The country's biggest environmental organisations are asking the Government to immediately rule out any new oil, gas and coal permits.
It comes after the Government announced it would establish a Climate Commission to help make New Zealand carbon neutral by 2050.
But environmental leaders say the policy does not go far enough.
- Government plans to go carbon neutral by 2050
- Carbon dioxide levels highest in millions of years - UN
- New Zealand to spend $14 billion to meet Paris Agreement targets
An open letter from Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, WWF New Zealand and 350 Aotearoa says New Zealand should act immediately to prevent any new oil, gas and coal permits being granted in New Zealand.
"The world cannot afford to burn most of the oil, gas and coal reserves that have already been discovered if we are to have a chance of passing a livable planet onto our children," the letter says.
"When New Zealand stopped nuclear ships in the 1980s, we stood up to the most powerful military force in the world, the United States, to defend the will of the New Zealand people. Taking action on climate change also requires us to stand up to the powerful.
"The reality of climate change means that if we are to have a future, fossil fuel extraction must have no future."
The previous National Government refused to commit to a net zero-emissions target, while both Labour and the Green Party campaigned on the target leading into the election.
National's climate change spokesperson Todd Muller said the party was pleased that the Government would take its time to implement the legislation.
"Our primary focus for the conversations ahead of us is that any transition to a low-carbon economy must ensure local communities can adjust and thrive, rather than seeking accolades from the UN," he said.
The coalition agreement between New Zealand First and Labour specified the establishment of a climate commission and a Zero Carbon Act.
Newshub.
