- Hon Michael Wood
Strong support on a range of potential policies to eliminate transport emissions reinforces the need to take action to tackle climate change, Transport Minister Michael Wood said today.
The Government today released the summary of submissions on Hīkina te Kohupara - Kia mauri ora ai te iwi - Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net Zero by 2050, a Ministry of Transport report outlining potential policies and pathways to a net zero emission transport sector.
"Domestic transport emissions increased by 90 per cent since 1990 and they need to fall significantly for us to reach our goal of net zero emissions by 2050 - that's why we wanted to have a national conversation about what steps we need to take," Michael Wood said.
"We've made progress with initiatives like our Clean Car Package which will prevent millions of tonnes of emissions, but we have to go further to meet our targets.
"The pathways outlined in Hīkina te Kohupara show it will be a big task, but getting to net zero transport emissions is achievable. If we achieve our goal, we will clean up our air, unclog our cities and support our economic recovery by creating sustainable jobs across the nation.
"Out of the over 700 submissions, there was 93 percent support for Hīkina te Kohupara, and 81 percent of submitters called for a higher level of ambition to reduce Aotearoa's emissions. There was broad support for three themes of changing the way we travel, improving our passenger vehicles, and supporting a more efficient freight system.
"Submitters, particularly councils, agreed to the need for a systems-lead approach to rapidly avoid and reduce emissions, and cautioned against a siloed approach.
"We've listened and the feedback has been incorporated in the transport chapter of the all-of-Government draft Emissions Reduction Plan, which will be released in the coming weeks. This will outline the steps the Government proposes to take to drive down emissions," Michael Wood said.
A summary of submissions received in response to Hīkina te Kohupara is available on the Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport website.
