Minister welcomes international climate change negotiators

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser today welcomed top-level international climate change negotiators who are gathered in Auckland this week for the second New Zealand-hosted informal dialogue on the new United Nations climate change agreement. 

New Zealand has taken this initiative, using a different meeting format and approach, to inject some fresh thinking into this crucial negotiation.

“The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been tasked with negotiating a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol, by the end of 2015,” says Mr Groser.

"The Protocol covers only 13% of global emissions, so it's simply not sufficient to solve climate change. The new agreement will need to be truly global in its coverage.

"New Zealand participates actively in the negotiations, and uses what influence it can to support collective, collaborative action. New Zealand's greenhouse gas footprint makes a minimal contribution to the global carbon build-up, but we take responsibility for our emissions, and act in other ways.

"I am pleased we have taken this initiative using a fresh approach that will really help progress the negotiations,” Mr Groser says.