The Climate Change Commission () is an independent

Crown entity A Crown entity (from the Commonwealth term ''The Crown, Crown'') is an organisation that forms part of New Zealand's public sector organisations in New Zealand, state sector established under the Crown Entities Act 2004, a unique umbrella governa ...

that advises the

New Zealand Government The New Zealand Government () is the central government through which political authority is exercised in New Zealand. As in most other parliamentary democracies, the term "Government" refers chiefly to the executive branch, and more specifica ...

on climate change policy and monitors the government's progress towards New Zealand's emission reduction goals within the framework of the

Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand that amends the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to provide a framework for New Zealand to develop and implement climate change policies in supp ...

. The Commission was established as the successor to the

Interim Climate Change Committee The Interim Climate Change Committee (or ICCC) is a ministerial advisory committee created by the New Zealand Government in mid–April 2018 to explore how New Zealand transitions to a net zero emissions economy by 2050. The Interim Committee wa ...

following the passage of the Zero Carbon Act in November 2019.

Mandates and functions

The Climate Change Commission advises the New Zealand Government on policy to reduce

carbon emission Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from human activities intensify the greenhouse effect. This contributes to climate change. Carbon dioxide (), from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, is the main cause of climate change. The l ...

s in line with New Zealand's 2050 emission reduction and adaption goals. It also monitors and reports on government progress against the 2050 target (via emissions budgets and emission reduction plans), the adaptation plan and primary sector commitments. Specific policy the commission provides advice on includes the emissions budgets, emission reduction plan,

Emissions Trading Scheme Carbon emission trading (also called carbon market, emission trading scheme (ETS) or cap and trade) is a type of emissions trading scheme designed for carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). A form of carbon pricing, its purpose ...

settings and changes to the 2050 target. The Climate Change Minister may also request the commission to provide advice on other matters. When providing advice, the commission by law must consider currently available scientific knowledge, existing and anticipated technology, economic impacts, the circumstances (social, cultural, environmental and ecological), distributional impacts, the crown-Māori relationship, te ao Māori and responses by other parties to the

Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was ...

Leadership

Since its inception, the Climate Change Commission has been chaired by Rod Carr, a former chair and non-executive director of the

Reserve Bank of New Zealand The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) () is the central bank of New Zealand. It was established in 1934 and is currently constituted under the ''Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 2021''. The current acting governor of the Reserve Bank, Christian ...

and a former vice-chancellor of the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

. In December 2024 Climate Change Minister

Simon Watts Simon Glen Watts (born ) is a New Zealand politician. He has been the Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for North Shore (New Zealand electorate), North Shore, representing the New Zealand National Party, National Party, since th ...

announced that from February 2025 Carr would be replaced by former Governor General

Patsy Reddy Dame Patricia Lee Reddy (born 17 May 1954) is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21st governor-general of New Zealand from 2016 to 2021. Before becoming governor-general, Reddy was a partner of a law firm, headed a majo ...

. Other members include: * Lisa Tumahai, deputy chairperson of the Commission, former deputy chairperson of the ICCC, and

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori people, Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim, New Zealand, Blenhe ...

leader *Dr Harry Clark, an agricultural greenhouse gas expert and former member of the ICCC *Dr

Judy Lawrence Judith Helen Lawrence is a New Zealand climate change policy and adaptation expert. She studies climate change, especially aspects of uncertainty, decision making under uncertainty and adaptation. She has linked academic work to everyday probl ...

, former coordinating lead author with the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Its job is to "provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies". The World Met ...

(IPCC) *

Felicity Underhill Felicity Jane Curran Underhill is a New Zealand energy specialist, and has experience working in the oil, gas and hydrogen industries in Australia and New Zealand. In 2024 Underhill was appointed to the New Zealand Climate Change Commission. E ...

, energy specialist (from December 2024) *Devon Maclean, forestry and conservation advisor (from December 2024) *Dr Nicola Shadbolt, chairperson of

Plant & Food Research Plant & Food Research (Māori: Rangahau Ahumāra Kai) is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute (CRI). Its purpose is to enhance the value and productivity of New Zealand's horticultural, arable, seafood and food & beverage industries. The in ...

and former director of

Fonterra Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand Multinational corporation, multinational publicly traded dairy cooperative, co-operative owned by New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy ex ...

and

Transit New Zealand Transit New Zealand (Māori: Ararau Aotearoa), which existed from 1989 to 2008, was the New Zealand Crown entity responsible for operating and planning the New Zealand state highway network (10,894 km, about 12% of New Zealand's roads). It ...

. Former members include James Renwick, climate change scientist and lead author on three IPCC assessment reports, and

Catherine Leining Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...

climate change mitigation Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. Climate change mitigation actions include energy conservation, conserving energy and Fossil fuel phase-out, repl ...

policy adviser and former civil servant. Renwick and Leining were replaced by Felicity Underhill and Devon Maclean from December. Jo Hendy is the Climate Change Commission's chief executive. She was previously with the secretariat of the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) and is a former director of research and analysis for the

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment __NOTOC__ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (''Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata'' in Māori language, Māori) is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Govern ...

History

Formation

The Climate Change Commission was established as the successor to the

(ICCC) in November 2019 by the

. The organisation was tasked with developing an evidence-based plan for New Zealand to fulfill its climate change goals within the framework of the Zero Carbon Act. On 24 April 2020, Climate Change Minister James Shaw asked the Climate Commission Change Commission to review New Zealand's emission reduction target under the

, focusing on New Zealand's methane and carbon commitments. In mid-May 2020, Climate Change Commission Chair Rod Carr criticised the 2020 New Zealand budget as insufficient for fulfilling New Zealand's carbon neutral goals. However, Carr welcomed the budget's commitments towards research, forestry, improving bush and wetlands, tightening the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, rail and home insulation.

First report

On 31 January 2021, the Climate Change Commission released its draft advice for the first three emission budgets and the first emissions reduction plan. The report proposed phasing out petrol-powered cars, accelerated renewable energy generation, reducing the number of cows, and growing more native forests to meet New Zealand's carbon neutral goals by 2050. Chairman Carr defended the advice as ambitious but claimed it was realistic and advocated "immediate and decisive" action.

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Jacinda Ardern Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician and activist who was the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was ...

claimed that the impact of the proposed reforms would not be an economic burden. In response, the

Automobile Association An automobile association, also referred to as a motoring club, motoring association, or motor club, is an organization, either for-profit or non-profit, which motorists (drivers and vehicle owners) can join to enjoy benefits provided by the club ...

's spokesperson Simon Douglas and

Z Energy Z Energy is a New Zealand fuel distributor with branded service stations. It owns some of the former assets of Shell New Zealand and Chevron New Zealand. It has been a subsidiary of Australian petroleum company Ampol since May 2022. Shell l ...

chief executive Mike Bennetts said that more investment was needed to encourage people to use electric vehicles including charging stations and cheaper prices. Gasfitters and plumbers also expressed concern that a proposed ban on new gas installations from 2025 would hurt their economic livelihood and careers. The coal industry also expressed concerns about the Commission's plan to phase out

fossil fuel A fossil fuel is a flammable carbon compound- or hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the buried remains of prehistoric organisms (animals, plants or microplanktons), a process that occurs within geolog ...

s by 2050.

Final advice

On 9 June 2021, the Climate Commission issued its final advice to the government for the emissions budgets and first emission reduction plan following consultation with the public. The report recommended the reduction of animal numbers at farms, no new household gas connections by 2025, and shifting to electric vehicles within the next decade in order to reduce greenhouse emissions. Prime Minister Ardern and Climate Change Minister James Shaw endorsed the Climate Commission's report. On 14 June, the Government announced that it would introduce subsidies to make electric cars cheaper while raising the price of new petrol and new diesel vehicles. Beginning in July 2021, subsidies for new electric and hybrid vehicles will be up to NZ$8,625 (£4,360) and NZ$3,450 (£1,744) for used cars. In response to the policy announcement, EV City owner David Boot said that it would boost demand for electric cars while expressing concern about the need for educating electric car users. Motor Trade Association chief executive Craig Pomare claimed that the rebate would not be enough to encourage motor users to make the switch to electric cars, while

Federated Farmers Federated Farmers of New Zealand is a lobby and advocacy group for farmers and rural communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. Federated Farmers lobbies on farming issues both nationally and within eac ...

national president

Andrew Hoggard Andrew John Hoggard (born ) is a New Zealand dairy farmer and politician. Hoggard held leadership roles with the farmers' advocacy group Federated Farmers from 2014 to 2023, including as president for the final three years. He stepped down ahe ...

expressed concerns about the lack of electric vehicle alternatives for farmers and tradespersons, advocating a waiver for farmers. On 16 July 2021, the farmers advocacy group Groundswell NZ organised a nationwide Howl of a Protest campaign across 57 towns and cities to protest the government's new regulations.

Carbon credits

On 12 March 2024, the Climate Change Commission recommended that the New Zealand Government reduce the number of carbon credits for polluters to buy following four failed auctions in 2023.

Notes and references

External links

Official website
{{NZ Crown entities/Independent Crown entities 2019 establishments in New Zealand Agriculture in New Zealand Climate change policy Climate change in New Zealand Environmental policy in New Zealand Government agencies established in 2019 Government of New Zealand New Zealand independent crown entities