Environment of New Zealand - Treaties and International Agreements

Treaties and International Agreements

New Zealand is a signatory to a number of treaties and international agreements:

• The Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1992 – ratified on 8 September 1993
• The Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 – ratified on 16 September 1993
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1989 – ratified on 21 July 1988
• The Antarctic Treaty, 1959 – ratified on 1 November 1960 – Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 1980 – ratified on 8 March 1982 – and others
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 – ratified on 19 July 1996
• The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, 1989 – ratified on 20 December 1994
• The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 2001 – ratified on 24 September 2004.
• Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1971 (London Convention) – ratified on 30 April 1975 – and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 – not yet ratified
• The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, 1973 – acceded to on 10 May 1989
• The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, 1971 (Ramsar Convention) – signed on 13 August 1976 with effect from 13 December 1976
• Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific, 1989 (Wellington Convention) – ratified on 17 May 1991
• South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, 1985 – ratified on 13 November 1986
• Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region, 1986 – ratified on 3 May 1990
• The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity – ratified on 24 February 2005

New Zealand is a depositary to the following environmental treaties:

• Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities
• Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC)
• Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific
• Protocol 1 to the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific
• Protocol II to the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific