Auckland, New Zealand \u2013 New Zealand\u2019s government has confirmed it will rewrite its climate law to weaken the country\u2019s methane emissions target \u2013 a move Greenpeace warns will violate the Paris Agreement and embolden other major meat and dairy producers and exporters, including Ireland and Uruguay, to follow suit.<\/p>\n\n
Shefali Sharma, Global Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace Germany said:<\/strong> \u201cNew Zealand has signalled to the world\u2019s biggest meat and dairy producers that it\u2019s fine to ignore the largest human-made source of methane \u2013 and in doing so, undermine the Paris Agreement and accelerate global heating. Other major livestock exporting countries will now feel empowered to follow suit, which risks sparking a race to the bottom and threatens to derail global climate action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n \u201cThis decision by the New Zealand government pretends that current methane emissions from agriculture aren\u2019t fuelling the climate crisis \u2013 despite overwhelming scientific consensus that drastic methane cuts are essential to prevent us from sweeping well past 1.5\u00b0C. This is a dangerous sleight of hand, and it delays the urgent action needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Amanda Larsson, Senior Campaign Manager, Greenpeace Aotearoa said: <\/strong>\u201cThe New Zealand Government is going full-Trump when it comes to climate change – and the rest of the Pacific region is threatened as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n\n The move means New Zealand will adopt a \u201cno additional warming\u201d methane goal \u2013 a dairy industry-backed metric that permits continued high levels of agricultural methane emissions, despite warnings from climate scientists and the country\u2019s independent Climate Change Commission that emissions must fall sharply.[1]<\/p>\n\n ENDS<\/p>\n\n Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n [1] Financial Times, Scientists accuse New Zealand and Ireland of trying to cover up livestock emissions<\/a>, 1 June 2025.<\/p>\n\n Greenpeace Aotearoa briefing on \u2018no additional warming\u2019 methane targets: GWP*: how the livestock lobby\u2019s creative accounting threatens to derail climate action<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Methane is responsible for nearly 30% of current global warming <\/a>and is over 80 times more powerful than CO\u2082 over 20 years. Cutting it is the fastest way to slow warming.<\/p>\n\n New Zealand is the world\u2019s largest dairy exporter<\/a>. Its agriculture sector accounts for nearly half of the country\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>, with livestock methane being the major source. Trade agreements with the UK and EU include commitments to uphold the Paris Agreement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n The \u201cno additional warming\u201d approach has been promoted by livestock industry groups in other major exporting nations, including Ireland and Uruguay<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n Contacts: Stephen Bateman, Communications Lead, Greenpeace International, sbateman@greenpeace.org<\/a>, +44 07361 651 868<\/p>\n\n
<\/strong>Rhiannon Mackie, Communications Specialist, Greenpeace Aotearoa (New Zealand), rmackie@greenpeace.org<\/a>, +64-27-244-6729<\/p>\n\n