The 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP22) is underway in Marrakesh, Morocco (7-18 November 2016). I was Ambassador for the Environment last year which included responsibility for climate change. It was a privilege to have been closely engaged in the negotiations that led to the Paris Agreement.
I have always had a strong professional interest in our maritime environment and the world's oceans. So I have been delighted to follow the progress New Zealand is making over the establishment of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary. The area is huge. It will cover 15 per cent of New Zealand's extensive ocean environment (some 620,000 square kilometres), and even more significantly shows an extraordinary commitment to preserving a pristine marine environment. The sanctuary initiative envisages the prohibition of all fishing, prospecting, exploration and mining activities.