still playing a part, pushes the transition out to future generations.
Lawyers challenge New Zealand s proposed emissions budgets as inconsistent with the 1 5℃ goal
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Lawyers challenge New Zealand s proposed emissions budgets as inconsistent with 1
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It s time to stop the coal monster
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New Zealand introduces incentives for low-emission vehicles
From July, the New Zealand government will subsidise the purchase of new electric cars and plug-in hybrids with up to 8,625 New Zealand dollars (around €5,100). The incentives also include pre-owned zero-emission vehicles.
The programme is financed by introducing new levies on vehicles with high emissions, making it a bonus-malus scheme. According to
the Guardian, this will make an imported Toyota Hilux – one of New Zealand’s most popular off-road vehicles – 2,900 New Zealand dollars (about 1,700 euros) more expensive.
The new system is based on recommendations of the New Zealand Climate Change Commission. The commission had recently suggested to the government that the share of electric vehicles in new registrations should reach 50 per cent by 2029 and 100 per cent by 2032 to meet the emission targets for the transport sector.