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Emission Units

What type of units can be held in the NZEUR?

An emission unit recorded in the New Zealand Emission Unit Register (NZEUR) is indivisible, and can be transferred within the NZEUR and between the NZEUR and overseas registries. Transfers are subject to rules specified in the:

  • Kyoto Protocol
  • Climate Change Response Act 2002 (CCRA)
  • Climate Change (Unit Register) Regulations 2008, and
  • Technical standards for the exchange of data as specified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The Kyoto Protocol provides for the following types of emission units:
  • Assigned Amount Units (AAUs)
  • Emission Reduction Units (ERUs)
  • Certified Emission Reduction Units (CERs)
  • Removal Units (RMUs)
  • Temporary Certified Emission Reduction Units (tCERs)
  • Long-term Certified Emission Reduction Units (lCERs).


The CCRA provides for the New Zealand unit (NZU).

The Kyoto Protocol and the CCRA also specify the different types of transactions that can be undertaken for each type of emission unit (for example cancellation, retirement, and carry-over) and the procedure for undertaking these transactions.