New Zealand unveils its biggest emissions reduction plan in history

Set to involve transitioning from coal to renewable electricity at the country’s major steel plant, the project will – according to the government – be equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road. 

As we inch closer towards the 1.5°C temperature threshold, countries across the globe are finding themselves hard-pressed to adapt, and fast.

New Zealand, which has long been considered a ‘safe haven from the climate crisis,’ has already begun to experience the effects of global heating and the coinciding extreme weather events.

According to the IPCC’s sixth assessment report, land areas have warmed by 1.1°C between 1910 and 2020. Without action, western and southern regions will be further battered by rain and floods, while those in the east and north will face drought and wildfires.

‘The report is a stark reminder of the need for adaptation,’ said Dr Nick Cradock-Henry, a senior scientist at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, at the time.

‘Adaptation will require strategic and even radical adjustments to practices, processes, capital and infrastructure in response to climate change, and must begin now.’

Taking note almost two years on, New Zealand’s government has just announced its largest emissions reduction project in history.

Set to involve transitioning from coal to renewable electricity at the country’s major steel plant, the ambitious move will reportedly be equivalent to taking 300,000 cars off the road.

In terms of financing, the government will spend $140m on halving the coal used at Glenbrook to recycle scrap steel, replacing that generating power with an electric-powered furnace.

Additionally, the plant will contribute $160m to the project’s cost.

‘This dwarfs anything we have done to date,’ said Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in a statement.