Climate Targets and Methane Policy

The story so far

In June 2025, more than 25 international climate scientists wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon warning that proposed agricultural methane targets could jeopardise existing agreements, and he dismissed their concerns, later calling them "worthies".^{3, 10 Jun 2025} Officials had warned the government that missing climate commitments could damage diplomatic relations and encourage larger nations such as China to cut back their own efforts, in advice the Ministry for the Environment mistakenly released.^{22 Aug 2025} In July, David Seymour was rebuked by Luxon over a letter to a UN official and agreed to withdraw it, and in August Winston Peters wrote to the UN to express regret over the breakdown in protocol.^{15 Jul 2025; 11 Aug 2025} In November and December the government proposed further changes to climate law, rejected all the Climate Change Commission's recommendations to strengthen targets, and said it would not buy overseas carbon offsets.^{5 Nov 2025; 2, 4 Dec 2025}

Latest

The Green Party said this ends bipartisan consensus and could leave farmers facing political uncertainty every three years.^{12 Dec 2025}

Key moments

1. 3 Jun 2025More than 25 climate scientists write to Luxon about proposed methane targets.
2. 15 Jul 2025Luxon rebukes Seymour over his letter to a UN official.
3. 22 Aug 2025Mistakenly released memo warns missing climate commitments could harm diplomatic relations.
4. 2 Sep 2025Act calls for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris agreement; Luxon disagrees.
5. 12 Oct 2025Government sets 2050 methane target at 14–24% below 2017 levels.
6. 5 Nov 2025Watts proposes climate law changes, including delinking the ETS from the Paris Agreement.
7. 4 Dec 2025Government rejects all Climate Change Commission recommendations on emissions targets.
8. 12 Dec 2025Parliament passes bill weakening 2050 methane targets under urgency.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.