Joint Statement by New Zealand and the United States following the Fourth Meeting under the US/New Zealand Bilateral Climate Change Partnership

Officials from the United States and New Zealand met August 29-30, 2006, in Washington , DC , to review progress and discuss future directions under the United States – New Zealand Climate Change Partnership. This fourth meeting of the Partnership focused on progress and achievement to date of joint activities, continuing support of ongoing projects, and substantive exchanges on domestic approaches to addressing climate change in the agriculture, forestry, and energy sectors, and international climate change science, development, and policy issues.

New proposals relating to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and geological carbon sequestration were discussed. Two new projects, one on using LIDAR (LIght Detection and Ranging) for carbon-biomass inventories and prediction and the other on modelling the impacts of land use change on climate processes, were proposed. The meeting also celebrated the successful conclusion of a hydrogen fuel cell feasibility study, the 6 th project completed under the Partnership.

At the meeting, the United States and New Zealand agreed to continue to work together through practical cooperation under their bilateral partnership to address the serious and long-term challenge of climate change. They also reaffirmed their commitment to efforts under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

New Zealand Climate Change Ambassador Adrian Macey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, led the New Zealand delegation, which also included representatives from the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Landcare Research, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), and Lincoln University . Ambassador Reno Harnish, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State, opened the meeting. Mr. Trigg Talley, U.S. Department of State, led the US delegation .

New Zealand officials met with officials of multiple U.S. government agencies, including the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In addition to a tour of USDA's Agricultural Research Service facilities in Beltsville, Maryland, the New Zealand delegation will meet with scientists at Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kansas, to discuss technologies to measure, monitor, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture and livestock management, and to speak with farmers on agricultural mitigation and extension programs.

Bilateral cooperation between the United States and New Zealand began in 2002, with the objective of enhancing and accelerating collaboration and practical cooperation on climate change issues.

The Partnership encompasses 34 ongoing and completed projects covering a broad range of climate topics in nine priority areas: climate change science and monitoring; technology development; emission unit registries; greenhouse gas accounting in forestry and agriculture; engaging with business; developing country assistance; climate change research in Antarctica; public education initiatives; and development of joint product and process standards.

The first round of 26 projects was launched in 2003, following a US delegation visit to Wellington . Six more projects were added at the July 2004 Partnership meeting in Washington , and another three projects at the July 2005 Partnership meeting in Wellington .

The fifth meeting under the bilateral partnership will held in New Zealand in 2007.