Source: European Parliament
20.10.2025
Question for written answer E-004128/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE)
On 12 October 2025, one month before the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Belem, New Zealand sent a negative message by outlining plans to reduce methane emissions by between 14 % and 24 % by 2050 whereas the previous target was for a reduction of between 24 % and 47 %[1].
26 independent scientists, including the lead author of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Breakthrough Agenda report on agriculture, have warned against this move, which is based on a controversial accounting trick called ‘no additional warming’[2]. They recall that ‘the IPCC Sixth Assessment report[3] concludes that swift reductions in methane pollution are a key component of actions to limit warming in line with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
Under the EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, both parties commit to effectively implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The commitments are subject to trade sanctions in case of material breaches.
Following up on question for written answer E-002719/2024 dated 10 December 2024[4]:
- 1.Does the Commission consider that the revision of the methane methodology and objectives creates a material breach to the EU-NZ free trade agreement?
- 2.How does the Commission intend to engage with New Zealand on this issue and on what time frame?
- 3.If New Zealand refuses to change course, will the Commission trigger the state-to-state dispute settlement?
Submitted: 20.10.2025