New Zealand announces 'independent review' of 2050 methane targets

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand's government on Saturday said an independent panel of experts would review the country's methane targets, with the aim of guiding domestic climate change goals for 2050.

"This independent review, which will report back to the government by the end of the year, will provide evidence-based advice on what our domestic 2050 methane target should be, consistent with the principle of no additional warming," Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said in a statement.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said the review complemented a Climate Change Commission review of the 2050 targets and would "provide an input into the Government’s response to the Commission’s advice in 2025."

The commission, a government body that advises on climate change policy, is currently reviewing the country's commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases other than biogenic methane to net zero or lower, by 2050.

New Zealand, with a population of around 5 million people, has pledged to reduce biogenic methane emissions by between 24% and 47% by 2050 from 2017 levels. This includes a 10% reduction of biogenic methane emissions by 2030.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney. Editing by Sam Holmes.)