The Climate Change Commission (''He Pou a Rangi'') is an independent

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

that advises the

New Zealand Government , background_color = #012169 , image = New Zealand Government wordmark.svg , image_size=250px , date_established = , country = New Zealand , leader_title = Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , appointed = Governor-General , main_organ = , ...

on climate change policy within the framework of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act. The Commission was established as the successor to the Interim Climate Change Committee 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 that will reduce carbon emissions and meet New Zealand's 2050 emission reduction and adaption goals. The Commission also seeks to partner with

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

with developing advice and targets. Other responsibilities including monitoring and reporting on government progress on climate change and developing advice on reducing emissions and meeting the Government's target of a "net-zero, low emissions" New Zealand/

Aotearoa ''Aotearoa'' () is the current Māori-language name for New Zealand. The name was originally used by Māori in reference to only the North Island, with the name of the whole country being ''Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu'' ("North Island and Sout ...

. Besides monitoring the Government's progress against the 2050 target, the first emissions budget and the emissions reduction plan, other functions including monitoring the adaptation plan and reporting on progress on primary sector climate change commitments.

Membership

The Commission's Chairperson is Dr Rod Carr, a former Chair and non-executive Director of the

Reserve Bank of New Zealand The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ, mi, Te Pūtea Matua) is the central bank of New Zealand. It was established in 1934 and is constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The governor of the Reserve Bank is responsible for N ...

and Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was ...

. 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 (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), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Poi ...

leader * Jo Hendy, Chief Executive, former Secretariat of the ICCC and former Director of Research and Analysis for the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment *Dr Harry Clark, an agricultural greenhouse gas expert and former member of the ICCC *Dr

Judy Lawrence Judith Helen Lawrence is a New Zealand climatologist. She studies climate change, especially aspects of uncertainty, decision making and adaptation. She has linked academic work to everyday problems, and worked closely with stakeholders such as ...

, 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 advance scientific knowledge about climate change caused by human activities. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) a ...

(IPCC) *

Catherine Leining Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Christ ...

, climate change mitigation policy adviser and former civil servant *Dr James Renwick, climate change scientist and lead author on three IPCC assessment reports *Dr

Nicola Shadbolt Nicola Mary Shadbolt is a New Zealand farmer, academic and company director. She is currently a full professor at the Massey University and Chair of Plant & Food Research. Academic career Shadbolt earned degrees from the University of Nottin ...

, Chairperson of Plant and Food Research and former Director of

Fonterra Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited is a New Zealand multinational publicly traded dairy co-operative owned by around 9,000 New Zealand farmers. The company is responsible for approximately 30% of the world's dairy exports and with revenue 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 ...

History

Formation

The Climate Change Commission was established as the successor to the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) in November 2019 following the passage of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act. 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 Paris Agreement, 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 first report which 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, premier 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. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the L ...

claimed that the impact of the proposed reforms would not be an economic burden. In response, the Automobile Association's spokesperson Simon Douglas and Z Energy chief executive Mike Bennetts said that more investment was needed to encourage people to use electrical 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 fuels by 2050.

June 2021 report

On 9 June 2021, the Climate Commission issued a report recommending 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 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 all farmers: arable including fruit and vegetables, dairy and meat and their often remote communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. Fed ...

national president Andrew Hoggard 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 Groundswell NZ is a farming advocacy group in New Zealand that was formed to oppose the New Zealand Government's National Policy Statement on Freshwater. The group has also sought to oppose or revise freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, climate ...

organised a nationwide

Howl of a Protest campaign The Howl of a Protest campaign were a series of peaceful protests in New Zealand which occurred on the 16 July 2021. The protests were organised by the farming advocacy group Groundswell NZ in opposition to the Government's new and proposed f ...

across 57 towns and cities to protest the government's new regulations.

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 of New Zealand