Tackling the cost of living and climate change together

• Free public transport for children
• Half price fares for people under 25
• Major expansion of nationwide EV charging network
• Accelerating the uptake low-emission heavy vehicles like trucks and buses
• Reducing energy bills with 100,000 more insulation and heating retrofits
• Renewable energy system for Chatham Island to halve household electricity bills
• Community-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects
• Building resilience for Westport
• Supporting funding for emissions reductions through New Zealand Green Investment Finance

Budget 2023 will keep up the momentum on the Government’s plan to address climate change with an array of transport, energy and resilience measures.

These initiatives are primarily paid for by polluters, through the dedicated Climate Emergency Response Fund, created in Budget 2022 to support New Zealand’s Climate Change goals.

“The climate crisis is fundamentally linked to the cost-of-living crisis. We are addressing these dual challenges by investing in affordable public transport, insulating thousands more homes nationwide, and improving energy resilience in local communities,” James Shaw said.

“Tackling climate change, with measures like free public transport for children, also helps to ease living costs, reduce emissions and deliver for future generations.

“Budget 2023 will also help more families live in warm, dry homes – which are also energy-efficient and climate-friendly through the expansion of the successful Warmer Kiwi Homes policy.

“Budget 2023’s focus on tackling transport emissions is another vital part of our mission to stop putting pollution into the atmosphere. It is an obvious choice to increase the uptake of low-emission heavy vehicles like trucks and buses, while expanding our EV charging network.

“I also welcome the commitments in Budget 2023 to supporting areas, like Westport, which are at risk from floods, storms and sea level rise.

“Similarly, we know that many New Zealanders either can’t afford, or don’t have access to reliable power sources. This makes them vulnerable to natural hazards and to price volatility.

“This will become a higher and more frequent risk with climate change. Supporting energy resilience for low-income and energy insecure communities is the right thing to do.

“The Government alone cannot meet all the costs of the climate transition. That’s why Budget 2023 is boosting the money available to the pioneering green investor, New Zealand Green Investment Finance to invest in climate solutions, while attracting private capital to give us more bang for our buck.

“The range of measures taken by the Government to date are starting to bend the curve on our emissions. These new climate initiatives add to those announced in the CERF last year. Together they will start to make a real difference in reducing our emissions and prove that action on climate can be done while also reducing costs on households.

“The measures in Budget 2023 will not only help achieve climate goals, but cut household bills so that families and whānau can thrive, “James Shaw said.