NC-022·
Coal boiler phase-out standards repealed
Resource management reforms will not carry forward NES/NPS for industrial process heat, effectively repealing the 2037 coal boiler phase-out and new-coal-ban implemented under Labour (LL-017).
Action ledger
57 decisions and events, tracked across the last 4 government terms. Click the links below to find out more about each action and how it was scored.
NC-024·
EV charger consenting streamlined
Amended National Environmental Standards for Electricity Transmission to make public EV charging infrastructure a permitted activity in most cases (in force 7 May 2026), reducing consent barriers.
NC-001·
Zero Carbon Act weakening announced
Announced changes to Climate Change Response Act: remove CCC advice requirement before Emissions Reduction Plans; reduce public consultation on emissions budgets; allow ERP amendments without consultation; remove ETS-NDC alignment requirement; biennial ETS settings. Amendment bill expected 2026.
NC-019·
Carbon Neutral Government deadline → 2050
Extended Carbon Neutral Government Programme neutrality goal from 2025 to 2050, aligning with national net-zero target rather than requiring near-term public-sector neutrality.
NC-003·
Offshore oil & gas ban reversed
Crown Minerals Amendment Act 2025 removed 2018 ban on new offshore petroleum exploration; changed CMA purpose from 'manage' to 'promote' Crown minerals.
NC-005·
Withdrew from Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance
Withdrew from BOGA following decision to repeal offshore oil & gas exploration ban. First country to exit the alliance.
NC-004·
Gas Security Fund ($200m co-investment)
Budget 2025 tagged contingency of $200m over 4 years for Crown co-investment in gas supply projects (Gas Security Fund), including exploration, existing fields, and storage.
NC-010·
NZGIF wind-down
Directed NZ Green Investment Finance to stop new investments and wind down portfolio (April 2025); entity transitioning to investment management / exit mode.
NC-023·
Public EV charging - grants to loans
Replaced direct CERF/Labour-era EV charger grants with ~$66m concessionary loan pool (NIFF-administered); first major loan awards March 2026 (~2,500 chargers). Rollout slower vs prior grant approach.
Nationalmitigation
NC-015·
NDC2 submitted (51-55% by 2035)
Submitted second Paris NDC: reduce net GHG emissions 51-55% below gross 2005 levels by 2035 (2031-2035 period).
NC-006·
Fast-track Approvals Act 2024
Permanent fast-track consenting for nationally significant projects including petroleum/mineral mining under Crown Minerals Act. Schedule 2 lists 149 projects for direct panel consideration.
NC-008·
Clean Car Standard weakened (2024-2025)
2024-25 amendments eased Clean Car Standard compliance: extended credit lifespans, slower target trajectory vs original design, and (from Jan 2026) ~80% reduction in importer CO2 charges ($67.50→$15/g new; $33.75→$7.50/g used) through 2027.
NC-013·
Offshore Renewable Energy Bill introduced
Offshore Renewable Energy Bill introduced (Dec 2024); select committee reported June 2025. Would create feasibility/commercial permit regime for offshore wind. Not yet enacted.
Nationalmitigation
NC-029·
Plastic packaging phase-out paused
Government paused further tranches of the plastic packaging phase-out (including PVC and polystyrene serviceware timelines) pending review - reversing momentum of LL-023 regulations.
NC-002·
Agricultural emissions removed from ETS
Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Act 2024 removed all agricultural activities from the NZ ETS. The coalition also committed to farm-level pricing via an alternative mechanism no earlier than 2030 - a decade-long delay beyond the prior He Waka Eke Noa 2025 pathway.
NC-020·
ETS auction volumes tightened (2025-2029)
2024 NZ ETS settings decision reduced auction volumes from ~45m to ~21m units over 2025-2029 to address market surplus and align with emissions budgets (following CCC advice).
NC-016·
2030 NDC pathway unclear (no offshore credits)
2030 NDC (50% below 2005) retained, but ministers ruled out offshore mitigation/carbon credits used by prior government without announcing a confirmed alternative domestic pathway.
NC-009·
Climate Emergency Response Fund ended
Budget 2024 disestablished CERF ring-fence; ETS auction revenue no longer dedicated to climate spend. ~$2.6b of prior CERF programmes continued via ordinary Budget lines; ~$651m savings identified from CERF-funded initiatives.
NC-011·
International climate finance reduced
Reduced international climate finance trajectory: Budget 2024 trimmed remaining years of $1.3b commitment; Budget 2025 baselined $100m/yr from 2026 (vs ~$250m/yr under Labour package) without climate-only requirement.
NC-012·
Native forest programme cut (Budget 2024)
Cut $50m from Establishing Native Forests at Scale programme (MPI) as part of CERF savings.
Nationalmitigation
NC-018·
Climate Change Commission funding cut
Budget 2024 scaled back CCC baseline funding (~7.5% from 2025/26) and removed funding for agricultural emissions pricing advisory function; staff reduced by ~one third.
Nationalgovernance
NC-021·
Agricultural emissions pricing work defunded
Budget 2024 cut funding for agricultural emissions pricing policy work from ~$167m to ~$3m over four years (part of broader CERF/agriculture savings).
NC-027·
RMA replacement bills introduced (2024)
Introduced three bills to replace Resource Management Act 1991 with Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act framework (later revised to single RMA Amendment / repeal pathway in 2025-26).
NC-017·
EV road user charges introduced
Ended long-standing RUC exemption for light EVs and plug-in hybrids from 1 April 2024 (~$76/1000km BEV; reduced rate for PHEVs). Coalition commitment to bring all vehicles into RUC.
NC-014·
Renewable energy doubling target (2050)
Committed to doubling renewable electricity generation by 2050 under ElectrifyNZ; solar projects listed under Fast-track Schedule 2.
Nationalmitigation
NC-007·
Clean Car Discount scrapped
Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Discount Scheme Repeal) Amendment Act 2023 ended feebate scheme 31 Dec 2023. BEV share of new light sales fell from ~19.8% (2023) to ~7.7% (2024).
LL-016·
Industrial allocation ETS reforms (2023)
Climate Change Response (Late Payment Penalties and Industrial Allocation) Amendment Act 2023: reformed industrial free allocation to address over-allocation; tighter eligibility for new activities; updated allocative baselines from 2024.
LL-022·
ETS exotic forestry restrictions (2023)
Forestry Allocation Plan and ETS reforms introduced permanent forest category and restrictions on exotic afforestation in drystock farmland regions to manage land-use change and stock-change accounting integrity.
LL-017·
Coal boiler ban & 2037 phase-out (NES/NPS)
National Environmental Standards and Policy Statement for industrial process heat: ban on new low-to-medium temperature coal boilers from July 2023; phase-out existing coal boilers by 2037.
Labourmitigation
LL-019·
Warmer Kiwi Homes expanded (Budget 2023)
Budget 2023 extended Warmer Kiwi Homes to June 2027 with ~$402.6m over four years for insulation, heat pumps, hot-water upgrades, and LEDs - expanding eligibility to more households.
LL-020·
National EV charging strategy (2023)
Launched 'Charging Our Future' - national EV charging strategy with targets for highway hubs every 150-200km, urban public chargers, and charging in settlements of 2,000+ people.
LL-023·
Plastic packaging phase-out (2022-2023)
Phased prohibition of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging (PVC, polystyrene food serviceware, degradable plastics, etc.) under Waste Minimisation Act regulations, July 2022-July 2023.
LL-015·
National Adaptation Plan (2022)
Published first National Adaptation Plan ('Adapt and thrive'): objectives and six-year programme addressing priority climate risks across natural environment, infrastructure, communities, and economy.
LL-009·
He Waka Eke Noa - no farm pricing legislated
Government-industry-Māori partnership recommended farm-level split-gas pricing (June 2022) but legislation not passed before the 2023 election.
LL-014·
First three emissions budgets set
Gazetted first three five-year emissions budgets: 2022-2025 (290 Mt CO2e), 2026-2030 (305 Mt), 2031-2035 (240 Mt), following CCC advice and Cabinet approval.
LL-010·
Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
Budget 2022 established CERF to ring-fence ETS auction revenue for climate spending (~$4.5b initial allocation).
LL-027·
Establishing Native Forests at Scale programme
CERF-funded MPI programme supporting large-scale native forest establishment and restoration on private and Māori land (part of broader land-sector climate and biodiversity policy).
Labourmitigation
LL-002·
First Emissions Reduction Plan (2022)
Published New Zealand's first statutory Emissions Reduction Plan under the Zero Carbon Act for emissions budgets 2022-2025 and 2026-2030.
LL-018·
School coal boilers replacement programme
$10m co-funding (plus MoE $10m) to replace all remaining coal boilers in state schools with biomass or electric heating by 2025 (~180 schools; ~35,400 t CO2e reduction over 10 years estimated).
LL-008·
Clean Car Standard enacted
Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Act 2022 established fleet-average CO2 standards for imported light vehicles, phased in from late 2022.
Labourmitigation
LL-004·
Joined Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA)
Joined BOGA as associate member at COP26, aligning with managed phase-out of oil & gas production (alongside 2018 offshore ban).
LL-012·
International climate finance ($1.3b, 2022-2025)
Committed $1.3 billion over four years (2022-2025) in grant-based international climate finance ($800m new + $500m reprioritised aid); ≥50% to Pacific; ≥50% for adaptation.
LL-013·
NDC strengthened to 50% by 2030
Updated Paris Agreement NDC to 50% below gross 2005 levels by 2030 (~41% on multi-year budget basis). Government indicated significant portion could be met via international mitigation alongside domestic cuts.
LL-007·
Clean Car Discount (feebate)
Feebate rebating low-emission vehicles (up to ~$8,625) funded by fees on high-emission imports, July 2021 - December 2023. EV+PHEV share of new sales rose from ~6.5% (mid-2021) to ~27.2% (end-2023).
Labourmitigation
LL-006·
ETS confidential reserve price (2021)
Climate Change Response (Auction Price) Amendment Act 2021 added confidential reserve price floor for ETS auctions to prevent sales far below secondary market prices.
LL-005·
ETS reform - auctioning and unit limits (2020)
Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Act 2020: introduced ETS unit auctioning (from 2021), annual unit limits, cost containment reserve, phase-down of industrial free allocation, and pathway for agricultural emissions pricing.
LL-021·
Carbon Neutral Government Programme (2019)
Launched Carbon Neutral Government Programme requiring public sector agencies to measure and reduce emissions, with 2025 carbon neutrality target for the programme (later extended by successor govt).
LL-001·
Zero Carbon Act enacted
Passed the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019: net-zero long-lived GHG emissions by 2050; biogenic methane targets (10% below 2017 by 2030; 24-47% by 2050); five-year emissions budgets; independent Climate Change Commission; requirement for Emissions Reduction Plans.
LL-011·
NZ Green Investment Finance established
Crown-owned NZ Green Investment Finance Ltd established (Budget 2018: $100m capitalisation) to mobilise private low-emissions investment.
LL-003·
Offshore oil & gas exploration ban
Banned new offshore petroleum exploration permits (announced April 2018; enacted via Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Act 2018). Existing permits continued; onshore Taranaki exploration still permitted.
LL-028·
One Billion Trees programme launched
Launched One Billion Trees programme (target: one billion trees planted by 2028) led by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones - flagship NZ First coalition policy with Provincial Growth Fund support for planting and forestry jobs.
NG-005·
2017 petroleum block offer launched
Energy Minister Judith Collins launched Block Offer 2017, tendering petroleum exploration permits across ~482,000 km² including new onshore Southland and near-shore Hawke's Bay areas.
Nationalmitigation
NG-002·
Paris Agreement ratified
Ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, committing New Zealand to the global framework and to its 2030 emissions-reduction target.
Nationalgovernance
NG-003·
ETS one-for-two subsidy phased out
Climate Change Response (Removal of Transitional Measure) Amendment Act 2016 phased out the ETS 'one-for-two' measure over three years (67% obligation from 2017, 100% from 2019). The $25 fixed-price option (price cap) was retained.
NG-006·
Electric Vehicles Programme launched
Announced Electric Vehicles Programme: target ~64,000 EV registrations by 2021; extended road-user charge exemptions; $6m/year innovation fund; charging infrastructure coordination; promotion campaign.
Nationalmitigation
NG-004·
Agriculture excluded from ETS review
Launched the 2015-2016 NZ ETS review but explicitly excluded agricultural biological emissions from scope, reaffirming indefinite deferral of farm-sector pricing.
NG-001·
2030 climate target (Paris INDC)
Submitted New Zealand's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) for 2021-2030: reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 (equivalent to ~11% below 1990).