New Zealand: SHREWD MOVE: TRADE MINISTER NOW IN CHARGE OF CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS

ACT leader [and climate realist] Rodney Hide was named Minister of Local Government and Regulatory Reform, and Walley expects Hide to: "Produce on years and years of railing against government excess".

Both Walley and Goldsworthy were highly positive of Tim Groser's appointment as Minister for Trade and Associate Minister for Climate Change.

Walley notes Groser's vast experience with international negotiations and Goldsworthy welcomed Groser's associate role with climate change.

"Conservation and climate change is in the realm of international negotiations, so it's good to know someone in that role knows their way around the traps," said Goldsworthy. [Via Benny Peiser]

Resolve to Tackle Climate Change Crumbling Internationally

The resolve in Europe to make meaningful emission reductions’ is crumbling by the day in the wake of the financial credit crunch sweeping the globe, bringing with it fears of a global economic recession.

Europe looks to be beating a hasty retreat from ambitious emission reduction goals (20% by 2020), with the realization that the goals will be hugely economically challenging in what will be tough economic times. The EU will not finalise their emission reduction plans until December this year, but the signals do not look good. Even if the EU confirms the 20% emission reduction goal, new “flexibility” provisions that take account of various counties “individual circumstances” which will ensure plenty of wriggle room.

The revolt is being lead by Germany , Italy and Poland , and includes all the former communist countries Hungary , Bulgaria , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Romania and Slovakia . They are all fearful that the cost of additional emission reductions will harm their economies, forcing energy intensive industry to exit Europe and set up in parts of the world where there will be no carbon charge.