Our upcoming work

The Commission's role is to produce independent advice to the Government on reducing emissions and responding to the impacts of climate change, as well as monitoring and reporting on the Government's progress towards Aotearoa New Zealand's climate goals.

We keep this page updated with the latest information about our work programme – including what we're working on now, what's coming up soon, and how you can get involved.

Below is a chronological list of our upcoming work. Click 'Read more' to read a description of each piece of work, or scroll further down the page to browse all descriptions (with links to more information and related documents).

Advice on NZ ETS unit limits and price control settings

Next due: early 2026

Each year, the Commission must provide advice to the Minister to recommend limits on units available each year and the price controls that operate at auctions in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS). Our advice covers the following five years, with settings recommended for each year.

The purpose of our advice is to help ensure that the units available in the NZ ETS accord with the emissions budgets, nationally determined contributions, and the 2050 target (as set out in section 5ZOA of the Climate Change Response Act 2002).

Our advice feeds into the Government’s annual update of the regulations that set limits and price control settings for the NZ ETS.

The next advice will be delivered to the Minister in April 2025. Read more about our next advice.

Browse our previous advice on the NZ ETS.

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Emissions reduction monitoring reports

Next annual report due: mid 2025

First periodic report due: 2027

The Commission has an important role in monitoring and reviewing Aotearoa New Zealand's progress towards its emissions reduction goals. This includes monitoring progress towards meeting emissions budgets, emissions reduction plans and the 2050 target.

We do this in two ways:

• An annual progress report
• A ‘periodic’ (end of an emissions budget) progress report – around every five years

Our monitoring reports give people an independent assessment of whether Aotearoa New Zealand is on track to reach its goals. The Government and others can use this information to continually improve efforts to respond to climate change and smooth the transition to a low emissions future. 

Read more about these reports.

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Progress reports on the National Adaptation Plans

Next due August 2026

Every two years, the Commission must provide a progress report on the implementation and effectiveness of the Government’s National Adaptation Plan.

These progress reports provide independent, evidence-based analysis to support the development of Aotearoa New Zealand's adaptation planning, and contributes to the efforts to continually improve adaptation measures.

Each progress report must:

• assess the progress of implementation of the Plan
• judge how well the Plan achieves its objectives and responds to risks
• identify barriers to implementation and effectiveness, and how those can be managed
• include any other relevant matters
• consider the issues, where relevant, listed under section 5M of the Climate Change Response Act.

The Commission's first progress report was delivered in August 2024. The second progress report is due in August 2026.

Read more about this work.

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National Climate Change Risk Assessment

First due 2026

Every six years from 2026, the Commission will deliver a national climate change risk assessment (NCCRA). These reports are required under section 5ZQ of the Climate Change Response Act 2002.

The reports provide a national picture of how the country may be affected by climate change-related hazards. They also identify the most significant risks and opportunities, and steps to take to address them. The risk assessments enable the government to prioritise action, including through the government's national adaptation plans.

Read more about these risk assessments.

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Provide advice for preparation of emissions budgets

Next due 2029

Every five years, the Commission produces independent expert advice on what the emissions budgets should be to help Aotearoa New Zealand meet the 2050 emissions reductions target.

In our first advice to Government, Ināia tonu nei, we provided advice on the first three emissions budgets (from 2022 to 2035). These have now been set by Government.

We provided our advice on the fourth emissions budget (2036–2040) in 2024.  Consultation on our draft advice took place in April–May 2024, and we provided our final advice in November 2024. The Government will need to set the fourth emissions budget (2036–2040) by the end of 2025.

We advise the Minister on:

• The recommended quantity of emissions in the next budget period, stating the amount by which emissions of each greenhouse gas should be reduced to meet the relevant emissions budget and the 2050 target.
• The rules that will apply to measure progress towards meeting the emissions budget and the 2050 target.
• How the emissions budget, and the 2050 target, may realistically be met, including by pricing and policy methods.
• The proportions of an emissions budget that is to be met by domestic emissions reductions and domestic removals alongside the appropriate limit on offshore mitigation that may be used to meet an emissions budget.

When we prepare emissions budget advice, we will also assess if there is a need to revise any notified emissions budgets due to methodological changes in the way emissions are measured and reported or significant changes to the considerations on which the emissions budget was based.

Read more about this type of advice.

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Review the 2050 Emissions Targets

Next due 2030

The Commission must review emissions budgets every five years starting in 2024. At the same time as this, we must provide independent expert advice on whether any changes should be made to Aotearoa New Zealand’s legislated 2050 targets. These could be changes to what the targets are, what gases they apply to, when the targets have to be met by, and how much can be met in Aotearoa New Zealand or paid for overseas.

We produced our first review of the target in 2024. Consultation on a discussion document about this review and on whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should be included in the target took place in April–May 2024. We provided our final report on both matters to the Minister in November 2024.

Read more about our reviews of the 2050 target.

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