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Although we have tried to use plain English content on the site, you may come across specialist terms and acronyms. Find out what they mean in our glossary of terms.
If you come across a term that isn't included in the Glossary please send us an email.
The Annex establishes a regime of liability for damage to the Antarctic environment arising from activities conducted there by Parties to the Antarctic Treaty and its Protocol on Environmental Protection. Operators are obliged to take preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of accidents harming the Antarctic environment, to establish contingency plans to deal with harmful incidents and to take prompt response action when environmental emergencies arise from their activities. If prompt response action to protect the environment is not taken by an operator, other Parties are encouraged to do so, and the defaulting operator will reimburse their costs. The Annex also establishes legal mechanisms for the recovery of these costs, sets out the situations in which liability shall be exempted, requires Antarctic operators to have insurance (including the option of self-insurance in the case of Government operators), and imposes a financial limit on liability (expressed in IMF Special Drawing Rights, equivalent to a minimum of US$1.5 million for environmental emergencies involving a ship, and US$4.5 million for other environmental emergencies). Liability is strict, and attaches to both State and non-State operators.
Lead agency:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Status:
Multilateral. The Annex was adopted by the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in June 2005, and is now open for approval by Parties. New Zealand is currently working towards approving the Annex.
Legislation required:
Yes. Amendments to the Antarctica (Environmental Protection) Act 1994 will be required to ensure New Zealand can comply with the Annex’s obligations.
Contact:
Marisa Macpherson
Legal Adviser
Legal Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
marisa.macpherson@mfat.govt.nz
Ph (04) 439 8023 Fax (04) 439 8103
The objective of this Science and Technology Cooperation agreement is to clarify New Zealand’s position as a partner in The Kyoto Protocol was adopted on 11 December 1997 in response to a decision of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in March 1995, that their original commitments would be insufficient to prevent human induced effects on the global climate. The Kyoto Protocol sets greenhouse emission limitation or reduction targets for "Annex I" countries (developed countries and Economies in Transition) to be achieved in the first commitment period from 2008 to 2012, with a view to reducing their overall emissions of such gases by at least 5 per cent below 1990 levels during this period. It was opened for signature on 16 March 1998, and New Zealand ratified the Protocol on 19 February 2002. It entered into force in February 2005.
Negotiations are currently underway to establish a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, which is expected to commence on 1 January 2013 immediately after the end of the first commitment period. The establishment of a second commitment period requires amendments to the targets for Annex I Parties inscribed in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol, and a number of consequential amendments to the body of the Protocol. Parties are also engaged in wider negotiations on possible improvements to the Protocol and its rules for interpreting Parties’ commitments. It is possible that, given the links with negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (see entry below), the final outcome will not be an amended version of the Kyoto Protocol, but rather a new treaty instrument for example.
Lead agency:
Ministry for the Environment
Status:
Multilateral. Negotiations are scheduled to conclude at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen from 7 – 18 December 2009, at the same time as the conclusion of negotiations for long term cooperative action under the UNFCCC. It is expected that the Parliamentary treaty examination process will be commenced in 2010.
Website:
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change more [external link]
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
Details of what the impact on Maori under a new treaty will be are unknown at present. Domestic policy responses giving effect to a new treaty could possibly reflect those that have occurred under the domestic policy response to the current treaty, e.g. an emissions trading scheme. There has been engagement with Maori on domestic policy that gives effect to the current treaty, and it is expected that this will continue.
Domestic policy responses giving effect to the treaty are likely to have some impact on NGOs, private sector companies and industry organisations in much the same way as domestic policy has developed to date. An emissions trading scheme could affect all sectors in some way, by placing a price on carbon. Clearer details of what that the impact will be with a new treaty are unknown at present.
Legislation required:
Yes. It is expected that ratification will be required by an amendment to the Climate Change Response Act (2002), possibly in 2010 - 2012.
Contact:
Roger Lincoln
Lead Negotiator (UNFCCC AWG-LCA)
Climate Change Policy Team
Ministry for the Environment
roger.lincoln@mfe.govt.nz
Ph (04) 439 7633
Fax (04) 439 7704
Stephanie Lee
Lead Negotiator
Environment Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
stephanie.lee@mfat.govt.nz
Ph (04) 439 8197
Fax (04) 439 8517top of page
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the Convention) was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and now has over 190 Parties. Its objective is expressed in Article 2 of the Convention as “stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [human- induced] interference in the climate system.”
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Bali in December 2007, Parties decided to launch a comprehensive process to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action (“the Bali Action Plan”). This process aims to produce an outcome in December 2009, which includes nationally appropriate mitigation commitments or actions by developed and developing country Parties, and enhances action on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; adaptation; technology development and transfer; and the provision of financial resources and investment.
At this stage it is unclear what the final form of this agreed outcome will be, and could include a new treaty-level instrument.
Lead agency:
Ministry for the Environment
Status:
Multilateral. Negotiations are scheduled to conclude at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Copenhagen from 7 – 18 December 2009, at the same time as the conclusion of negotiations for further commitments by Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol.
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
Details of what the impact on Maori under a new treaty will be are unknown at present. Domestic policy responses giving effect to a new treaty could possibly reflect those that have occurred under the domestic policy response to the current treaty, e.g. an emissions trading scheme. There has been engagement with Maori on domestic policy that gives effect to the current treaty, and it is expected that this will continue.
Domestic policy responses giving effect to the treaty are likely to have some impact on NGOs, private sector companies and industry organizations in much the same way as domestic policy has developed to date. An emissions trading scheme could affect all sectors in some way, by placing a price on carbon. Clearer details of what the impact of a new treaty will be are unknown at present.
Legislation required:
Yes. It is expected that ratification will be required by an amendment to the Climate Change Response Act (2002), possibly in 2010 - 2012.
Contact:
Roger Lincoln
Lead Negotiator (UNFCCC AWG-LCA)
Climate Change Policy Team
Ministry for the Environment
roger.lincoln@mfe.govt.nz
Ph (04) 439 7633
Fax (04) 439 7704
Laura Hogg
Policy Officer
Environment Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
laura.hogg@mfat.govt.nz
Ph (04) 439 8545
Fax (04) 439 8517
This Agreement has been discussed since 2008, when a working-level meeting was held in Tokyo between representatives of various ministries from Japan, and MFAT and MoRST from New Zealand.
A draft text has been submitted by the Japanese side, and a revised copy sent back by MoRST for further discussion.
Minister McCully met with his Japanese counterpart in April 2009 in Wellington, and the possibility of formally commencing negotiations was raised. This will be confirmed later this year.
Lead agency:
Ministry of Research, Science and Technology
Status:
Bilateral. The Parties are currently considering the possibility of formally commencing negotiations.
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
This Agreement will have an impact on Universities, the Crown Research Institutes, and Centres for Research Excellence. The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology will conduct extensive consultation on the level of involvement that will be needed to implement this Agreement.
Legislation required:
No.
Contact:
Suzanne Bertrand
Director
International Linkages
Innovation Network Group
Ministry of Research, Science and Technology
suzanne.bertrand@morst.govt.nz
Ph (04) 917 2960
Fax (04) 471 1284
The Radio Regulations provide a detailed technical and operational basis for utilisation of the radio frequency spectrum. The regulations provide for a wide range of radio communication services including those necessary for broadcasting, aeronautical, maritime, national defence usage and general telecommunications such as cellular services. Specialised coordination procedures for both terrestrial usage and the use of the various satellite orbits are provided within the regulations. The Radio Regulations are partially reviewed and revised every 3-5 years to ensure that they are appropriate for existing and emerging radio communication services.
Lead agency:
Ministry of Economic Development
Status:
Multilateral. The World Radio Communication Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland, in November 2007. Parliamentary treaty examination was completed in March 2009. New Zealand is in the process of preparing an instrument of ratification to ratify the Final Acts of the World Radio Communication Conference.
Website:
International Telecommunication Union more [external link]
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
Participants from the telecommunications and broadcasting industries, government departments and amateur radio interests were involved in establishing New Zealand’s position on specific items of the 2007 World Radio Communication Conference agenda and also actively participated in the Conference.
In addition, a specific presentation on the outcomes of the Conference was held with people in the industry. Industry groups who utilise the radio spectrum support the revised regulations.
Legislation required:
No.
Contact:
David Kershaw
Senior Planning Analyst
Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Group
Energy and Communications Branch
Ministry of Economic Development
dave.kershaw@med.govt.nz
Ph (04) 474 2186 Fax (04) 499 0969
top of pageThe International Telecommunications Union (ITU) was first established in 1865 and is now a specialised agency of the United Nations dealing with telecommunications. The organisation works in three broad areas, that of telecommunications standards, management of the radio frequency spectrum, and promotion of telecommunications in developing countries.
New Zealand has been a member state of the ITU since 1878, and is a Party to the current Constitution and Convention and Administrative Regulations. The Constitution and Convention provide an industrial framework for the ITU organisation together with a definition of roles and responsibilities for elected officials of the Union and various advisory groups. These texts are revised once every four years at a Plenipotentiary Conference and ratification of the amended texts is necessary thereafter.
Lead agency:
Ministry of Economic Development
Status:
Multilateral. Plenipotentiary Conference held in Antalya, Turkey, November 2006. Parliamentary treaty examination was completed in March 2009. New Zealand is in the process of preparing an instrument of ratification to ratify the Final Acts of the Plenipotentiary Conference.
Website:
International Telecommunication Union more [external link]
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
The amendments to the Constitution and Convention relate to the functioning of the organisation, and reflect established practices or clarify specific issues. They do not impose any specific new obligations on New Zealand.
Legislation required:
No.
Contact:
David Kershaw
Senior Planning Analyst
Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Group
Energy and Communications Branch
Ministry of Economic Development
dave.kershaw@med.govt.nz
Ph (04) 474 2186 Fax (04) 499 0969
The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) is a specialised inter-governmental organisation formed in 1979 and dealing with telecommunications in the Asia-Pacific Region. The organisation works in three broad areas, that of telecommunications standards, management of the radio frequency spectrum, and promotion of telecommunications in developing countries. New Zealand is a member and has been a Party to the Constitution since 1993
The APT Constitution provides a treaty level institutional framework for the organisation together with a definition of roles and responsibilities for elected officials of the Telecommunity. These texts are reviewed once every three years at the APT General assembly.
Lead agency:
Ministry of Economic Development
Status:
Multilateral. The amended Constitution was concluded in New Delhi, India, in 2002. Parliamentary treaty examination was completed in March 2009. New Zealand is in the process of preparing an instrument of acceptance to accept the amendments.
Website:
Asia Pacific Telecommunity more [external link]
Particular interest to Maori and other groups:
The amended Constitution of 2002 updates the general objectives of the APT but other changes are essentially administrative in nature and do not impose any specific new obligations on Members.
Legislation required:
None required
Contact:
David Kershaw
Senior Planning Analyst
Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Group
Energy and Communications Branch
Ministry of Economic Development
dave.kershaw@med.govt.nz
Ph (04) 474 2186 Fax (04) 499 0969
