Interim Climate Change Committee announced

The committee will begin work on how New Zealand transitions to a net zero emissions economy by 2050.

Committee members have been chosen because of their expertise across areas related to climate change: agriculture, agribusiness, climate change science and policy, resource economics and impacts, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo me ona tikanga Māori and Māori interests, international competitiveness, and energy production and supply.

“If we want to help lead the world towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, we must create a moral mandate underpinned by decisive action at home to reduce our own emissions,” says Shaw.

“Setting up the Interim Climate Change Committee is a great step in that direction,” 

Dr David Prentice, the Interim Committee Chair, was most recently the chief executive and managing director of infrastructure firm Opus International Consultants.

He is joined by deputy chair, Lisa Tumahai, who has significant governance experience and is Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. 

The other committee members are:

• Dr Harry Clark, a New Zealand expert on agricultural greenhouse gas research
• Dr Keith Turner, former chief executive of Meridian and professional director
• Dr Jan Wright, former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
• Dr Suzi Kerr, an expert in the economics of climate change policy and emissions trading.