Air New Zealand has announced a deal to purchase 8,000 tonnes of New Zealand-based carbon removals by 2030, part of a push to develop a homegrown voluntary carbon market.
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The airline has partnered with My Native Forest, a local platform that funds the planting and restoration of native forests across Aotearoa in return for verified carbon credits. Each credit represents one tonne of carbon removed from the atmosphere and will be verified to international standards through a global registry.
Air New Zealand’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kiri Hannifin, said the partnership highlights the airline’s commitment to supporting high-quality, nature-based solutions at home.
“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 in Aotearoa make this agreement even more powerful.”
She said aviation remains one of the hardest industries to decarbonise, with major initiatives like sustainable aviation fuel, new aircraft technology, and fleet optimisation still years away from scale.
“High-integrity carbon credits will also play a significant role in aviation reaching net zero by 2050,” she said. “New Zealand’s reputation, land and environment position us well to build a credible, world-class carbon market.”
Under the agreement, Air New Zealand will acquire 500 tonnes of removals in 2028, 2,500 tonnes in 2029 and 5,000 tonnes in 2030.
My Native Forest co-founder Mitchell McLaughlin said the partnership shows how carbon finance can accelerate large-scale restoration of native ecosystems, with potential sites being considered in Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, Waikato, Auckland and Northland.
“This partnership shows that planting native trees is no longer just a goodwill exercise—it’s a genuine, commercially viable choice for landowners,” McLaughlin said. “By creating an income stream that recognises integrity, we can help restore biodiversity, protect waterways and build resilience into land while delivering verified carbon removals.”
He said the economic ripple effects extend to nurseries, contractors, pest control, and community groups across rural New Zealand. “Every tonne of carbon removed delivers benefits not just for the climate, but for people and ecosystems here in Aotearoa,” he said.
Air New Zealand’s investment will keep funds that might otherwise have gone overseas within New Zealand, directly supporting native reforestation and conservation projects.
With corporate demand for high-quality carbon removals growing globally, McLaughlin said New Zealand is well positioned to lead a market that pairs strong carbon outcomes with credible biodiversity gains.
Air New Zealand is also finalising a second deal with another New Zealand-based supplier for additional nature-based carbon removals, expected to be signed before the end of the year.
