Media coverage

New Zealand isn't doing its fair share to fight climate change, according to a new report, which says the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the 2020s the Government intends to pledge is inadequate. Climate Action Tracker says the target falls short of its share of the international effort required. It is a grouping of four independent European research organisations: Climate Analytics, Ecofys, New Climate Institute and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

New analysis from an international research group has condemned New Zealand’s weak climate target said WWF today.“This analysis from Climate Action Tracker shows that New Zealand’s target is well below what is needed to stop dangerous climate change, said Peter Hardstaff, WWF Head of Campaigns.

The government's new emissions reduction target amounts to little more than creative accounting, a group of climate change agencies say. Analysis undertaken by four NGOs indicates the self-set target is inadequate and "far from doing its fair share" on the global stage. "While most other governments intend cutting emissions, New Zealand appears to be increasing emissions, and hiding this through creative accounting," Climate Analytics chief executive Bill Hare said. "It may not have to take any action at all to meet either its 2020 or 2030 targets." The Climate Action Tracker analysis, undertaken by four European research organisations, reveals if most countries followed New Zealand's lead global warming would exceed 3-4C - double the international goal of temperatures rising no more than 2C.

New analyses are giving mixed grades to the most recent greenhouse gas emissions targets submitted to the United Nations, with particularly low marks for the pledge from South Korea.A new study by the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) -- a consortium of scientists and energy modelers -- declared South Korea's pledge to cut emissions 37 percent below business-as-usual levels by 2030 "inadequate." That target ultimately was more ambitious than ones the Korean government initially considered, but CAT analysts said it is still consistent with a global temperature rise between 3 to 4 degrees Celsius by 2100.

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is one of the 44 countries that have submitted emissions pledges to the official United Nations INDC list. South Korea is one of the fastest growing emitters in the developed world. Although Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary-General, and US Secretary of State John Kerry have both endorsed (and praised) the South Korea INDC, others are unconvinced it will be very effective.

Climate Action Tracker (CAT), a Europe-based organization that assesses and analyzes climate policy, rated the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) that the South Korean government submitted to the UN on as June 30 as being “inadequate.” This is the lowest grade on a four-point scale that includes “role model,” “sufficient,” “medium,” and “inadequate.” Since this is the first time that a major climate policy assessment and analysis organization has assessed South Korea’s INDC, it is likely to affect the assessment that will take place during future climate change negotiations in the international community.

Climate Action Tracker, a coalition of four leading research bodies, gives China's INDC a “medium” grade for most of its national climate policies but "inadequate" for carbon intensity.

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is one of the 44 countries that have submitted emissions pledges to the official United Nations INDC list. [...] critics find the plan wanting for the same reason the deeply researched Climate Action Tracker ranks it “inadequate.” South Korea’s proposed target is not in line with an approach considered fair to all in order for the world to reach a 2°C threshold.

Ethiopia has submitted its INDC (Intended National Determined Contribution) on the 10th of June. It contains the goal to limit greenhouse net gas emissions including emissions or removals from land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) to 145 MtCO2e by 2030. This represents a reduction of at least 64% below the Ethiopian business-as-usual (BAU) scenario by 2030, where net emissions are projected to reach 400 MtCO2e. The corresponding GHG emission target for 2030 excluding LULUCF is -40% below BAU, or 185 MtCO2e, which is the level used to rate the emission reduction target. The INDC implementation is conditional to support in terms of finance, technology transfer and capacity building. We rate this mitigation target “Sufficient”.

2015 is a critical year for the Green Climate Fund as the Fund is set to finally start running its operations, bringing to life the mechanisms that the Board has been designing over the past three years. In light of this, Climate Analytics' Felix Fallasch and Bianka Kretschmer comment on the GCF's policies on coal.