New Zealand: Progress in the Pacific
Ambitious targets on emissions must be met alongside economic growth
Earlier this year, net migration to New Zealand hit a record high, according to some estimates. The fast pace of economic expansion, not to mention some breathtaking scenery and a purported laid-back island lifestyle have all made the Pacific country desirable for incomers. But while net migration of more than 70,000 people per year hints at the success story of economic growth at almost 3% annually, to a GDP of $185bn last year, New Zealand has some challenges ahead in its energy sector. A Paris agreement target of reducing emissions by 30% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels is "ambitious", admits John Carnegie, secretary of the World Energy Council's New Zealand committee and executive dire
Also in this section
10 March 2026
By shutting the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has cut exports of distillate-rich Middle Eastern crude, jet fuel and diesel, and is holding the energy market hostage
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics






