From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

Apparently, New Zealand’s climate defiance could bring down the Jenga Tower of international law.

NZ’s rejection of emission targets fuels risk of international law breach

Published: December 5, 2025 10.19am AEDT
Karen Scott
Professor in Law, University of Canterbury

The New Zealand government’s decision this week to reject all of the Climate Change Commission’s emission target recommendations was just the latest in a string of policy statements that weaken the country’s action on climate.

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Does a failure to comply with those obligations undermine New Zealand’s commitment to the international rules-based order? Yes.

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More generally, however, New Zealand risks undermining the international rules-based order it relies on by framing those obligations as being merely about making “best efforts”.

The rules-based order is like a game of Jenga. The rules, including obligations to address climate change, are the building blocks. While some states are overtly taking a wrecking ball to the tower, others are undermining it by ignoring those rules, essentially removing individual blocks. 

But small states need that tower to remain intact. Supporting the international rules-based order by complying with its climate obligations would allow New Zealand to show leadership when it is most needed.

…Read more: https://theconversation.com/nzs-rejection-of-emission-targets-fuels-risk-of-international-law-breach-271295

I’m surprised New Zealand is defying anything climate related.

“If you’re a climate change denier at the moment or even a minimalist, I just don’t understand how you can hold that position to be honest.” – Current New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in 2023.

Perhaps things have changed since 2023. New Zealand is currently suffering a catastrophic brain drain, as young and ambitious New Zealanders desert a homeland which is struggling to offer hope to its young people. Maybe a dose of green economic collapse is finally bringing New Zealand’s out of touch establishment to its senses.