WELLINGTON: New Zealand is making targeted changes to its climate legislation to improve efficiency, reduce costs and manage growing climate risks, a senior official said on Wednesday.
The proposed amendments to the Climate Change Response Act aim to streamline "complex and overlapping requirements" to ensure New Zealand's climate change framework remains "practical, efficient and fit for purpose," Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said in a statement.
The bill includes requiring, for the first time, local councils to develop adaptation plans for high-risk communities. These plans will cover at least 30 years and outline staged actions and investment needed to manage climate-related natural hazards risks over time, the statement said.
"This gives communities clarity, reduces risks early, and helps avoid higher long-term costs," Watts was quoted as saying.
The minister said the measure would improve consistency nationwide, noting that some councils "are already working well with their communities to adapt."
The bill also proposes changes to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, including stronger governance of the secondary market to improve transparency and integrity.
Additional reforms aim to remove disincentives for decarbonization and create pathways for carbon removals or new emissions sources to be included in the trading scheme, excluding agriculture.
Watts said the reforms are intended to deliver emissions reductions and help meet climate targets. - Xinhua
