By Lucy Craymer
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand said late on Thursday that it would make a commitment that by 2035 the country would have reduced emissions by 51% to 55% compared to 2005 levels.
The commitment is part of the country’s commitment under the Paris Agreement. Its initial commitment had been to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and is part of the country’s pledge to be net zero by 2050.
“We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious and achievable, reinforcing our commitment to the Paris Agreement and global climate action,” Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said in a statement.
“Meeting this target will mean we are doing our fair share towards reducing the impact of climate change,” he added.
Watts said New Zealand was on target to meet its commitments as early as 2044.
However, Climate Commission, a government-funded but independent expert, in December called for New Zealand to target reducing emissions further than its original effort as many comparable countries have more ambitious targets than New Zealand and evidence shows that global action is insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by David Gregorio)
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