Advice to Government

Part of our role includes providing the Government with proactive advice on key issues

Homepage Our Work Advice to Government

It is our job to provide independent, evidence-based advice

We provide independent advice on matters we believe will impact Aotearoa New Zealand's ability to meet its climate change goals.

On this page you'll find draft and final reports, submissions to select committees, and other advice and feedback we give to Government.

Our core work programme is set out in legislation, and requires us to deliver specific functions within set timeframes – like setting emissions budgets, and advising the government on how to manage climate change impacts and effects. We also provide independent advice on topics that we feel it is important to draw attention to, or as part of feeding into work happening on climate related legislation.

Read more about our current work programme.

Advice for preparation of Emissions Reduction Plans

To ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand keeps moving towards its climate targets, we give advice to the Minister every five years on the direction of the Government's next emissions reduction plan

New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS)

We want to make the NZ ETS as effective as possible to help Aotearoa transition to a low emissions economy.

Submission: Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Bill

Our submission to Parliament’s Environment Committee on this bill focuses on industrial allocation settings. (April 2023)

Agricultural emissions

Explore our advice related to agriculture emissions measurement, management and pricing.

Preparing advice on emissions budgets

Every five years, we produce independent expert advice on the system of emissions budgets to step Aotearoa New Zealand towards its 2050 emissions reductions target.

Review on whether emissions from international aviation and shipping should be included in the 2050 target

We are reviewing whether Aoteroa New Zealand's 2050 emissions reduction target should be amended to include emissions from international shipping and aviation – and if so, how the target should be amended.

Review of the 2050 emissions target

Every five years (starting in 2024), the Commission must do an independent expert review of Aotearoa New Zealand's legislated 2050 target.

Submission: Natural and Built Environments Bill

Our submission to Parliament's Environment Select Committee on proposed reforms to the Resource Management Act (February 2023)

Advice on the draft National Adaptation Plan

In June 2022, the Commission provided advice in response to the Government's consultation on the draft National Adaptation Plan.

Synthetic nitrogen - further analysis

Through consultation on our draft advice, we received submissions asking us to look at synthetic nitrogen use in more detail. We took that feedback onboard and carried out further analysis.

Nationally Determined Contribution

To support the government’s decision making on the NDC, we provided a note on how much abatement towards an NDC might be achievable domestically.

Ināia tonu nei: a low emissions future for Aotearoa

Advice to the New Zealand Government on its first three emissions budgets and direction for its emissions reduction plan 2022 – 2025.

Response to COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Bill

We gave feedback to the Minister for the Environment David Parker on the Government's proposed changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) to fast track consents in an effort to stimulate recovery following COVID-19.

Response to Budget 2020

We have reached the point where climate change needs to be our focus for future investments. We acknowledge this is a time of huge uncertainty, but it is also one of opportunity.

Six principles for economic recovery

When the Government announced plans for Aotearoa's economic recovery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided six principles to put a climate lens on the investment.

Reviewing Aotearoa’s NDC and biogenic methane

We have been asked to review Aotearoa’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, and to provide advice on biogenic methane emissions.

Interim Climate Change Committee reports

Our predecessor was the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC). Read the ICCC reports that laid the foundation for our work now.

Capital investment in Ināia Tonu Nei scenarios

Further analysis on the implications of meeting the emissions budgets for levels of capital investment across the economy.