Government addresses compliance costs for imported goods containing synthetic greenhouse gases

The Government is proposing to replace the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) obligations for importers of goods containing synthetic greenhouse gases with a levy, Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser, announced today.

The proposed change does not include bulk importers of synthetic greenhouse gases who continue to have an obligation for emissions under the ETS.

“The ETS Review Panel, set up by the Government in December 2010, found that importers of synthetic greenhouse gases in refrigerators, air conditioning units, and electrical switchgear faced higher compliance costs than others sectors,” says Mr Groser.

“It recommended that the obligations under the ETS be removed for these participants and replaced with a levy.

“The levy would be linked to the price of carbon to maintain an equivalent cost for emissions.

“The proposed changes will help to keep the compliance costs faced by this sector of the industry at a reasonable level, while ensuring it continues to do its fair share in reducing New Zealand’s emissions,” says Mr Groser.

Full details on the proposed changes are available on the Ministry for the Environment’s climate change website www.climatechange.govt.nz