Wednesday 2 December 2020

New Zealand pledges to have carbon-neutral public sector by 2025

New Zealand's government has pledged to have a carbon-neutral public sector by 2025.

According to the Carbon Neutral Government Programme, which was announced today, public sector agencies need to measure and publicly report on their emissions and offset what they can’t cut by 2025.

The programme is backed by the NZ$200 million (£105m) State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, which will finance the replacement of public sector coal boilers and the purchase of electric or hybrid vehicles for the government's fleet.

Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw said that achieving carbon-neutrality across the public sector by 2025 will build on the progress the government made during the last three years to transition New Zealand to net zero carbon emissions.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: “Requiring the public sector to be carbon neutral within 5 year highlights the Government’s commitment to leadership on climate change and the urgency of the action required.

"The public sector needs to be and will be an exemplar that sets the standard we all need to achieve by 2050."

New Zealand plans to be carbon-neutral by 2050.