Submissions to Government

Bioenergy Association regularly makes submissions to the Government on issues affecting bioenergy and energy in New Zealand. Submissions may be as part of consultation on policy development or be briefings to Government Ministers or their agencies.

Submissions specific to bioenergy topic areas:

Briefings to Incoming Ministers (BIMs)

General Submissions

  • Submission on the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill (September 2024). The role that biogas and biomass can and should play in a well-constructed National Energy Strategy - to replace natural gas. Submission made on behalf of the Bioenergy Association's Wood Energy Interest Group. More here
  • Consultation on NZ Government draft Emissions Reduction Plan (August 2024).  An Energy Matching Strategy for NZ - How NZ can best use its extensive renewable energy resources to meet future energy needs at least cost - thereby also alleviating the declining gas reserves and the increasing exposure to Dry Year risk - and simultaneously maximising GDP and providing long-term markets for under-threat exports. More here
  • Submission from the Bioenergy Association - Response to New Zealand's second Emissions Reduction Plan (2026-30) - Discussion Document (25 August 2024). More here
  • Submission from the Bioenergy Association’s Solid Biofuels Interest Group regarding the Draft Emissions Reduction Plan 2 (25 August 2024). More here
  • Climate Change Commission draft advice on Emissions Budget 4 and the 2050 targets (May 2024) - Bioenergy Association provided a submission on the Climate Change Commission work on the emissions reduction target and emissions budgets. One point made to government was that the focus of the advice was too highly based on BAU whereas we have a large number of emerging opportunities for emissions reduction if we change to a “why cant we “attitude in the analysis. Overall the Commission analysis tends to be too pessimistic by this focus on BAU. More here
  • Pricing Agriculture Emissions (November 2022) - Bioenergy Association provided a submission on the draft agriculture emissions pricing proposals from Government. A key point made to government was the important of including for all emissions mitigation options available to farmers, including those from bioenergy and biofuels. More here
  • Proposed changes to regulations for the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme 2022 (April 2022) - The Bioenergy Association is pleased to make this submission on the proposals in the discussion document Proposed changes to regulations for the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme 2022. The association submission is limited to the proposed change to the Climate Change (Liquid Fossil Fuels) Regulations 2008.
    More here
  • Emissions reduction opportunities for farmers (March 2022) - The Bioenergy Association is pleased to see the proposals in the discussion document He Waka Eke Noa Agriculture emissions pricing options and is generally very supportive of the proposals to have a single net emissions regime across all agriculture types where farmers are incentivised to reduce their individual emissions. More here
  • Te Ara Paerangi: Future Pathways Green Paper (March 2022) - Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways Green Paper focused on the future of New Zealand’s research system. The consultation sought to start an open and wide-ranging conversation on a range of issues facing the future of New Zealand’s research system. More here
  • Emissions Reduction Plan (August 2021) - The Emissions Reduction Plan sets out the policies and strategies Aotearoa New Zealand will take to meets its first emissions budget, helping to transition to a low-emissions future in a way that is achievable and affordable. More here
  • Call for evidence: Options available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the period 2022 to 2035 (November 2019) - from 19 September to 15 November 2019, the Interim Climate Change Committee opened a Call for evidence on options available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the period 2022 to 2035. The Committee received 77 responses from a wide range of organisations and individuals and the responsibility of considering this data transferred to the Commission in December 2019. More here
  • Action on agriculture emissions (August 2019) - The Bioenergy Association supports in principle the proposals to bring agriculture into the ETS as if done wisely there are a number of mitigation initiatives which farmers can undertake to offset any liabilities. More here
  • Climate change response (zero carbon) amendment bill (July 2019) - The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill (“ZCB”) is a great start towards assisting the citizens of New Zealand to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions. New Zealand has many bioenergy and biofuels related methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions which use proven technologies and can be implemented immediately. More here

View earlier submissions