New Zealand releases achievable blueprint for addressing climate change

WELLINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand released an achievable blueprint for addressing climate change on Wednesday, stressing a step up now is required.

The Climate Change Commission's final advice sets out the total amount of emissions New Zealand must cut over the next 15 years. It also provides three different pathways the government could follow to keep within the proposed emission budgets.

The transition to a low emissions future for New Zealand will create jobs and new opportunities for Kiwi businesses, help reduce household energy bills, and secure the recovery from COVID-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement.

"There will also be benefits to health because of warmer, drier homes, more walking and cycling, and less air pollution," Ardern said.

The commission makes clear for the first time that delaying action will only make the effort harder and more expensive for the economy in the long run.

It predicts that not taking action now will cost New Zealand 2.3 percent of GDP by 2050, almost double the cost to the economy of acting now, said the prime minister.

"It is smarter and cheaper to act now, and that's why we've spent the last three and a half years laying the foundations for a prosperous, low-emissions economy," she added.

An Emissions Reduction Plan will be published before the end of the year.