Environment

New Zealand’s international climate change policy

International negotiations on the next phase of action under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol are underway at present. For an overview see Current Negotiations.

As a Party to both treaties, New Zealand is actively engaged in these negotiations.

Our international climate change policy, or “negotiating position”, is set out in a Cabinet decision, taken in March 2009. It provides the following overarching guidance:

• Seek an environmentally effective and economically efficient long-term global agreement to meet the objective of the UNFCCC;
• Seek appropriate and effective mitigation action by all developed countries and by major emitting and advanced developing countries;
• Commit New Zealand to a fair contribution to global mitigation efforts, securing recognition of its national circumstances;
• Commit New Zealand to an appropriate level of financial and technology support for developing country mitigation and adaptation actions;
• Seek an international framework that allows New Zealand to contribute according to its national circumstances;
• Ensure that rules for accounting and for the flexibility mechanisms are certain before commitments are finalised;
• Seek improved greenhouse gas inventories, reporting and review procedures, in particular by major emitting developing countries; and
• Seek solutions that recognise the vulnerability of Pacific Island countries to climate change.

Specific issues covered include a long-term global goal for emissions reductions and individual country targets; finance; agriculture; land use, land use change and forestry; emissions trading under the Kyoto Protocol; and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.

The Cabinet paper and decisions are available for download at Key New Zealand international climate change documents.