Groser defends NZ climate treaty stance

Climate negotiations minister Tim Groser has defended the Government’s call for better treatment of agricultural emissions in the next global climate treaty.

Mr Groser is leading New Zealand’s delegation in Poznan, Poland, at a conference that aims to lay the groundwork for negotiations on a climate treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which requires industrial countries to cut emissions by an average 5 percent from 1990 levels.

Last week he laid out New Zealand’s position for the talks, saying he would be negotiating aggressively to achieve better rules governing agriculture, which contributes about half of the country’s emissions.