Is NZ pulling its weight on the climate crisis?

New Zealand’s foreign policy recognises climate change as the biggest threat to Pacific Island nations, yet environmental experts and advocates say our domestic policies do not reflect this reality.

An example is the Pacific Resilience Facility, they say, which needs just over NZ$600 million in two years to reach the half-billion US dollar target. Aotearoa has yet to pledge.

Photo/supplied

The Government has been criticised for not pulling its weight on the climate crisis in the Pacific.

But Minister for Climate Change, Simon Watts, says New Zealand is doing its fair share to strengthen climate resilience in the Pacific.

Watts, who attended the Pacific Climate Ministers Meeting in Fiji this week, said the government is determined to meet Aotearoa's climate commitments despite claims the coalition is on the wrong path on climate policy.

"It's absolutely clear that Pacific Island nations are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and that's why it's essential for New Zealand to work in collaboration with our neighbours in the Pacific to ensure that we strengthen the resilience against the effects of climate change.

"New Zealand's been very active in that region. We've got half of our $1.3 billion of climate finance that goes to the Pacific.

"We're also doing a large number of projects across a number of countries, of which I caught up with relevant ministers, such as the Tuvalu climate change minister.

"We're doing some coastal adaptation work there, around $6 million. We're doing some work in Niue as well, around $20 million of large-scale renewable energy projects.

"We're also doing some work around the weather-ready Pacific, which is basically the weather radar also to ensure that is in place and we're doing some, we're putting 20 million of investment into that.

"So New Zealand is very active in playing its part. The reality is though, is the Pacific is the front line for climate change impacts and we need as a region to ensure that others around the world are aware of what's going on and the importance that we do build resilience in the Pacific region."

Flooding after the Ngaruroro River in Hawke's Bay burst its banks during Cyclone Gabrielle in January 2023. Photo/Supplied/Dawson Bliss

Environmental experts say climate change is a top security issue in Pacific Island countries and there is an urge to act.

Even the government has been warned that its repeal of the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration opens New Zealand up to reputational and legal risks with its trading partners.

Public submissions on the proposed reversal of the oil and gas exploration ban in Aotearoa have ended after just four working days.

The time for MPs to consider the bill has also been shortened from the usual six months because the government wants the amendment law passed by the end of the year.

Some environmental groups including Greenpeace Aotearoa have criticised the consultation period.

Greenpeace spokesperson Russell Norman told Pacific Mornings' William Terite that the coalition's threat to restart oil exploration would be a disaster for the climate and the ocean.

People show their opposition to deep sea drilling in New Zealand waters. Photo/Greenpeace/Lisa Marshall

Norman says searching for more oil and gas is a significant threat to the climate, adding that science shows that to have any hope of stabilising the climate, the world cannot afford to burn even known reserves, let alone new ones.

On top of the potential climate impacts of oil exploration, there's also the additional risk of oil spills, he says.

Energy and resources experts have said there is no guarantee any new gas or oil will be found and/or developed to replace Taranaki's shrinking offshore supply.

Watts has defended the government's search for more fossil fuels, saying the coalition is committed to New Zealand's climate targets.

"We're working very hard to ensure that we've got practical projects that are going to deliver the emissions reductions, but also deal with the key challenges such as the clean-up following the climate change impacts, the flooding in Auckland and the cyclones that we had last year.

"These are very large-scale complex and expensive projects and we need to make sure that we've got mechanisms to repair and put in place resilient infrastructure for our communities.

"We are focused on ensuring that we meet our targets and we're also playing our role internationally as well. So I'm proud of our contribution."