Carbon and Forestry
When the Government ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2016, it committed New Zealand to achieving an ambitious target – reducing carbon emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Planting more trees for the sequestration (removal and storage) of carbon is crucial to achieving this target.
Traditionally, the capital requirements for establishing a forest and the lack of cashflow generated throughout its life have made forestry investment a difficult proposition for domestic investors seeking cash income.
This situation has changed in recent years as a result of policy changes around climate change and more widespread acceptance that the phenomenon is real and happening.
A positive demand outlook for New Zealand forest products here and overseas along with the potential for generating income from carbon sequestration has sparked renewed interest in this key export earning sector and opened up new opportunities for forestry and carbon investment.