We are a non-partisan think tank applying hindsight, insight and foresight to explore major challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand over the long term.
We are committed to positively influencing public policy by empowering
New Zealanders to have the uncomfortable, but necessary, conversations
that are required to enable New Zealand to realise its potential.
special topic
Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
Addendum to Discussion Paper 2024/01
This addendum explains what is new in terms of the recently published (10 October 2024) Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the Year Ended 30 June 2024 (the 2024 Financial Statements) and other recent developments, including a discussion with Minister Watts at the Climate Change and Business conference.
It builds on our June 2024 Discussion Paper 2024/01 – Risks hiding in plain sight: Does a commitment under the Paris Agreement to purchase offshore carbon credits create a requirement to report that commitment in the financial statements of the New Zealand Government?
October 2024
Link to download
Discussion Paper 2024/01 – Risks hiding in plain sight
This is a technical accounting paper that explores whether a commitment by the New Zealand Government to purchase offshore carbon credits to offset emissions should be reported in the financial statements of the New Zealand Government (the overarching accounting problem). It applies current accounting standards to the issue and concludes that a commitment should be recognised as a liability and/or contingent liability in the financial statements of the Government of New Zealand.
June 2024
Updated 23 October 2024, in accordance with the Institute’s Addendum to Discussion Paper 2024/01. This resulted in an additional note being added to Figure 5.1 – The Government’s financial reporting system (see asterisk [*] on p. 35).
Link to download
See the press release.
Video: Minister Watts, 10 September 2024
Minister Watts discussing New Zealand’s decision to purchase offshore carbon credits to meet the NDC commitments under the Paris Agreement.
10 September 2024
Climate Change and Business Conference, Auckland
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As we undertook this research into the COVID-19 pandemic, we started to identify key trends, threads and lessons that stood out. A non-partisan approach is essential for this kind of analysis, investigating what happened, how New Zealand responded and how outcomes could be improved. By taking a step back and observing New Zealand’s COVID-19 response as a whole, we came away with a number of important reflections for the next pandemic.
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