New Zealand has proposed a series of plans to reduce carbon emissions to meet its target of becoming net zero by 2050.

However, the proposals - submitted ahead of Glasgow’s COP26 climate meeting at the end of October - were met with immediate criticism.

Although New Zealand is under pressure to take further action to reduce carbon emissions, the proposals barely covered agriculture, which makes up 48% of its greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Greenpeace, the document was "full of meaningless waffle" that did little to approach the issue of reducing agricultural emissions, reports Business Times.

Furthermore, climate activists Generation Zero called it a "disgrace" that failed to meet "unambitious emissions budgets, completely ignores agriculture - which makes up half of our emissions".

That said, in contrast, Climate Change Minister James Shaw said there was "an entire work programme" dealing with the agricultural sector and "we didn't want to waste people's time by including things that have either already been consulted on or have other kind of engagement processes elsewhere."

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stated the plans would cut emissions and "can also create jobs and new opportunities for Kiwi businesses and our economy".

The document was published around two years after the country introduced the Zero Carbon Act and a year after it declared a climate emergency.

A number of the initiatives within the report are from the Climate Change Commission report that was submitted to the government earlier this year, such as a 20% drop in car usage by 2035.

In addition, New Zealand aims to curb emissions from transport fuels by 15%, launch incentives for people to purchase electric vehicles and reduce the cost and increase the accessibility of public transport.