United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to media at the NZDF Whenuapai airbase ahead of travelling to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum. Photo / Adam Pearse
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to media at the NZDF Whenuapai airbase ahead of travelling to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum. Photo / Adam Pearse
The United Nations Secretary-General is urging countries with high emissions to change their ways but New Zealand’s controversial reversal of the ban on oil and gas exploration wasn’t mentioned in his first meeting with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Secretrary-General António Guterres spoke with Luxon yesterday in his second-ever visit to New Zealand ahead of travelling to Tonga for the annual Pacific Islands Forum.
Speaking with travelling media, Guterres issued a challenge to high-emitting developed countries to “take climate action seriously” in light of its impact on smaller, less developed nations like many in the Pacific.
“They need to change, they need to take seriously climate action, phasing out fossil fuels and adopt all the measures necessary to reduce drastically the emissions.”
The coalition Government had been widely criticised by climate change advocacy and environmental groups for its intention to reverse the oil and gas exploration ban, implemented in 2018 by the then-Labour-led government.
New Zealand’s gas supply had been thrust into the spotlight recently amid energy prices soaring, leading to two central North Island timber mills closing. Regional Development Minister and Resources Minister Shane Jones had hailed oil and gas exploration as a method to strengthen the country’s reserves.
However, the decision to reverse the ban had attracted significant concern regarding its contribution to New Zealand’s emissions and its impact on the environment.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling on high-emitting countries to support Pacific nations. Photo / Adam Pearse
Guterres today said he had not spoken to Luxon about the ban reversal but suggested it was a futile exercise.
“The only thing I can tell you is that the oil and gas that will be discovered from now, I am absolutely sure it will never be used.”
It was Guterres’ second appearance in New Zealand, having last visited in 2019 soon after the Christchurch terror attacks.
As well as his meeting with Luxon, Guterres also had a lengthy dinner with Foreign Minister Winston Peters at his home in Auckland on Friday night.
Speaking to journalists today, Guterres said his attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum was an “expression of solidarity” with Pacific Nations with a focus on climate change.
“They do not contribute to climate change...I visited Samoa and I saw communities that had to move because of sea level rise.
“Sea level rise is now double than what it was in the 90s.”
He spoke of Pacific countries as “victims of climate” and “victims of unfair international financial architecture”.
“So another very strong message is to say how much we share their concerns with the need to reform the international financial architecture and to make much more funds available to developing countries allowing them to invest in adaptation in the protection of their populations.”
Peters today landed in Tonga and was set to enjoy a morning at church and a choral service during his first full day ahead of the forum’s opening ceremony on Monday.
Adam Pearse is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team, based at Parliament. He has worked for NZME since 2018, covering sport and health for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei before moving to the NZ Herald in Auckland, covering Covid-19 and crime.
