Some New Zealand MPs who returned from the Copenhagen conference are disappointed. The Green Party MP, Jeanette Fitzsimons, said the conference was a failure because there were no legal promises. The conference decided to limit temperature increases to 2 degrees C but there were no details about how to do this.
The small country of Tuvalu in the Pacific Ocean says that 2 degrees is too much. Their islands will be under water. What will happen to their 12,000 people? New Zealand takes 75 immigrants from Tuvalu each year.
The National MP, Tim Groser, says that developing countries were the problem at the conference. That is why the conference was disappointing.
However, John Key was more positive about the conference. He said there was some progress. NZ has the idea to set up a global research network with 20 countries like USA, France, and India, to try to cut greenhouse gases from agriculture. Nearly half of our greenhouse gases come from agriculture. Our government said it would give $45m over the next four years to help this research.
Forestry is another matter that concerns New Zealand. When trees are cut down, forestry loses the carbon credits. John Key wants the rules to change. If new trees are planted in another place, forestry should keep the carbon credits. Also, when trees are used to build houses and furniture, carbon is locked up in that wood. The carbon does not go into the atmosphere.
There will be another conference next year in Mexico. Countries now have to promise what they will do to cut greenhouse gases.