Emissions down and NZ on target to meet Kyoto

Climate Change Minister Nick Smith today welcomed reports on New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions for 2009 and the projected net position for 2008-2012 that show the Emissions Trading Scheme is working and that New Zealand is on track to meet its Kyoto commitments.

“These are the most encouraging reports on climate change in a decade in that they show a reduction in emissions and New Zealand comfortably meeting its Kyoto commitments. We still have a huge job ahead in meeting our long-term emission reduction target of a 50% reduction by 2050,” Dr Smith said. Source.

UN finds credibility gap on emissions

A United Nations review has found a large credibility gap between New Zealand’s target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and the measures in place to achieve it. “It could find no plan for two-thirds or more of what is required to meet the target,” said the Sustainability Council’s executive director, Simon Terry. “And it voices ‘great concern’ about whether New Zealand will put measures in place in time to do so.”

[..] A UN expert review team said the emissions trading scheme, the main mechanism through which the Government aims to meet the target, is expected to reduce emissions by only 12 million tonnes a year by 2020 – only a third of the reduction needed to meet the less ambitious end of the target range. Source.