Environmental Policies
#21Key Findings
With questions outstanding about the efficacy of its climate-change policy, New Zealand falls into the middle ranks (rank 21) in terms of environmental policy. Its score on this measure has increased by 0.3 points relative to its 2014 level.
The government has passed a climate-change act that targets a reduction of (non-biogenic) greenhouse-gas emissions to zero by 2050, while reducing biogenic methane emissions nearly by half by the same year. However, the country’s performance in reaching its commitments has been rated as “highly insufficient.”
The country’s large agricultural sector produces considerable methane and nitrous oxide gasses. The meat and dairy sectors have additionally led to heavy pollution of water resources. Biodiversity decline is a serious issue.
COVID-era budgets have been crafted to respond to environmental sustainability challenges including weed and pest control, biodiversity enhancement, wetlands and waterways restoration, and railway construction. These plans have been criticized as being too short-term.
The government has passed a climate-change act that targets a reduction of (non-biogenic) greenhouse-gas emissions to zero by 2050, while reducing biogenic methane emissions nearly by half by the same year. However, the country’s performance in reaching its commitments has been rated as “highly insufficient.”
The country’s large agricultural sector produces considerable methane and nitrous oxide gasses. The meat and dairy sectors have additionally led to heavy pollution of water resources. Biodiversity decline is a serious issue.
COVID-era budgets have been crafted to respond to environmental sustainability challenges including weed and pest control, biodiversity enhancement, wetlands and waterways restoration, and railway construction. These plans have been criticized as being too short-term.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
The performance of New Zealand’s environmental policy is mixed. In the 2021 Environmental Performance Index, New Zealand is ranked 19th out of 180 countries (Environmental Performance Index 2021). The Climate Action Tracker, which assesses countries’ performance in terms of meeting their Paris Agreement commitments, rates New Zealand as “highly insufficient” (Climate Action Tracker 2021).
Many of New Zealand’s environmental problems stem from the country’s large agricultural sector, which accounts for more than half of merchandise exports – in particular, through the export of meat and dairy products. Methane and nitrous oxide gases created by farming make up around half of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions (Hancock 2021), while road transport contributes 37% to long-life gases (Climate Commission 2021). In addition, the booming meat and dairy sector has taken a toll on the country’s freshwater resources. According to a 2021 report by Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA), nearly two-thirds of monitored rivers were “ecologically impaired” (Brownlie 2021).
New Zealand’s biodiversity is also facing a crisis. According to the latest National Report to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, 4,000 species are at risk in New Zealand – including 90% of the country’s seabirds, 76% of its freshwater fish, 84% of its reptiles and 46% of its plants (Department of Conservation 2019).
In November 2019, the government passed the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Act that set new domestic greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for New Zealand. These include: reducing net emissions of all greenhouse gases (except biogenic methane) to zero by 2050; reducing by 2050 emissions of biogenic methane to anywhere from 24% to 47% below 2017 levels; establishing a system of emissions budgets to act as stepping stones toward the long-term target; requiring the government to develop and implement policies for climate change adaptation and mitigation; establishing a new, independent Climate Change Commission to provide expert advice and monitoring to help keep successive governments on track to meeting long-term goals.
Some elements of the 2020 COVID-19 budget were crafted to respond to environmental sustainability challenges. In particular, the Labour-led government pledged $1.1 billion for weed and pest control, biodiversity enhancement, and regional restoration projects, including wetlands and waterways – projects that will help to sequester carbon emissions. New transport funding went entirely to rail, with more than $1 billion in capital expenditure for renewing and upgrading existing networks. However, the budget was criticized for its short-term vision, failing to set New Zealand on a course toward a low-emissions economy (Hall 2020).
The 2021 budget funneled less money than previously toward environmental causes. The most notable spending items include $300 million to accelerate investment in low-carbon technology and $67.4 million to implement the Carbon Neutral Government Program (Neilson 2021).
Citations:
Brownlie (2021) “Two-thirds of New Zealand’s rivers ecologically impaired - LAWA report.” Newshub. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/09/two-thirds-of-new-zealand-s-rivers-ecologically-impaired-lawa-report.html
Climate Action Tracker (2021) https://climateactiontracker.org/
Climate Commission Draft Advice Report (2021) https://ccc-production-media.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/public/evidence/advice-report-DRAFT-1ST-FEB/Evidence-CH-04b-Reducing-emissions-Transport-and-buildings-20-Jan-2021.pdf
Department of Conservation (2019) New Zealand’s Sixth National Report to the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity. https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/about-doc/role/international/nz-6th-national-report-convention-biological-diversity.pdf
Environmental Performance Index (2021) https://epi.yale.edu/
Hall (2020) “Budget delivers on one crisis, but leaves climate change for another day.” RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/416807/budget-delivers-on-one-crisis-but-leaves-climate-change-for-another-day
Hancock (2021) “Can NZ really meet its methane emissions targets?” RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/whoseatingnewzealand/447690/can-nz-really-meet-its-methane-emissions-targets
Neilson (2021) “Budget 2021: Climate change, emissions, environment, Antarctica’s Scott Base funding.” New Zealand Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/budget-2021-climate-change-emissions-environment-antarcticas-scott-base-funding/PDM4WYXP4EXQV4J4ZTOG3BMZTI/
Many of New Zealand’s environmental problems stem from the country’s large agricultural sector, which accounts for more than half of merchandise exports – in particular, through the export of meat and dairy products. Methane and nitrous oxide gases created by farming make up around half of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions (Hancock 2021), while road transport contributes 37% to long-life gases (Climate Commission 2021). In addition, the booming meat and dairy sector has taken a toll on the country’s freshwater resources. According to a 2021 report by Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA), nearly two-thirds of monitored rivers were “ecologically impaired” (Brownlie 2021).
New Zealand’s biodiversity is also facing a crisis. According to the latest National Report to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, 4,000 species are at risk in New Zealand – including 90% of the country’s seabirds, 76% of its freshwater fish, 84% of its reptiles and 46% of its plants (Department of Conservation 2019).
In November 2019, the government passed the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Act that set new domestic greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for New Zealand. These include: reducing net emissions of all greenhouse gases (except biogenic methane) to zero by 2050; reducing by 2050 emissions of biogenic methane to anywhere from 24% to 47% below 2017 levels; establishing a system of emissions budgets to act as stepping stones toward the long-term target; requiring the government to develop and implement policies for climate change adaptation and mitigation; establishing a new, independent Climate Change Commission to provide expert advice and monitoring to help keep successive governments on track to meeting long-term goals.
Some elements of the 2020 COVID-19 budget were crafted to respond to environmental sustainability challenges. In particular, the Labour-led government pledged $1.1 billion for weed and pest control, biodiversity enhancement, and regional restoration projects, including wetlands and waterways – projects that will help to sequester carbon emissions. New transport funding went entirely to rail, with more than $1 billion in capital expenditure for renewing and upgrading existing networks. However, the budget was criticized for its short-term vision, failing to set New Zealand on a course toward a low-emissions economy (Hall 2020).
The 2021 budget funneled less money than previously toward environmental causes. The most notable spending items include $300 million to accelerate investment in low-carbon technology and $67.4 million to implement the Carbon Neutral Government Program (Neilson 2021).
Citations:
Brownlie (2021) “Two-thirds of New Zealand’s rivers ecologically impaired - LAWA report.” Newshub. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/09/two-thirds-of-new-zealand-s-rivers-ecologically-impaired-lawa-report.html
Climate Action Tracker (2021) https://climateactiontracker.org/
Climate Commission Draft Advice Report (2021) https://ccc-production-media.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/public/evidence/advice-report-DRAFT-1ST-FEB/Evidence-CH-04b-Reducing-emissions-Transport-and-buildings-20-Jan-2021.pdf
Department of Conservation (2019) New Zealand’s Sixth National Report to the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity. https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/about-doc/role/international/nz-6th-national-report-convention-biological-diversity.pdf
Environmental Performance Index (2021) https://epi.yale.edu/
Hall (2020) “Budget delivers on one crisis, but leaves climate change for another day.” RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/416807/budget-delivers-on-one-crisis-but-leaves-climate-change-for-another-day
Hancock (2021) “Can NZ really meet its methane emissions targets?” RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/whoseatingnewzealand/447690/can-nz-really-meet-its-methane-emissions-targets
Neilson (2021) “Budget 2021: Climate change, emissions, environment, Antarctica’s Scott Base funding.” New Zealand Herald. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/budget-2021-climate-change-emissions-environment-antarcticas-scott-base-funding/PDM4WYXP4EXQV4J4ZTOG3BMZTI/
Graph View
To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
New Zealand has signed a number of multilateral agreements on environmental protection, thus signaling that these issues are considered global common goods rather than just domestic problems. These include agreements regulating toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases (e.g., the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, the Stockholm Convention, the Rotterdam Convention), international traffic in hazardous waste (e.g., the Basel Convention, the Waigani Convention, the Rotterdam Convention), biodiversity and species conservation (e.g., the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals ), and natural resources (e.g., the Noumea Convention). New Zealand is also a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It signed the Kyoto Protocol (which sought to reduce greenhouse emissions during 2008-2012 time period) but did not join the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol (2013-2020). New Zealand is also a member of the Green Climate Fund but has formally pledged only USD 0.57 per capita (compared to Australia’s per capita pledge of USD 8 and Sweden’s per capita pledge of USD 59). In 2016, New Zealand ratified the Paris Agreement, thereby pledging to limit global warming increases to 1.5°C in the future. However, Climate Action Tracker rates New Zealand’s domestic measures as “highly insufficient,” meaning that “current policies are not consistent with holding warming to below 2°C, let alone limiting it to 1.5°C as required under the Paris Agreement, and are instead consistent with warming between 3°C and 4°C.” (Climate Action Tracker 2021).
Citations:
Climate Action Tracker (2021) https://climateactiontracker.org/
Citations:
Climate Action Tracker (2021) https://climateactiontracker.org/