New funding will support our mahi

19 May 2022

He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has received an additional $15 million over four years in this year’s Budget to support delivering our work programme. 

This funding will be used to support the Commission’s ability to provide independent and evidence-based advice, helping the Government to make sound decisions on how Aotearoa New Zealand can meet its emissions reductions targets and adapt to the impacts of climate change. 

It will increase our analytical capacity – including a establishing an adaptation team and additional modelling, science, and sector/industry specialists and capability – so that we can deliver our work programme under the Climate Change Response Act. 

“The work of the Commission provides more transparency for businesses, communities and Iwi/Māori about the progress being made towards a climate resilient, low emissions Aotearoa,” Commission Chair Rod Carr says. 

“For decades Aotearoa New Zealand failed to reduce its emissions. The release of the Government’s emissions budgets, first emissions reduction plan, and the draft national adaptation plan in recent weeks are all important steps towards achieving the action that’s needed, but we are very early in what will be a transformational process for the country.” 

The funding will support the Commission as it moves into a new phase – monitoring Aotearoa New Zealand’s progress on reducing its emissions, and on adapting for climate change.  

This work will be done alongside the advice we will continue to provide the Government on pathways to reduce emissions, which began with Ināia Tonu Nei. 

Over the next few years, we will be looking to see if Aotearoa is making progress on achieving the first emissions budget, whether it is on track for meeting the 2050 target, and assessing whether the emissions reduction plan is bringing about the change needed. As part of this, we can also suggest ideas for emissions reductions that respond to new opportunities.   

We will also start monitoring the Government’s progress on implementing its national adaptation plans, with biennial reporting beginning in 2024. 

* A timeline of the Commission’s statutory deliverables from 2020-2043 can be found here.