Hon
David Parker - 9/11/2006 - New Zealand will be
seeking international cooperation to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions from agriculture, at an international
meeting on climate change in Nairobi next week,
Climate Change Minister David Parker said today.
New Zealand is taking part in
the twelfth Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), and the second Conference of the Parties
serving as Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol.
The meeting in Nairobi constitutes
the second international meeting of Parties to
the Kyoto Protocol since its entry into force
in February 2005.
“In light of the recent Stern
review, it is increasingly important that countries
move constructively towards agreement on climate
change,” said Mr Parker. “New Zealand will work
actively to support progress towards agreement.”
"A major challenge for
New Zealand is finding a way to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions from livestock, which make up about
half of our total emissions, something that puts
us in an unusual position."
"We will be emphasizing
the world-leading research into this matter we
are already undertaking at home, but also looking
for opportunities to work collaboratively with
likeminded countries and encouraging others to
increase their R&D spending in this area."
All nations, including those
that have not ratified Kyoto, will be participating
in discussions around the establishment of an
international framework for climate change beyond
2012.
“The Nairobi discussions will
help shape the next steps of negotiations for
global action on climate change," Mr Parker
said.
“As a biologically based economy
and trading nation, New Zealand’s national interests
are threatened by climate change and it is therefore
imperative that an effective global framework
for action on climate change after 2012 is agreed."
“The meeting also provides a
valuable opportunity for bilateral discussions
with other nations about climate change,” Mr Parker
said.
