Groser to attend climate talks in Qatar

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser departs tomorrow for the 18th ministerial climate change conference to be held in Doha, Qatar under the UN Convention on Climate Change. 

“Last year’s conference in Durban made some significant advancements, including the decision to negotiate a new global agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol by 2020,” Mr Groser says.

“The aim at this year’s conference will be to conclude the current ‘two-track’ system comprising the Kyoto Protocol negotiations and parallel negotiations under the Convention, and to launch negotiations on the new agreement under the ‘Durban Platform’.”

Mr Groser says that the new agreement will need maximum participation to succeed.  “It’s about getting as many countries on the “mitigation bus” as possible and that means designing a more flexible, bottom up agreement that everyone can agree to.”

New Zealand has decided to take its commitment in the transition to 2020 under the Convention, but to continue working with the broad Kyoto framework of rules.  

“We’re continuing to act on reducing emissions, and the ETS remains firmly in place.  But in terms of where we inscribe it internationally, it is time to move on from the Kyoto Protocol, which covers less than 15% of global emissions. 

“We will be showing that a transparent, rule-based commitment can be implemented under the Convention.  We will be helping to carry forward the structural achievements of Kyoto while showing that the Protocol is not the only serious way for developed countries to commit.” 

The Minister will be joined by Associate Climate Change Minister, Simon Bridges.