Zero Carbon Act or Climate Change Response (Zero-Carbon) Amendment Act

• New Zealand has passed a law that aims to make the country almost carbon neutral by 2050. 
• According to the New Zealand government, this is the first legislation in the world to make a legally binding commitment to living within 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming.
• Its capacity to generate electricity from renewable resources is at 80 per cent, and it is working towards phasing out the use of offshore oil and gas.
• The government is working towards investing over $14.5 billion to better it’s public transport system and walking and cycling infrastructure over the next 10 years.
• The idea for the bill was first proposed by the youth-led climate organisation Generation Zero, who proposed and popularised the Bill before the 2017 New Zealand general elections.

• The Two basket Approach :

• • The Act will set separate targets and pathways for long-lived greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) and short-lived greenhouse gases (mainly methane). 
  • Long-lived gases must go to net-zero by 2050 or sooner (accounting for carbon sinks). Short-lived gases must be significantly reduced to sustainable levels, but not zero.

• The Firewall Principle :

• • The targets in the Act will apply to New Zealand’s domestic emissions only.
  •  This will create a ‘firewall’ between domestic action and international carbon trading, to ensure our own zero carbon transition is on track.

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