NZ Super fund pledges move towards ‘climate change resilience’

New Zealand’s sovereign wealth fund is promising to reduce its investments in fossil fuels and target clean energy in a bid to prepare for climate change.

Yesterday the New Zealand Superannuation Fund confirmed it was pledging to cut the carbon footprint of its $30 billion portfolio, including selling down ‘‘high risk’’ investments.

While the move will not prevent the fund from investing in any particular sector, chief executive Adrian Orr said it would lead to some parts of its portfolio being sold.

NZ Super wanted to reduce its carbon footprint in a relatively short space of time, Orr said. The fund will publish its carbon footprint and fossil fuel reserves annually, along with developing targets to measure its progress against.

‘‘In coming years the global energy system will transition away from fossil fuels. Some assets we invest in today may become uneconomic, made obsolete or face a dwindling market.’’

Established under the previous Labour government in a bid to partially cover New Zealand’s future pension needs, the fund claims the move will not hurt returns. However, it admitted there could be a ‘‘limited’’ impact if global policymakers took less action on carbon reduction than was anticipated.

‘‘We hope that we might be able to increase return for the same risk, or at least maintain our returns for less risk,’’ Orr said. ‘‘Our task is not to create a low carbon world; our task is to manage this portfolio to maximise the return without undue risk.’’

NZ Super will not commit to selling out of fossil fuel investments completely, but instead will ‘‘incorporate climate change considerations into investment analyses and decisions’’.

Investments with a higher carbon footprint would require a higher rate of return, but the fund would not necessarily rule them out.

‘‘To walk away from carbon … won’t make a squat of difference with regards to the actual climate change,’’ Orr said.

The fund would also target investment in clean energy and other emerging sectors. It had not consulted the Government over the plans aside from informing it under the ‘‘no surprises’’ policy, Orr said.

Finance Minister Bill English said the fund was expected to invest in a ‘‘prudent’’ manner, but particular decisions were its business.