New Zealand to implement sustainable biofuels mandate
Summary
The government of New Zealand on Dec. 15 announced plans to implement a sustainable biofuels mandate based on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions beginning at a 1.2 percent GHG reduction in 2023 that could ramp up to 9 percent in 2035. As part of the program, fuel suppliers would be required to prepare annual reports to demonstrate compliance with the mandate. Fuel suppliers would have some flexibility in meeting the mandates, including the ability to trade emissions reductions with each other. “We’re committing to develop a separate mandate for aviation fuel during 2022 given the unique challenges the sector faces,” said Transport Minister Michael Wood. “The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is working with Air New Zealand on a feasibility study on the potential for domestic production of sustainable aviation fuel and this will feed into that work.” The government collected public comments on a proposed mandate in mid-2021.