We asked, you said, we did

Every five years, the Commission reviews Aotearoa New Zealand's emissions budgets that have already been set, and recommends the maximum level of the next emissions budget. We asked for your feedback on our draft advice on the fourth emissions budget (for 2036–2040).

In parallel, we also consulted on our review of the 2050 emissions reduction target and whether emissions from international aviation and shipping should be included.

Over a thousand people across the motu participated in our consultation process. This included representatives of over 300 organisations and community groups. You can read more about the themes we heard during consultation in our final report, in Chapter 2: What we heard.

Our final report was updated with new information and the latest available data, informed by what we heard during consultation. The insights and evidence we received tested and strengthened our understanding of the options available, as well as the potential issues and impacts of emission reductions. 

The final report is available on our website: Final report: Advice on the fourth emissions budget | Climate Change Commission

We review Aotearoa New Zealand's 2050 emissions reduction target every five years and provide independent expert advice to the government on whether any changes should be made. We asked for your feedback on this.

In parallel, we also consulted on our draft advice on the fourth emissions budget, and our advice on whether emissions from international aviation and shipping should be included in the 2050 target.

Over a thousand people across the motu participated in our consultation process. This included representatives of over 300 organisations and community groups. Through consultation we heard sector and community concerns, calls for greater ambition, and evidence about what is practical for different sectors. You can read more about the results of our consultation in our final report, in Chapter 2: What we heard.

We carefully considered all feedback we received, and investigated any new evidence presented  to us. The consultation shaped our analysis and influenced our final recommendations – including contributing to changes in our analysis where new evidence was presented or the facts had changed.

You can find our final report on our website: Final report: Review of the 2050 target | Climate Change Commission

We asked for your feedback on whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should be included in Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2050 emissions reduction target.

In parallel, we also consulted on our review of the 2050 emissions reduction target and our draft advice on the fourth emissions budget.

Over a thousand people across the motu participated in our consultation process. This included representatives of over 300 organisations and community groups. We heard feedback on whether (and how)these emissions should be included in the target, and how they could be measured. You can read more about the results of our consultation in our final report, in Chapter 2: What we heard.

We carefully considered all feedback we received, and investigated any new evidence presented  to us. The consultation shaped our analysis and influenced our final recommendations – including contributing to changes in our analysis where new evidence was presented or the facts had changed.

You can find our final report on our website: Final report: Review of the 2050 emissions target, including whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should be included | Climate Change Commission

In 2023, we called for evidence to support our work on three pieces of advice related to Aotearoa New Zealand's options for contributing to the global effort under the Paris Agreement to limit global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels.

We received submissions from the public related to all three topics. Many thanks to everyone who provided their input and expertise.

We have reviewed and considered every piece of evidence we received, and used it where appropriate to inform our work as we developed our advice. We consulted on this mahi in April–May 2024 and sought public feedback on:

• Advice on the fourth emissions budget (2036–2040)
• Review of the 2050 emissions reduction target
• Review on whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should be included in the 2050 target

Between 26 April and 20 June 2023, we asked for public feedback on our 2023 Draft advice to inform the strategic direction of the Government’s emissions reduction plan. This draft report set out our proposed advice on the direction of policy for the Government’s second emissions reduction plan, for the period 2026–2030.

We received approximately 300 submissions in total – around half from businesses and business groups, one-third from individuals, and the rest from local government, iwi/Māori, universities, NGOs, and advocacy groups. Submitters generally supported our approach and our recommendations. They also provided additional feedback that helped us strengthen our work.

You can find a summary of what we heard during consultation and pre-consultation engagement, and how we responded, in Chapter 2: What we heard of our final advice and woven throughout the report.

Commission staff read and considered each piece of consultation feedback we received. After consultation, we took another look at our recommendations, evaluating each on whether it was focused appropriately on outcomes and reflected the wider context of our advice, including the level of urgency. Our final report included several new recommendations.

Our finalised report was released on 12 December 2023. You can find a copy of this report, along with supporting documents and more information, on our main website:

2023 Advice on the direction of policy for the Government’s second
emissions reduction plan | Climate Change Commission

In 2021, we asked for your input into the Climate Change Commission's first package of advice to government to help Aotearoa transition to a thriving, climate-resilient and low emissions future. We prepared draft advice for public consultation, and asked for your feedback.

Read the draft advice and related documents on our website.

We received more than 15,000 submissions from around the country, including Iwi/ Māori, stakeholders, and organisations. 
 
We met kanohi kitea with Iwi/Māori where possible and engaged online where not. We ran a targeted consultation survey for Iwi/Māori to identify broad issues that Iwi/Māori would consider to be most significant.  
 
We heard from rangatahi/young people through our collaboration with The Hive, a programme that uses social media to encourage young people to have their say on public policy.  

Submissions received during consultation on our draft advice that had consent to be published are available on our website.

Our final advice, Ināia tonu nei, was delivered to the Minister of Climate Change and then tabled in Parliament in June 2021.

In delivering this advice, we believe we presented ambitious and achievable paths that Aotearoa can take to meet its climate targets and contribute to global efforts to address climate change.