Optimism for climate accord

Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser. Photo Mark Mitchell

200 nations crank up the pace in final week of COP21 amid hopes for deal by the weekend.

Optimism is growing in Paris over reaching a landmark agreement to spare future generations the worst effects of climate change.

A draft text is in place and negotiators from close to 200 nations have cranked up the pace in the second and final week of COP21 amid hopes the world could have a new deal by the weekend.

The agreement would set out the commitments of countries to cut back emissions beyond the start of the next decade.

"There are always tensions and disagreements, but I feel very confident we'll get there," Associate Climate Change Issues Minister Simon Bridges said. "We want a comprehensive, high-quality agreement, and that's imminently achievable at this stage."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted how more than 150 world leaders had pledged their full support for a robust agreement.

"Never before have so many heads of state and government gathered in one place at one time with one common purpose," he said. "Leaders have assured me they will work to remove any roadblocks."

In the negotiating rooms, New Zealand's key points of interest remain arrangements around land use and ensuring good access to international carbon markets.

Both of these heavily influence New Zealand's own pledge of cutting emissions by 11 per cent below 1990 levels and 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

Jo Tyndall, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade's climate change ambassador, said "cross-cutting issues" between countries had emerged - particularly developing nations.

They included how the agreement could be made more ambitious and what could be improved before 2020; what cash and capacity-support developing nations would receive for curbing their fast-rising emissions, and how carbon-cutting measures could be fairly designed to cover developed and developing countries.

"There is, however, still a small group of countries that are clinging pretty strongly to their positions. They are not signalling readiness to move just yet, and I think it is quite worrying that they are pushing this as far as they can towards the end."

Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser emphasised to a COP21 panel presentation the goal of the talks: getting everybody to do something.

"If we move successfully to a comprehensive agreement, and I'm optimistic we will by the end of this week, there will be pressure and there will be questions asked around 'is it enforceable'? The key is greater participation."

Auckland environmental lawyer David Tong, in Paris representing the Fast For The Climate Campaign and the New Zealand Climate Action Network, has attended four major UN climate summits. This time, he expected a deal.

"At this point, a transition to a low- or zero-carbon economy is 100 per cent possible, and I say 100 per cent unstoppable. The question is whether, this week, governments will recognise that changes are already happening in the world around them: it's a chance for governments to catch up, not a chance to lead."

Jamie Morton travelled to Paris with support of the Morgan Foundation and the NZ Science Media Centre.