Fonterra submission: Climate Change Response (Tort Liability) Amendment Bill

The Bill sets out that greenhouse gas emissions policy is a matter for Parliament, New Zealand’s elected representatives. We think this is appropriate, as Parliament is best placed to determine an economy-wide regulatory response on matters of significant public interest and wide-reaching impact such as climate change.

Put simply, the High Court is being asked to impose emissions reduction requirements on six businesses, including Fonterra, that would sit outside the framework set by Parliament.

If the court granted what is being asked, the impacts on Fonterra, farmers, the dairy sector and the wider economy could be devastating. The lawsuit has the potential to result in Fonterra and our farmer owners having to cease operations immediately and create unprecedented economic disruption for New Zealand.

Fonterra has maintained its position since Mr Mike Smith took the Co-operative and others to court in 2019, that climate change is a matter of significant public and economic policy requiring a sophisticated, nationally coordinated response.

Reducing our impact on the climate continues to be a priority for the Co-operative. We are making good progress in reducing emissions from our operations and are committed to working with farmers to achieve our on-farm emissions intensity target.

You can read the full submission and a supplementary document here.