New Zealand and the COP21 Agreement

The New Zealand Government submitted an 'Intended Nationally Determined Contribution' to the 2015 UN Conference on Climate Change in Paris [see News 19 January 2016] of an 11% reduction below 1990 values by 2030 [equivalent to 30% reduction below 2005 levels].  The previous target had been a 5% reduction below 1990 values by 2020, which is unlikely to be met, unless by creative accounting using emission reduction units.  A fair and ambitious target might be more like a 40% reduction by 2030, as offered by the European Union and was strongly suggested by public meetings run by the Ministry for Environment throughout New Zealand in 2015.