New Zealand's green credentials are at risk as the government rolls back environmental reforms in a bid to boost a flailing economy and fulfill promises made to its voters.
Since taking power last year, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's center-right coalition announced it will reverse a ban on oil and gas exploration, push the pricing of agricultural emissions back five years and encourage more mining.
This is part of a government shift in priorities toward increasing exports to support an economy that grew just 0.3% in the year to March 2024, its lowest growth for the same period since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, and that has a current account deficit at 6.8% of gross domestic product.