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Sunday, February 16, 2025

Centrist: Why is New Zealand sticking to UN climate rules when everyone else is walking away?



Nearly every major country ignored the UN’s February deadline to submit new emissions-reduction plans—except for New Zealand and a handful of others.

While global powers like China, India, and the EU delayed or outright ignored the requirement, New Zealand lined up with just nine other nations to comply.

With most of the world either backing away from strict climate commitments or slow-walking their responses, why is New Zealand still playing by the rules?

Of the 195 signatories to the Paris Agreement, only 13 submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on time. These are country-specific climate action plans under the Paris Agreement, outlining emissions-reduction targets and strategies.

Major economies—including China, the EU, and India—failed to meet the deadline, while others like Canada and Japan are still sitting on draft plans. Even the United States’ submission came from the outgoing Biden administration, while Trump has already moved to pull America out of the deal entirely.

Yet New Zealand, despite its relatively minor global emissions footprint, has chosen to meet the deadline—though its plan, despite being one of the few turned in has still been criticised as “shockingly unambitious.”

Given that 83% of global emissions come from countries that didn’t bother to submit, New Zealand’s commitment looks more like symbolic compliance than a move with real-world impact.

Countries such as Ghana, Bangladesh, and Armenia have received funding for initiatives ranging from renewable energy development to climate-resilient agriculture.

Despite its role as a provider of climate finance, offering support to other developing nations, China remains eligible to receive climate finance due to its developing country status under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Some argue that nations like China and India should no longer be classified as developing countries, given their economic growth and substantial greenhouse gas emissions.


The Centrist is a new online news platform that strives to provide a balance to the public debate - where this article was sourced.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why? Because it gives justification for NZ having one of the lowest GDP growth in the OECD, soaring debt, highest trade current account in the OECD, and spending money we don't have. It is also a bandwagon for the Greens and woke media pushing misinformation. I saw an ad for TVNZ news the other day showing a car melting because of the supposed heat caused by climate change, with the sd saying they report the truth.

To misquote Marx, climate alarm is the opiate of the people.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at the massive infrastructure projects being built around the world, with zillions of tons of CO2 based cement, steel, diesel fuelled machines, and consider how relatively infinitesimal NZs impact is on anything in our environment.

Oh, but Ardern said that we have to be virtuous and lead by example.

Well, again the world is openly laughing at us for being so naive.

Anonymous said...

"Oh, but Ardern said that we have to be virtuous and lead by example." And was paid handsomely for it by her handler.

Anonymous said...

"Why is New Zealand still playing by the rules?
Because our owners "The Crown" orders it.

Chuck Bird said...

The following is worth watching as I got it off NZCPR at Information Network featuring world-leading think tanks

How can eager Governments get off the Net Zero hook? - Dr Benny Peiser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdLEN1ExW7g