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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade leads New Zealand's representation at international climate change negotiations, in conjunction with experts from the Ministries of the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, the Treasury, and other government agencies. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [external link] sets the international framework for addressing climate change. The UNFCCC was signed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and today has 194 parties.
The Kyoto Protocol [external link] is a treaty under the UNFCCC. It commits participating developed countries to individual, legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over a first commitment period of 2008 to 2012. To date, 184 countries have become Parties to the Protocol.
At the moment, negotiations are focused on emissions reductions by developed and developing countries, steps to adapt to climate change, the technology and financial support needed to help developing countries take action, and the future of the Kyoto Protocol after 2012.
New Zealand’s negotiating position is guided by Cabinet decisions.
The next UNFCCC meeting is in Durban, South Africa, in November 2011.
The Ministry welcomes feedback on international climate change negotiations and related issues. We hold public meetings several times a year, and stakeholder engagement meetings prior to the Conference of Parties in November/December each year.
If you would like to be notified about these meetings, please send an email to enquiries@mfat.govt.nz with the subject “Attn: Climate Change Team”.
Please tell us the company or organisation you represent (if relevant) and the particular interest you have.
Developed countries made a commitment at the 15th Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen, in December 2009, to provide ‘fast-start finance’ approaching USD 30 billion for the period 2010-2012 to support the climate change needs of developing countries. As part of the global effort, New Zealand has committed financing of up to NZ$30m per annum in grant funding over the 3-year fast-start period.
Read New Zealand’s fast-start finance progress report for 2011 [PDF, 365kb] and it is is also available from the UNFCCC website [external link] along with reports from other developed countries.
New Zealand makes a range of submissions to the UNFCCC Secretariat throughout negotiations, expressing its view on specific and technical aspects of the negotiations. All Parties’ submissions are available on the UNFCCC website [external link].
