This is a formal submission by the Taxpayers’ Union on the Government’s Second Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP2). It calls for a climate strategy that relies on market mechanisms and fiscal responsibility rather than state-led subsidies and intervention.
We recommend reforms including removing ETS price controls, abolishing the Climate Change Commission to save taxpayer money, prioritising net emissions, ending corporate subsidies, and cutting regulatory barriers to encourage private sector investment. The focus is on achieving emissions reductions efficiently while protecting productive sectors and innovation.
Poorly designed climate policies can harm economic prosperity, create waste through government subsidies, and threaten food security. A well-functioning ETS and market-driven approach deliver emissions reductions at the lowest cost while safeguarding New Zealand’s economy and international obligations.
