Ahead of the Government’s NDC climate target announcement today, Greenpeace Aotearoa has revealed that New Zealand’s trading partners are asking yet more questions about our climate credibility.

In a written question to the European Commission lodged in December 2024, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Saskia Bricmont asked: "What actions is the Commission taking to ensure that NZ does not backtrack on its climate ambitions when it comes to methane reduction?"

It follows similar questions raised in the UK Parliament and during the EU Trade Commissioner hearings last year about whether breaches of environmental clauses in trade agreements with New Zealand would face consequences.

Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says, "Since taking office, Luxon has worked to roll back virtually every policy that cuts pollution. That includes giving our highest-emitting industry - dairying - a free pass to keep polluting."

In her question about methane, MEP Bricmont was referring to the Government’s review of methane targets in line with no additional warming - a controversial way to measure methane that effectively writes off current high levels of pollution.

Larsson says no additional warming lacks scientific credibility.

"It is a metric being pushed heavily by the livestock industry as a way to get out of jail free for their huge contribution to climate change. By effectively using an accounting trick, the industry wants us to greenlight pollution as usual," says Larsson.

"The livestock industry’s push to change how methane is measured threatens all New Zealand industries that benefit from our trade agreements with the EU and UK, including kiwifruit and wine."

New Zealand’s free trade agreements with both the EU and the UK include clauses that require no weakening of environmental and climate protections by either party. Bricmont went on to ask whether the Commission was "prepared to use all means at its disposal to enforce the FTA if NZ indeed decides to weaken its national methane reduction targets."

Larsson says that many people will be watching closely to see if today’s climate target announcement will further weaken climate ambition, including by weakening the methane target in line with no additional warming.

"The Government must seize the opportunity to pull the climate emergency brake and set a stronger target to reduce methane emissions. Our children and grandchildren’s futures are on the line."

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