The Minister for Climate Change has welcomed a new and stronger pledge from the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with what’s needed to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“This group of over 100 of our biggest companies is listening to the science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and committing to the 1.5 degrees C limit on warming that’s written into the Zero Carbon Bill,” James Shaw said.
“The IPCC’s last year made it clear that the world needs to stay within that 1.5 degrees C limit if we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and ensure a liveable future for generations to come.
“I thank the Climate Leaders Coalition for responding to the climate crisis so strongly.
“These CLC group of companies collectively represent well over half – 60 per cent – of New Zealand’s total gross greenhouse gas emissions. To my knowledge, no other country in the world has a business network for climate action that even comes close to the level of coverage across the economy, or as a portion of national emissions, that the Climate Leaders Coalition has.
“If these companies can reduce their emissions to live within the 1.5 degrees C threshold, then New Zealand, as a whole, should be able to achieve our collective goal outlined in the Zero Carbon Bill.
“Momentum is building across New Zealand with the realisation that we have to act.
“Commitments like this new pledge from the Climate Leaders Coalition to put its efforts into staying within 1.5 degrees C of warming, together with farming leaders last week acknowledging agricultural emissions need to be part of an emissions pricing system, are important demonstrations of support,” James Shaw said.
