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New Zealand Regulatory Resources |
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August 2009 |
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The Ministry for the Environment
MfE has published a guide document for companies to use in reporting on their greenhouse gas emissions. It improves objectivity, defines a standard scope and procedure and provides the conversion factors to be used.
www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/guidance-greenhouse-gas-reporting-apr08/index.html
The Commerce Commission
ComCom has released guidelines which inform businesses about their obligations surrounding carbon offset and neutrality claims and how they are affected by the Fair Trading Act.
www.comcom.govt.nz under Fair Trading Act
Government Position as at 18 May 2010
http://www.climatechange.govt.nz/index.html
The Government, with Maori Party support, has passed an Act to revise the Emissions Trading Scheme to ensure New Zealand takes a responsible approach to the global problem of greenhouse gas pollution and climate change.
Features of the amendment Act include:
- revised entry dates of 1 July 2010 for transport, energy and industrial sectors and 1 January 2015 for agriculture
- a transitional phase until 1 January 2013 with a 50 per cent obligation and $25 fixed price option for the transport, energy and industrial sectors
- a production-based industry average approach to allocations for trade exposed, emissions intensive businesses
- a phase-out of industry support aligned with trading partners and the Government’s long-term -50 by 2050 emissions reduction target
incentives for afforestation created by a domestic and international market for carbon credits
- enhanced transitional support for the fishing industry.
- a Treaty of Waitangi clause.
The Government has also announced an emissions reduction target range of 10-20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 to signal New Zealand’s commitment to a successful and ambitious outcome from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December (2009).
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