• Air New Zealand to purchase 8,000 tonnes of internationally verified, New Zealand-based carbon removals by 2030 through My Native Forest.
• The deal aims to seed a high-integrity voluntary carbon market while funding native forest restoration across Aotearoa.
• The project will channel carbon finance directly into domestic ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, local jobs, and rural economies.
Building a domestic carbon removals market
Air New Zealand has become one of the first major corporates to invest in a new wave of homegrown, internationally verified carbon removals, committing to purchase 8,000 tonnes by 2030 through its partnership with My Native Forest.
The initiative aims to catalyse a robust voluntary carbon market in New Zealand by backing native forest regeneration verified to international standards — a step that could redefine how the country’s private sector contributes to climate targets and biodiversity goals.
My Native Forest provides a digital platform for investing in the restoration of indigenous ecosystems across Aotearoa in exchange for verified carbon removals. Unlike conventional avoidance credits, which prevent emissions elsewhere, removal credits represent carbon physically captured and stored by newly established forests.
Long-term climate strategy for hard-to-abate aviation
Kiri Hannifin, Air New Zealand’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, said the decision reflects the airline’s commitment to begin climate action “in its own backyard” while preparing for a carbon market expected to mature later this decade.
“Native forest planting takes time, so it’s important to secure future supply now,” Hannifin said. “As New Zealand’s national carrier, the co-benefits for biodiversity and pest control here at home make this agreement even more powerful.”
She noted that aviation remains among the most difficult sectors to decarbonise. “Scaling sustainable aviation fuel, optimising our fleet, and developing alternative propulsion technologies are complex, expensive, and rely on multiple external factors. High-integrity carbon removals will play a significant role in reaching net zero by 2050 — and New Zealand is uniquely positioned with its land, ecosystems, and international reputation to supply them,” she added.
The airline’s purchase will be delivered in phases — 500 tonnes in 2028, 2,500 in 2029, and 5,000 in 2030 — with each verified credit representing one tonne of carbon removed. All credits will be issued via a global registry under recognised international verification frameworks.
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Carbon finance for biodiversity and local resilience
Mitchell McLaughlin, co-founder of My Native Forest, said Air New Zealand’s early investment demonstrates the power of carbon finance to fund nature-based restoration at scale. Land parcels for the programme are being identified across Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, Waikato, Auckland, and Northland.
“Air New Zealand will provide capital in return for carbon removals that might otherwise have flowed offshore. Instead, it will stay here, directly funding native forest restoration,” McLaughlin said. “This partnership shows that planting native trees is no longer just a goodwill gesture — it’s a commercially viable pathway for landowners.”
He added that the benefits reach far beyond carbon accounting. “We’re creating income streams that reward integrity while restoring biodiversity, protecting waterways, and strengthening rural economies. Every tonne of carbon removed supports nurseries, contractors, pest-control operations, and local communities across Aotearoa.”
Strengthening credibility in the global carbon market
New Zealand’s voluntary carbon market has faced challenges in establishing verification systems that align with international standards, a key barrier to attracting institutional buyers. My Native Forest’s approach — combining digital monitoring tools, global registry issuance, and local ecological oversight — is designed to overcome that gap.
The move also positions New Zealand to play a larger role in global carbon markets as corporate demand for removals accelerates. Removal credits have gained traction among multinational buyers seeking to align with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) guidance and aviation’s global net-zero roadmap under the International Civil Aviation Organization’s CORSIA scheme.
Hannifin said securing verified domestic supply early ensures Air New Zealand can meet future compliance and voluntary offset needs without relying solely on overseas projects. “Starting now helps ensure the market will be ready when we really need it,” she said.
Expanding local partnerships
Air New Zealand is in the final stages of negotiating a second contract with another New Zealand-based supplier of internationally verified, nature-based removals, expected to be finalised by the end of the year. Together, these partnerships aim to demonstrate how domestic, high-integrity removals can compete with — and complement — global supply options.
For investors and corporate sustainability leaders, the deal offers a case study in using carbon finance to drive local climate action while meeting international reporting and verification requirements.
By directing capital into native forest restoration rather than overseas offset schemes, Air New Zealand is testing a model that could help bridge the gap between national climate priorities and global market credibility — a space increasingly critical for hard-to-abate sectors worldwide.
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