Photo: AFP / LUDOVIC MARIN
Climate scientists and advocates say the government needs to come clean on how New Zealand plans to meet its first international climate target.
A decade on from the Paris Agreement, and as a New Zealand delegation heads to the annual UN COP climate summit, the government says its climate ambition has not changed.
But it is yet to commit any funding, or announce detailed agreements, to purchase the estimated billions of dollars of offshore carbon credits it needs to meet New Zealand's Paris obligations by the 2030 deadline.
Failing to act could soon start to jeopardise free trade agreements and leave New Zealand vulnerable to an international legal challenge, climate experts say.
The previous government pledged to slash net greenhouse gas emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2030, as New Zealand's contribution to the Paris Agreement.
The overarching goal of the agreement is to limit warming to no more than 1.5Β°C above pre-industrial levels, and well below 2Β°C, and countries are required to present their pledges
Continue Reading on RNZ
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.