Industry accelerates CCS changes
The lobbying efforts of industry associations were key to the government easing emissions targets under the clean car standard (CCS), according to a series of emails released by the Ministry of Transport (MoT).
The documents reveal MoT officials advised Simeon Brown, Minister of Transport, to give cabinet until July 31 this year to consider other options before deciding on what they called a “blunt” reduction of the goals.
However, Brown ignored the plea and met the automotive industry’s demands for an earlier decision when he announced on July 9 the CCS would be revised and aligned with Australia’s targets, reports RNZ.
The emails show the industry was calling for a resolution to a shake-up of the legislation in June, prompting Brown to make amendments in early July after legal changes had been put through Parliament under urgency.
Brown, pictured, told RNZ the timing of his decision was designed to provide consumers and the industry with certainty and to ease cost-of-living pressures.
The minister also directed officials to only engage with the Motor Industry Association, the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association, and the Motor Trade Association about the timeline and scope of this year’s review of the CCS.
This dismissed a suggestion from officials to approach other organisations about the matter, such as Drive Electric.
The report by RNZ also says environment officials warned the government the CCS amendments risked New Zealand missing its climate targets, only to be told they were too late to get the advice in a cabinet paper.
The changes to the CCS will see fresh targets for imported light passenger vehicles and light commercials kick in from the start of 2025.
New Zealand’s standards were previously on course to be among the toughest in the world but will now lag Europe by about five years and the United States by about two years, notes RNZ.
