Auckland, New Zealand – New Zealand’s government has confirmed it will rewrite its climate law to weaken the country’s methane emissions target – a move Greenpeace warns will violate the Paris Agreement and embolden other major meat and dairy producers and exporters, including Ireland and Uruguay, to follow suit.

Shefali Sharma, Global Agriculture Campaigner, Greenpeace Germany said: “New Zealand has signalled to the world’s biggest meat and dairy producers that it’s fine to ignore the largest human-made source of methane – and in doing so, undermine the Paris Agreement and accelerate global heating. Other major livestock exporting countries will now feel empowered to follow suit, which risks sparking a race to the bottom and threatens to derail global climate action.”

“This decision by the New Zealand government pretends that current methane emissions from agriculture aren’t fuelling the climate crisis – despite overwhelming scientific consensus that drastic methane cuts are essential to prevent us from sweeping well past 1.5°C. This is a dangerous sleight of hand, and it delays the urgent action needed.”

Amanda Larsson, Senior Campaign Manager, Greenpeace Aotearoa said: “The New Zealand Government is going full-Trump when it comes to climate change – and the rest of the Pacific region is threatened as a result.”

The move means New Zealand will adopt a “no additional warming” methane goal – a dairy  industry-backed metric that permits continued high levels of agricultural methane emissions, despite warnings from climate scientists and the country’s independent Climate Change Commission that emissions must fall sharply.[1]

ENDS

Notes:

[1] Financial Times, Scientists accuse New Zealand and Ireland of trying to cover up livestock emissions, 1 June 2025.

Greenpeace Aotearoa briefing on ‘no additional warming’ methane targets: GWP*: how the livestock lobby’s creative accounting threatens to derail climate action.

Methane is responsible for nearly 30% of current global warming and is over 80 times more powerful than CO₂ over 20 years. Cutting it is the fastest way to slow warming.

New Zealand is the world’s largest dairy exporter. Its agriculture sector accounts for nearly half of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, with livestock methane being the major source. Trade agreements with the UK and EU include commitments to uphold the Paris Agreement.

The “no additional warming” approach has been promoted by livestock industry groups in other major exporting nations, including Ireland and Uruguay.

Contacts:

Rhiannon Mackie, Communications Specialist, Greenpeace Aotearoa (New Zealand), rmackie@greenpeace.org, +64-27-244-6729

Stephen Bateman, Communications Lead, Greenpeace International, sbateman@greenpeace.org, +44 07361 651 868

Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (24hrs), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org

We just got the results from a global public poll and it’s good news for the planet: A staggering 86% of people surveyed believe that protecting forests is critical in the fight against climate change. Results also show that 82% of people want their governments to take more action on forests, showing overwhelming public support to halt deforestation.

This surge of public support for forest protection comes at a crucial moment. Healthy and standing forests are vital in the fight against the climate crisis, and with  COP30 fast approaching, we must pressure country delegates to discuss and implement an action plan to halt deforestation by 2030. 

A few highlights from the public poll: 

• Poll respondents not only want to see their governments address forest destruction, they also believe that the most effective results can be achieved with global cooperation through international agreements to end deforestation (77%), and to commit to a new action plan to halt the destruction of forests and other ecosystems (75%).  

• When it comes to forest protection, respondents place the most confidence in Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (78%), well above national governments (49%) or corporations (42%). 75% agree that Indigenous Peoples should receive funding to protect forests.
  
• Over four in five respondents think that companies which contribute to deforestation should be held accountable by governments, who should strengthen enforcement and punish environmental crimes. 

Here’s what you can do right now to help stop forest destruction! 

The stakes for the Amazon rainforest — and for global climate stability — have never been higher.  You can make a difference by taking action now: 

• Sign the petition demanding political leaders negotiate a strong action plan to protect forests at COP 30 this November. 
• Send a message to political leaders, letting them know why you want them to protect forests around the world right now. 
• Get informed: Discover more on Amazon and how we can protect it. 

Respect the Amazon

Demand global leaders to respect the Amazon!

Sign the Petition

Brasília, Brazil – Greenpeace Brazil has projected messages to country delegates at the Pre-COP in Brasilia calling for urgent action to end forest destruction as a new Greenpeace International’s poll showed nine out of 10 people surveyed want forests protected to fight climate change. 

Photos and videos are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.

The messages Greenpeace Brazil projected on the Congress building and on buildings across Brasília, where delegates are meeting, read “COP 30: Act for forests, act for climate” in English; “COP30: Protejam as florestas” in Portuguese.

A staggering 86% of people surveyed in 17 countries across five continents believe that protecting forests is critical in the fight against climate change, according to the new poll, released today, commissioned by Greenpeace International and conducted by Opinium [1]. Results also showed that 82% of people want their governments to take more action on forests, showing overwhelming public support to halt deforestation.

An Lambrechts, Biodiversity Policy Expert, Greenpeace International said: “If we want to keep 1.5°C within sight, COP30 will need to deliver an action plan to end forest destruction by 2030. These poll results show that many people understand the urgency and want governments to act. There is no better moment than at a COP in the Amazon to do so.”

The polling was released during the pre-COP in Brasília, where country delegations, Indigenous communities and civil society are meeting ahead of the UNFCCC COP30 to prepare COP outcomes, including on the need to address climate change and biodiversity loss hand in hand.

Poll respondents expressed wanting to see their governments increasingly addressing forest destruction. Additionally, most agree that the most effective results can be achieved with global cooperation through international agreements to end deforestation (77%), and to commit to a new action plan to halt the destruction of forests and other ecosystems (75%).  When it comes to forest protection, respondents place the most confidence in Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (78%), well above national governments (49%) or corporations (42%). 75% agree that Indigenous Peoples should receive funding to protect forests.

Carolina Pasquali, Executive Director, Greenpeace Brazil said: “This overwhelming public support sends a powerful message to governments ahead of COP30, which takes place for the first time in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. World leaders must listen to their people and act on their moral, legal and political responsibilities to end deforestation in order to hold on to the 1.5°C ambition.”

Kleber Karipuna, Executive Coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib) said: “This is a significant survey as it expresses not only the opinion of the vast majority of the population on the importance of keeping forests and all biomes standing and preserved, but also reveals society’s trust in Indigenous Peoples to protect the planet’s biodiversity. Science has already proven that Indigenous Peoples are the true guardians of the forest. Now, society is reaffirming this and warning that demarcating and protecting our territories is an effective and crucial policy for combating deforestation and confronting the global climate crisis, because we are the answer.”

For successful forest protection, Greenpeace calls on global leaders at Pre-COP to:

• Act on their commitments and the UNFCCC target to halt deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, with a decision that goes beyond voluntary pledges [2].
• Provide direct funding for Indigenous Peoples’ and Local Communities’ solutions to protect and restore forests.
• Regulate and stop funding those who profit from forest destruction.

ENDS

Notes:

[1] The polling was conducted between 5-17 September 2025 in the following countries: Kenya, South Africa (Africa); Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, USA (Americas); Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea (Asia); Australia (Oceania); Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, UK (Europe).

Respondents were adults aged 18+, nationally representative by age, gender and region. 1000 respondents per market, 17,000 respondents in total, making it representative on a global scale. 

[2] For more details read the COP30 forests briefing.

Contacts:

Thiago Rebouças, Press Officer, Greenpeace Brasil, +55 11 98562-3094, imprensa.br@greenpeace.org

Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), pressdesk.int@greenpeace.org