Land Management And Climate Change - New Policies Proposed

2006 will be noted as the year that public perception changed in relation to climate change and acknowledged the phenomenon as ‘real’. New Zealand has not been an exception to this change. Most major political parties now present policies that acknowledge climate change and focus on sustainable development. The Prime Minister has declared an aim for the country to become carbon neutral. It appears generally accepted that major changes in climate change policy needs to occur.

In November 2006 the Climate Change Response Amendment Act was passed, introducing the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative (PFSI) and opening the carbon registry of New Zealand. While these changes could be placed at the minor end of the spectrum of policy changes, they are an indication of changes to come.