vue - New Zealand Minister talks climate & agriculture - Expert View

About the Speech: The world’s governments have set themselves the deadline of December 2015 in Paris to deliver a new global agreement on climate change. In this speech, Minister Groser outlined priorities and prospects for the climate negotiations, and discussed New Zealand’s views on delivering the agreement in Paris – exploring in particular the treatment of agriculture, as well as wider issues such as fossil fuel subsidy reform. Thus far, the agricultural sector has been excluded from these international negotiations on climate change, notwithstanding its very significant contribution to emissions and its capacity to offer solutions. While the sector accounts for a relatively minor proportion of emissions in the majority of developed economies, New Zealand and Ireland are outliers. This presentation was of particular interest to stakeholders interested in the role of agriculture and the importance of international collaboration in this area. About the Speaker: Tim Groser has since 2008 served as New Zealand’s Minister of Trade, Minister for Climate Change Issues and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prior to his appointment as a MP in 2005, Minister Groser held a range of senior economic and trade roles within the New Zealand civil service, including as Principal Economic Advisor to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Ambassador to the WTO, where he chaired the Agriculture Negotiating Group.