12. Climate Change Policy—Carbon-neutral GoalGARETH HUGHES (Green) to the Minister for Climate ChangeClimate Change Policy—Carbon-neutral Goal12. GARETH HUGHES (Green) to the Minister for Climate Change: Why did he announce that New Zealand would aim to be carbon-neutral by 2050 at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bonn?Hon JAMES SHAW (Minister for Climate Change): Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. As a Pacific Island nation whose closest neighbours are of course at the forefront of the risks of climate change New Zealand has a responsibility to do what we can to help. The Paris Agreement which was signed up to by the previous Government says that all countries—all countries—must achieve carbon-neutrality this century but that developed countries have a responsibility to take the lead. The Vivid Economics report that was commissioned by the cross-Parliament all-party group GLOBE-NZ indicated that New Zealand could achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050. My belief is that because we can we should and if we do we will be able to reap the benefits of the greatest economic opportunity in at least a generation.Gareth Hughes: What advantages are there to becoming carbon-neutral sooner than most countries? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: And that's another supplementary to the Opposition.Hon JAMES SHAW: The evidence is clear that the sooner we take action to protect our environment and our natural resources from the impacts of the changing climate the easier and more cost-effective it will be. Pure Advantage's 2012 report Green growth: opportunities for New Zealand highlighted that the sooner we move the greater the economic opportunities and I quote a huge opportunity for New Zealand to improve our international competitive position." New technology and intellectual property will need to be developed in order to solve our own challenges and if we do so those can be exported to the rest of the world too.Hon Simon Bridges: Can coalmining on the West Coast of the South Island be consistent with being carbon-neutral by 2050?Hon JAMES SHAW: Ultimately the coal industry is phasing out. While I was at the Climate Change Conference in Bonn I signed us up to the Powering Past Coal Alliance which is a UK-Canadian group with 20 other countries that are committed to phasing out coal from electricity generation by the year 2030.Gareth Hughes: What's the plan to help lead the transition to a carbon-neutral economy?Hon JAMES SHAW: New Zealand's challenge and our opportunity is to transform our economy in partnership with industry so that it works with the planet not against it and lifts our living standards at the same time. We are intending to introduce a zero-carbon Act and set up an independent climate commission and we're currently working through that with officials and we'll have some announcements coming soon. We will establish a green investment fund to direct investment towards low-emission industries. We'll work alongside communities and working people for a just transition from carbon-intensive industries to clean sustainable jobs. We aim to achieve 100 percent renewable electricity by 2035 and for the Government's own car fleet to become electric by 2025. We aim to plant—Hon Shane Jones: A billion trees!Hon JAMES SHAW: —in the next 10 years and we will continue to invest in research and technology that can continue to reduce our agricultural emissions while increasing productivity.Gareth Hughes: What actions has the Minister taken to date consistent with the carbon-neutral goal?Hon JAMES SHAW: In addition to the initiative that I described before the Powering Past Coal Alliance I also made another commitment to the Climate & Clean Air Coalition which is committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate through actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants."