Search
Back to main menuOur Research
-
Environment
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental modelling
- Climate change impacts
- Agricultural economics
- Solutions for Freshwater Management
- Fisheries Management
- Devolution and the Resource Management Act
- Value and Natural Capital
- The Adoption of Environmentally Friendly Technologies in Agriculture
- Policy-Induced Technology Adoption: Evidence from the U.S. Lead Phasedown
- Transaction Costs and Tradable Permit Markets: The United States Lead Phasedown
- A Case Study for Devolution: The problem of preserving kiwi habitat in the Far North
- Devolution and the New Zealand Resource Management Act
- A guide to just transitions for communities in Aotearoa NZ
- Urban & regional
- Wellbeing & macro-economics
- Population & labour
- Human rights
- Productivity & innovation
Shaping New Zealand's low-emission future
Motu is undertaking a multi-disciplinary programme on New Zealand’s pathway to a global low-emission future. It is aimed at making the NZ emissions trading scheme (ETS) effective. The project has run continuously from 2013 and involves significant research, stakeholder dialogue, and international exchange. Check out the blog at New Zealand’s Low-Emission Future.
The programme is developing new and creative ideas to give greater positive momentum to emission reduction opportunities, policies and actions. Once the ideas are formed and researched, Motu will incorporate leading international knowledge, experience, and tools. Possible solutions will be thoroughly tested by experts from a range of perspectives and disciplines.
One of the key ideas is informing people of the actions they could take that would reduce their household's greenhouse gas emissions by the largest amount. The result is the Household Climate Action Tool, which went live in November 2015 and is updated every few years.
The Low-Emission Future project:
- Undertakes research that asks 'how can New Zealand best respond to uncertainty in the rewards for mitigation investment?' and 'how can New Zealand link its ETS to developing countries to fund effective mitigation outside New Zealand?' We are also studying how technology spreads.
- Documents the history of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) and evaluate its operation and impacts. We are also conducting empirical work on consumption emissions.
- Facilitates dialogue between the private sector, government, academia and non-governmental organisations to generate and share innovative ideas. The focus of the dialogue is on creativity and rigorous analysis rather than reaching an immediate consensus.
- Promotes international exchanges among technical experts and emerging researchers.
To undertake this project Motu received core grant funding from the Aotearoa Foundation, established by Julian Robertson, and co-funding from Meridian Energy, Z Energy, the Ministry for the Environment, and Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. We continue to seek additional co-funding, so if you are interested, please contact us now.
The Low-Emission Future project is supported by an Advisory Board bringing perspectives from government, the private sector, academia, and NGOs from New Zealand and abroad.
Funders
Aotearoa Foundation, NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, Ministry for Primary Industries, The Deep South: Te Kōmata o Te Tonga, NZ Climate Change Research Institute, Tindall Foundation, Mighty River PowerPublications
Climate Change Submission
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
In May/June 2015, the New Zealand government consulted on a discussion document on New Zealand's post-2020 climate change contribution under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Catherine Leining and Suzi Kerr prepared a joint…
A Timeline of the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme
Author: Catherine Leining
Video
Emissions trading can be a powerful tool for helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An ETS transforms a regulatory limit on emissions into an emissions price set by the marketplace, creating economic incentives for producers,…
Action on Agricultural Emissions: Submission from Catherine Leining
Author: Catherine Leining
Other
Last year, the Government asked the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) to look into options to reduce agricultural emissions. The Ministry for the Environment used the ICCC’s recommendations, as well as conversations with leaders in…
Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill: Submission to the Environment Select Committee
Authors: John McDermott | Catherine Leining
Other
We strongly endorse the intention, direction, and overall framework of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill (ZCB). However, key aspects need to be improved to ensure it delivers sufficient policy ambition and certainty…
Comments and discussion on Environmental and Behavioural Taxes
Author: Suzi Kerr
Presentation
The Future of Tax Symposium was recently held in association with Auckland University and Victoria University of Wellington. The purpose was to present and discuss major tax reform options the TWG is currently considering as per…
Low-emissions economy draft report: Submissions to the Productivity Commission
Authors: Catherine Leining | Sandra Cortés-Acosta
Other
The Government asked the Productivity Commission to identify options for how New Zealand can reduce its domestic greenhouse gas emissions through a transition to a low-emissions economy, while at the same time continuing to grow…
Submission on Zero Carbon Bill
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
The New Zealand government consulted during June and July 2018 on its proposal for a Zero Carbon Bill. This would:
set a new and more ambitious 2050 greenhouse gas emission reduction target
establish interim five-year “emissions budgets”…
Directing Mitigation Policy and Action for Results
Authors: Catherine Leining | David Fleming | Suzi Kerr
Other
First to see the light;
New Zealand can show the world
what is possible.
This roundtable was convened by Motu Economic and Public Policy Research in collaboration with the New Zealand Productivity Commission, the Institute for Governance and…
Low-emission investment and ETS reform
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
Our ETS needs
predictable processes
with safeguards for price.
This was the third of four roundtables bringing together diverse experts from New Zealand and overseas to shed new light on particularly thorny questions for New Zealand’s low-emission transition. You can…
Mitigation in the Land Sector
Authors: Catherine Leining | David Fleming | Suzi Kerr
Other
Transforming land use
is vital to achieve our
net zero future
This was the second of four roundtables bringing together diverse experts from New Zealand and overseas to shed new light on particularly thorny questions for New Zealand’s low-emission…
Unlocking our low-emission future
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
To lead or follow?
Lead where you have expertise.
Leaders can take risks.
This was the first of four roundtables bringing together diverse experts from New Zealand and overseas to shed new light on particularly thorny questions for New…
E-Mission Possible: Expert roundtables on thorny questions for a net-zero New Zealand
Authors: Catherine Leining | David Fleming | Suzi Kerr
Other
The road to our net-zero future is paved with challenging questions for which there are no definitive answers – just choices to be made under uncertainty and consequences to be faced under risk.
Four half-day roundtables…
New Zealand’s Climate Change Engagement Landscape
Authors: Catherine Leining | Rhian Salmon
Other
The Deep South Challenge (DSC) includes a significant Engagement Programme with the goal of helping New Zealanders to make decisions informed by climate science, and to inform DSC research. Designing an effective engagement strategy for…
Who’s Going Green? Decomposing the Change in Household Consumption Emissions 2006 – 2012
Authors: Corey Allan | Suzi Kerr
Working Paper
Power, flying, meat.
Producers’ emissions are
improving. Your turn.
We update the analysis of Allan et al. (2015) and re-examine whether New Zealand households have become greener consumers using newly…
Briefing: An Integrated Framework for Stakeholder Processes on Climate Change Mitigation
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
During public consultation on the government’s 2030 emission reduction target (intended nationally determined contribution, or INDC), many stakeholders issued a strong call for greater public input into government decision making on climate change mitigation and…
Assessing New Zealand's climate target ambition
Author: Catherine Leining
Article
Catherine Leining, Brian Fallow and James Renwick provide perspectives on NZ's climate change approach, as revealed at a panel discussion on 'New Zealand at Paris Climate Talks: Leader, Follower or... Laggard?'
NOTE: This article is behind…
Idea Bank of Pathway Milestones for New Zealand’s Low-Emission Future
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Other
Low-Emission Future Dialogue participants recognised that other experts were already conducting technical and economic assessment of New Zealand’s mitigation options, and sought to complement that effort by exploring what changes across society could help to turn…
New Zealand's Low Emission Future: Transformational Pathways
Authors: Catherine Leining | Suzi Kerr
Note
What we do matters
The choices we make today
Safeguard our future
From May 2014 through February 2016, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research convened a group of about 20 cross-sector stakeholders…
Household Climate Action Tool
Author: Corey Allan
Other
Have you ever wondered what difference taking the bus rather than the car makes? How many emissions will you save by not eating red meat? Will cutting down your electricity use actually make a difference to greenhouse gases?
87% of NZers are concerned about climate change.…
Are we turning a brighter shade of green? The relationship between household characteristics and greenhouse gas emissions from consumption in New Zealand
Authors: Corey Allan | Campbell Will | Suzi Kerr
Working Paper
Households emit less gas
But emissions are rising
Can you reduce yours?
New Zealand households are emitting 4.6 per cent less greenhouse gas than they used to. This is a fall of approximately one tonne of emissions for…
Consumption-based Greenhouse Gas Emissions Input-Output Model
Dataset
Using input-output tables, fuel emissions factors and industry fuel requirements, we derive a carbon intensity vector. This carbon intensity vector shows the emissions associated with one dollar of gross output by each industry. There are…
Regression Analysis of Findings in the Horizon Research Ltd Survey New Zealanders’ Climate Change Actions and Attitudes
Author: Scott White
Other
In mid-2014, researchers from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research and Victoria University of Wellington collaborated with Horizon Research Ltd with support from the Sustainable Business Council to survey New Zealanders about their climate change…
Cooperation to Reduce Developing Country Emissions
Authors: Suzi Kerr | Adam Millard-Ball
Working Paper
Without effective developing country participation in climate mitigation it will be impossible to meet global concentration and climate change targets. However, developing countries are unwilling and, in many cases, unable to bear the mitigation cost…
The likely impacts of climate change policy
Author: Suzi Kerr
Presentation
These slides are from Suzi Kerr's presentation on the likely impacts of climate change, prepared for 'The Social Impacts of Climate Change' workshop.
The presentation covered employment and price impacts. Research into these sorts of impacts…
Understanding the Relationship between Household Characteristics and GHG Emissions from Consumption
Authors: Corey Allan | Suzi Kerr
Presentation
Current emissions reporting regimes focus on production
Per capita
Per industry
Consumers control what they earn and buy, which drives demand for emissions, but not what or how goods are produced. Production emissions are only one imperfect indicator of…
Pathways to Deep Decarbonisation in 2015: How Australia Can Prosper in a Low Carbon World
Author: Amandine Denis
Presentation
In the Copenhagen Accord, 141 governments agreed that to reduce the risk of dangerous climate change, global warming must be limited to 2°C. This means fast and deep emissions reductions across the globe, and for Australia reaching…
New Zealand’s Journey toward a Low-Emission Future: Today’s Climate Change Landscape
Author: Catherine Leining
Note
In the coming decades, New Zealand will face important choices shaped by both the risks and opportunities created by climate change. This paper provides an overview of the current climate change landscape from which New…
A Few Lessons for Climate Change Action from the Literature on Cooperation and Behavioural Economics
Authors: Judd Ormsby | Suzi Kerr
Note
Simple economics is characterised by selfish rational actors. More sophisticated economics, including new developments in behavioural economics, tells a different story that is more hopeful for cooperation and allows the discipline to contribute to climate…
Not a Problem, Someone Else’s Problem, My Problem or Our Opportunity? Shifting Attitudes and Behaviour on Mitigating Climate Change
Author: Catherine Leining
Note
Individuals can have a significant impact on climate change mitigation through the collective impact of their direct behaviour and their support for action by others. Although the scientific and economic case for significant mitigation is…
From Fact to Act: New Zealanders’ Beliefs and Actions on Climate Change
Authors: Catherine Leining | Scott White
Note
A strong majority of New Zealanders are concerned about climate change and taking actions that reduce household emissions, according to a recent survey.
Researchers at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, an independent, not-for-profit research institute,…
Level 1, 97 Cuba Street, PO Box 24390
Wellington 6142, New Zealand
Phone: 64 4 939 4250
