New Zealand's New Government Changes Course On Biofuel Sales, Power Generation

摘要

The National Party-led coalition government formed after New Zealand's Nov. 8 elections is seeking to reverse two climate change requirements adopted in September by the preceding Labor-led government. The New Zealand Parliament approved one of the repeals, revoking a biofuels sales requirement, on Dec. 17. Legislators are expected to take up a bill in early 2009 to repeal a 10-year moratorium on building new fossil fueled thermal power stations. The sales requirement, effective Oct. 1, stipulated that biofuels make up 0.5 percent of oil companies' sales in 2008, with levels rising by 0.5 percent increments to 2.5 percent in 2012 (31 INER 866, 9/17/08). The biofuels legislation contained sustainability principles intended to ensure that such fuels contribute significantly less greenhouse emissions over their life cycle than fossil fuels, and avoid harming food production, biodiversity, or land with high conservation values. Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee introduced the Energy (Fuels, Levies, and References) Biofuel Obligation Repeal Bill into Parliament Dec. 16.