New Zealand Pledges to Halve Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2030

(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand has pledged to cut its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, on the eve of COP26 talks in Glasgow.  

“New Zealand’s enhanced contribution to the global effort to fight climate change now represents our fair share, and is in line with what’s needed if we are to avoid the worst impacts of global warming on New Zealand,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a joint statement with Climate Change Minister James Shaw.

The new target is in line with the recommendations of the nation’s independent Climate Change Commission and “will make a significant contribution towards international efforts to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels,” according to the statement.

New Zealand had previously committed to cutting emissions by 30% from 2005 levels. The new target also takes 2005 as a baseline.

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