Greens
Climate Change Minister 2017-2023; confidence & supply from 2020
Coalition periods and governing roles across the 2014-present analysis window.
2017-2020
Climate Change Minister (outside cabinet)Labour-led coalition (with NZ First)
26 October 2017 - 16 October 2020
2020-2023
Confidence & supplyLabour-led government (Greens confidence & supply)
17 October 2020 - 26 November 2023
Otherwise: In opposition since November 2023.
16 actions · scored from major harm (−2) to major win (+2)
Passed the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019: net-zero long-lived GHG emissions by 2050; biogenic methane targets (10% below 2017 by 2030; 24-47% by 2050); five-year emissions budgets; independent Climate Change Commission; requirement for Emissions Reduction Plans.
Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Act 2023: reformed industrial free allocation to address over-allocation; tighter eligibility for new activities; updated allocative baselines from 2024.
Forestry Allocation Plan and ETS reforms introduced permanent forest category and restrictions on exotic afforestation in drystock farmland regions to manage land-use change and stock-change accounting integrity.
Phased prohibition of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging (PVC, polystyrene food serviceware, degradable plastics, etc.) under Waste Minimisation Act regulations, July 2022-July 2023.
Published first National Adaptation Plan ('Adapt and thrive'): objectives and six-year programme addressing priority climate risks across natural environment, infrastructure, communities, and economy.
Gazetted first three five-year emissions budgets: 2022-2025 (290 Mt CO2e), 2026-2030 (305 Mt), 2031-2035 (240 Mt), following CCC advice and Cabinet approval.
Budget 2022 established CERF to ring-fence ETS auction revenue for climate spending (~$4.5b initial allocation).
Published New Zealand's first statutory Emissions Reduction Plan under the Zero Carbon Act for emissions budgets 2022-2025 and 2026-2030.
$10m co-funding (plus MoE $10m) to replace all remaining coal boilers in state schools with biomass or electric heating by 2025 (~180 schools; ~35,400 t CO2e reduction over 10 years estimated).
Joined BOGA as associate member at COP26, aligning with managed phase-out of oil & gas production (alongside 2018 offshore ban).
Committed $1.3 billion over four years (2022-2025) in grant-based international climate finance ($800m new + $500m reprioritised aid); ≥50% to Pacific; ≥50% for adaptation.
Updated Paris Agreement NDC to 50% below gross 2005 levels by 2030 (~41% on multi-year budget basis). Government indicated significant portion could be met via international mitigation alongside domestic cuts.
Climate Change Response (Auction Price) Amendment Act 2021 added confidential reserve price floor for ETS auctions to prevent sales far below secondary market prices.
Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Act 2020: introduced ETS unit auctioning (from 2021), annual unit limits, cost containment reserve, phase-down of industrial free allocation, and pathway for agricultural emissions pricing.
Launched Carbon Neutral Government Programme requiring public sector agencies to measure and reduce emissions, with 2025 carbon neutrality target for the programme (later extended by successor govt).
Banned new offshore petroleum exploration permits (announced April 2018; enacted via Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act 2018). Existing permits continued; onshore Taranaki exploration still permitted.