Acceso usuarios
Jeff Birchalla
In 2009, New Zealand's new National-led government abandoned the Carbon Neutral Public Service (CNPS) programme, a Labour-led government initiative intended to help Government achieve carbon neutrality within its core agencies. This short analysis article provides an overview and brief assessment of the CNPS initiative by drawing on the relevant scholarly literature and public documents relating to New Zealand's climate change agenda. It is argued that although the CNPS programme faced a range of challenges it was successful in some respects. Although the Labour-led government was keen to act on climate change mitigation, New Zealand no longer intends to take a lead on carbon neutrality under the National-led government.
Policy relevance As climate change mitigation policy continues to be prominent on government agendas, it is important to understand the ethos and ambition of national programmes designed to lead in this area. This is particularly relevant during times of political change, as demonstrated by the case of New Zealand, in which the aim of assisting the public sector achieve carbon neutrality (through the CNPS programme) was removed with the out-going Labour-led government. A brief analysis of the CNPS programme is provided and the National-led government's direction on climate change mitigation is highlighted.
