Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reductions in New Zealand: A Minimum Disruption Approach (WP 04/25)

Abstract

Reductions in carbon dioxide emissions can come from (among other things) changes to the structure of final demands, changes in the use of fossil fuels by industry, and changes to the structure of inter-industry transactions. This paper examines the nature of the least disruptive changes, that is the minimum changes to these three components which are consistent with specified overall reductions in carbon dioxide in New Zealand. In examining the minimum changes needed, constraints are imposed on the corresponding changes in GDP growth and aggregate employment.

Acknowledgements

We should like to thank Statistics New Zealand, in particular Jeremy Webb, for making available its monetary and physical estimates of fuel use by industry. This information is from the Statistics New Zealand Energy Flow Account report that will be published in March 2004.  We are also grateful to Iris Claus for help with the Input-Output data.

Disclaimer

The views, opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Working Paper are strictly those of the author(s).  They do not necessarily reflect the views of the New Zealand Treasury.  The New Zealand Treasury takes no responsibility for any errors or omissions in, or for the correctness of, the information contained in this Working Paper.  The paper is presented not as policy, but to inform and stimulate wider debate.