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Supplementary Order Paper No 404

No 404

House of Representatives

Supplementary Order Paper

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill

Proposed amendment

Todd Muller, in Committee, to move the following amendment:

Clause 8

In clause 8, after new section 5ZI (page 25, after line 14), insert:

5ZIA Review of use of forestry assets

(1)

The Commission must review the use of removals from land use, land use change, and the forestry sector.

(2)

The review must consider—

(a)

the social, economic, cultural, and environmental impact of activities undertaken for the purpose of generating offsets from removals from land use, land use change, and the forestry sector; and

(b)

scientific and technical research into the warming and cooling impact of radiata pine forests and any other relevant forest species, including but not limited to—

(i)

changes to the earth’s albedo; and

(ii)

any impact of gases released from radiata pine forests and any other relevant forest species; and

(c)

the degree to which the use of offsets generated from removals from land use, land use change, and the forestry sector reduces any incentive created by the 2050 target for the New Zealand economy to transition away from fossil fuels; and

(d)

any other matters that the Commission considers relevant.

(3)

The review must be completed before 1 June 2022.

(4)

The Commission must, as soon as practicable following completion of the review, advise the Minister in writing of the outcome of the review, including any recommendations to address any impact that the use of offsets generated from removals from land use, land use change, and the forestry sector has in limiting the achievement of the 2050 target and meeting emissions budgets.

(5)

The Commission must make the advice publicly available after providing it to the Minister.

(6)

The Minister must present a copy of the advice to the House of Representatives as soon as practicable, but within 12 weeks, after receiving it.

Explanatory note

This Supplementary Order Paper amends the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill. We are concerned that New Zealand may rely too heavily on forestry offsets to achieve carbon targets. This would mean that we do not make the transition we otherwise would away from fossil fuels (instead relying on forestry offsets), and would also mean our rural communities may see social impacts from a shift away from pasture farming to permanent afforestation. Our view is that the targets in the Bill should remain “net” targets for now (i.e., able to be offset by forestry), but that this issue should be reviewed by the Commission before 2022.