Our climate change commitment

ACC recognises the scientific consensus, compiled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that humans are the main cause of global warming. 

Supporting the transition

We acknowledge the responsibility of asset owners toward supporting the transition to a low carbon economy through the investment decisions that we make and through our interactions with our investee companies.

“
Asset owners have a responsibility to support the transition to a low carbon economy through investment decisions and interactions with investee companies
”
- ACC Chief Investment Officer, Paul Dyer

ACC has joined the Paris Aligned  Asset Owner Commitment affirming our commitment to having a net zero portfolio by 2050, with interim carbon reduction targets for 2025 and 2030, in line with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

ACC worked closely with NZ Treasury and the other Crown Financial Institutions (CFIs) to develop the Crown Responsible Investment Framework  under which the CFIs  have committed to aligning with a net zero world and to reporting progress on transitioning to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with Government policy and the Paris Agreement.

ACC engages on climate change domestically as well as globally, as set out in our Climate change framework.  

In 2023, we teamed up with the other CFIs to use our collective influence to engage directly on climate change with Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest companies. 

Climate change position statement - May 2023

ACC on track for
60%
reduction in the carbon intensity of listed equity investments by 2025*

*compared to a June 2019 baseline, and a 65% cut by 2030. 

As part of our progress towards reducing carbon intensity, in 2020 we exited thermal coal miners and, in 2021 imposed carbon caps on our portfolio managers that reduce over time consistent with interim carbon targets. In 2022, we adopted low-carbon benchmarks for our listed equity portfolios.

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Last published: 8 May 2024