Groser to attend Major Economies Forum on climate change

Tim Groser, Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations, will travel to Brussels next week to attend a meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF).

“The MEF is the 17 biggest economies in the climate change negotiations. This is my second invitation to attend the meeting as a ‘special guest’ of this important forum.”

The invitation was extended following Mr Groser's chairing role at the Cancun climate change meeting in December last year. At that meeting Mr Groser facilitated agreement on one of the key issues at the heart of the negotiations. That is, how individual countries' pledges to reduce their emissions should be recorded and how the international community will monitor progress.

"We had a breakthrough on this at Cancun but there's still a lot of work to do. New Zealand is seen as constructive and credible, and I'll be doing what I can to move the negotiations forward."

While in Belgium, Minister Groser will commemorate ANZAC Day in Flanders, and meet with EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht.

While in Europe Mr Groser will also travel to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. He was one of 13 Trade Ministers to sign a letter late last week restating their commitment to conclude the WTO Doha Development Round of international trade talks.

"We are now in a very difficult position and unless a breakthrough can be made by the major economies in these negotiations, they will probably be put on hold until 2013."

"New Zealand has as much to gain from the conclusion of these negotiations as any other country, and I want to take the chance of my visit to Europe to take the temperature in Geneva by meeting with WTO Director-General Lamy and other key figures in the negotiations."

He will also visit Stockholm to meet with trade and climate change counterparts.

“New Zealand and Sweden are both moderate, constructive countries in the climate change negotiations. We are working particularly closely as part of a small group on the reform of fossil fuel subsidies. I look forward to furthering this cooperation during my visit.”