NZ Government Removes Climate Targets from Transport Plan

A bus is seen in Auckland, New Zealand, on Aug. 19, 2021. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Climate targets are no longer a priority under the New Zealand government’s latest plan for the transport sector.

In its recently released draft policy statement (pdf) on land transport, the National-led coalition government outlined its investment strategy for the next decade with an estimated total spending of NZ$20 billion (US$12.3 billion).

Under the draft plan, while the government is committed to reducing carbon emissions by facilitating the electrification of New Zealand’s vehicle fleets, it does not consider climate targets a priority.

Instead, the government’s top priority is to support economic growth and productivity through investing in transport projects.

It also wants to raise maintenance levels and enhance the resilience of state highways and local and rural roads, as well as improve the transport network’s safety and value for money.

This marks a significant change compared to the previous Labour government, which identified climate change as a key issue of its transport policy.

The shift in focus also means that relevant government departments and agencies may not be subject to emission reduction requirements when making transport investment decisions.

The government stated that the new plan would help build and maintain a transport system that allowed people to travel quickly and safely.

Among the investments laid out in the report were $2.3 billion for public transport services and $2.1 billion for public transport infrastructure over the next three years.

The government also planned to spend another $3.1 billion to $4.8 billion to fix potholes on state highways and local roads.

“Over the next three years, our investment of around $7 billion per year prioritises economic growth and productivity, increased maintenance and resilience, safety, and value for money,” Transport Minister Simeon Brown said in a statement

“It balances the need for investing in new projects while ensuring our transport system is maintained to a high standard.”

Strong Criticism from Climate Change Advocates

Following the government’s announcement, All Aboard Aotearoa, a coalition of advocacy groups that supports a net zero transport system, lashed out at the draft plan, calling it a “disgrace.”

“This is a transport plan that wouldn’t have been out of place in 1955 in Los Angeles,” Paul Winton, a trustee of All Aboard Aotearoa, told Radio New Zealand.

“Back in the days, when they thought that building roads and suburbs as far as the eyes could see was something that would drive the economy and drive better lives for people. But 60 years later, we know that is not the case.”

Mr. Winton also warned that the government would face legal challenges from activists if it adopted the draft plan.

“The wires are running hot with the various legal activists at the moment looking at how they can curtail this destructive approach to transport planning,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, a road freight peak body, welcomed the government’s new policy.

“We’re pleased to see the government following through on their election commitments to re-start the road building pipeline, focus on the dangerous and potholed condition of our streets and highways, and avoid road user charges and fuel excise increases in their first term,” said Interim CEO Dom Kalasih.

“Over the past few years, our members were disappointed to see revenue from vehicle users diverted into unproductive investments in rail, coastal shipping, and walking and cycling, while the condition of the roads continued to decline. It’s great to see Minister Brown committing to turning this around, despite challenging fiscal constraints.”