The Paris Agreement lays out an important vision. The world is now formally committed to action on climate change.

The New Zealand Government has hailed a historic deal on climate change, saying it is "the first truly global agreement on climate change".

The years-long quest for a universal pact to avert catastrophic climate change has neared the finish line with a draft agreement completed in Paris.

The world finally has a new accord on climate action, with the French presidency finally releasing the text in Paris.

Details of a landmark climate deal are set to be published in the next few hours and Kiwi businesses are hoping the agreement is ambitious.

Outgoing Climate Change Issues Minister says he'll be "gob-smacked" if the COP21 climate talks fail to deliver a new accord.

I have a proposal for Auckland to become a coal-free zone, writes David Hay. Holding climate change to two degrees or less means the world has to stop burning fossil fuels,

Paris is a significant milestone, yes, but it is not the sum total of the world's response. Every day more people are making changes to reduce their impact on the climate, writes Rachael Le Mesurier.

The world is now on the brink of a landmark new climate deal, as the COP21 UN climate talks in Paris near a climax.

Not every aspect of climate science is completely resolved, and here are five questions that are guaranteed to get the experts going.

The Herald's science reporter, Jamie Morton speaks with science writer and RNZ producer Veronika Meduna.

Herald science reporter Jamie Morton explains the ABCs of the COP21 conference.

What happens when you bring together close to 200 nations for one of the most pivotal summits in history? Organised chaos.

Two international reports have slated New Zealand's climate change efforts as UN negotiations in Paris ramp up in their final week.

COMMENT: She doesn't have Tim Groser's intellectual subtlety and flair but Paula Bennett does have a strong opportunistic streak, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Tuvalu has issued a stern warning to its Pacific Island neighbours, urging countries not to do deals outside of the like-minded group at major climate talks in Paris.

Australia would support a UN review of restricting global warming to 1.5C, despite holding firm on a less ambitious goal.

With the UN climate talks under way in Paris, the Herald talks to Professor Dave Frame, of Victoria University's Climate Change Research Institute, about mitigation and reduction policy.

Currents are shifting, temperatures are climbing and the availability and dynamics of nutrient upwelling is changing.

As the Prime Minister said, "It makes no sense to be calling for emissions restrictions on one hand while subsidising emissions on the other."

Jamie talks to Paul Young of youth advocacy group Generation Zero about what climate change means for our young people.

New Zealand has picked up the embarrassing honour of being named the most regressive country at the Paris climate change talks, writes Sam Judd.

"I write this from my inner city Parisian hostel, nose still stinging from tear gas, sirens drowning out the background traffic noise."

Kiribati believes Australia is struggling with its position on climate change, preventing the nation from going into bat for its Pacific neighbours at major climate talks in Paris.

Mr Hughes cited Climate Action Network which said National had increased subsides to the oil, coal, and gas industries sevenfold since it was elected in 2008.