The New Zealand government is consulting on the draft second national emissions reduction plan (ERP2) until 25 August 2024. You can find out more about this here: https://consult.environment.govt.nz/climate/second-emissions-reduction-plan/
Here is the response that Low Carbon Kāpiti submission prepared (summary and full doc):
Introduction
We, like many others, don’t believe the draft ERP2 document does enough to reduce our real emissions – obviously so, as the government’s own analysis of the proposed policies shows we are likely to miss our budgets and targets.
Our concerns include:
- The ‘least cost’ approach
- Over-reliance on offsetting through forestry and carbon capture and storage
- Over-reliance on nascent and non-existent technologies
- Misalignment of government policies – e.g. in relation to transport
- Failing to learn from and build on successful past work
- Over-reliance on existing markets and unfounded optimism that the ETS will deliver
- The minimal focus on equity, inclusivity or just transition, and,
- That New Zealand is not well-placed for ‘world-leading climate innovation’.
Conclusion
ERP2 is a step backwards from ERP1. It is a step backwards from New Zealand doing its part to stop dangerous climate change and our international commitments in this regard. The focus on ‘least cost’ is half a step away from ‘doing nothing’ and a million miles from an effective and credible response that will help safeguard lives and all the things we care about from an intolerable future. New Zealand and the world needs you to step up and do better.
Read our full submission below. The LCK committee would like to acknowledge Paul Callister’s contribution to the submission.