Climate Politics
Trump’s Era of Climate Retreat Is Already on Show in New Zealand
A one-time global leader on emissions reductions has carried out a series of policy reversals, as many nations waver on green commitments.
People take photographs from the waterfront in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Photographer: Birgit Krippner/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
New Zealand may already be giving the world a glimpse of what global climate policy will look like in the Trump era.
The South Pacific nation, one of the first advanced economies to set a legally-binding net zero target, has ushered in a series of green reversals since Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s center-right coalition took office in late 2023, rolling back curbs on fossil fuels, loosening emissions regulations for the giant agriculture sector, and criticizing banks over their restrictions on lending.