As part of New Zealand’s obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, we provide financial, capacity building and technology transfer support for developing countries to meet their climate change goals. A strong focus for New Zealand is on working collaboratively with Pacific partners to support their resilience to natural hazards and the intensifying impacts of climate change.
Climate support is part of New Zealand’s official development assistance and is delivered through the International Development Cooperation (IDC) Programme. Decisions about what climate support we fund is guided by New Zealand’s Foreign Policy Reset, the Ministry’s Strategic Intentions and IDC Priorities Framework(external link) and the following goals:
- We support accelerated climate change mitigation. Climate change mitigation refers to any action taken to reduce or prevent greenhouse gases, or to enhance carbon sinks that remove them from the atmosphere. Mitigation efforts include transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency, adopting regenerative agricultural practices, and protecting and restoring forests and critical ecosystems.
- We support enhanced resilience and adaptation to the impacts of climate change. Climate change adaptation refers to actions that help reduce vulnerability to the current or expected impacts of climate change like weather extremes and hazards, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, or food and water insecurity. Examples of adaptation activities include planting crop varieties that are more resistant to drought and enhancing climate information and early warning systems to building stronger defences against floods.
- We support improved institutional capability and evidence-based decision making. Climate resilient decision-making is improved through greater access to, and use of education, science, indigenous knowledge and techniques, data and information. Effective regional institutions and a strong multilateral rules-based order support more ambitious and innovative action on climate change
- We leverage investment to achieve greater climate impact. We want New Zealand’s climate finance to crowd in private finance, tapping into private sector technologies and expertise, and to leverage greater investment by other bilateral donors and multilateral organisations.
Decisions about what climate support is delivered during the current climate finance commitment period 2022-2025 have also been guided by the New Zealand International Climate Finance Strategy(external link). This sets out how we fund activities that support adaptation, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, in the Pacific and beyond.