A Small State in the Global Commons: New Zealand’s Approach to Climate Change

Abstract

Small states face great challenges in major international negotiations, not least of which is their lack of influence and power. Nonetheless, some have been very effective in advancing their interests. New Zealand has a strong reputation, both at home and abroad, for having a greater influence than would be expected of a country of its size. Amongst the arenas where it is prominent, it is an active and often influential player in international environmental negotiations. This is nowhere better illustrated than in climate change, where New Zealand’s record belies the fact that its greenhouse gas emissions hardly register on the global scale, being less than 0.2% of the total. New Zealand has been active and effective across important issues in the progress towards the post-2020 enshrined in the Paris Agreement. New Zealand’s domestic policies however have not always been well-aligned with its international positioning, leaving the country exposed to risks, both material and reputational. The election of a centre-left coalition in 2017 brought a refreshed approach to both domestic and international policy, which appeared capable of bringing the two together.