Climate

Other side of the globe, similar challenges, common solutions
©Rijkswaterstaat

From the Caribbean to the Pacific, rising seas and extreme weather are putting livelihoods at risk. No country can solve this crisis alone, but by acting strategically and diplomatically, we can align our security, values and prosperity with those of our partners.

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Bilateral cooperation

Despite being on opposite sides of the globe, the Netherlands and New Zealand share similar challenges in many areas, including climate change and anthropogenic global warming. In multilateral forums such as UNFCCC (COP), the Netherlands and New Zealand work together. The Netherlands is also an advocate for access to climate finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In the South Pacific, incl. Samoa and Kiribati, the Netherlands supports organisations working on water management and adaptation.

In 2025, the Netherlands and New Zealand renewed a joint cooperation statement  which includes many areas of cooperation, including climate change. Both our countries recognize that climate change is a challenge we all face, and we are committed to creating a long term vision. Through green innovation and collaboration, we can transform challenges into economic opportunities.

Mitigation: reducing emissions across sectors

Dutch dredging in Christchurch.

Across sectors, our countries partner up in climate-smart solutions and technology. Some examples from recent years include: 

  • Transport: Sparky, the world’s first fully electric tugboat made by DAMEN can be found in Auckland Port. There are also six electric tractors in New Zealand, four of which come from Dutch companies;
  • Agriculture: The Netherlands and New Zealand are both active members of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases;
  • Energy: Our countries promote partnerships in the field of renewable energy is critical to the green transition, and to meeting our countries’ 2050 net zero climate targets. 

Adaptation: protecting livelihoods and infrastructure

Climate adaptation is an important topic for the Netherlands. Together with our partners in the Pacific, including New Zealand, we can find innovative solutions to create resilient infrastructure and equip our societies to deal with global warming and extreme weather events. Examples from recent years include:

  • Coastal management: Royal Haskoning DHV works on protecting one of New Zealand’s most vulnerable coastlines in Coromandel and Deltares has been involved in various consultancy and advisory projects in other parts of the country;
  • In 2023, the Dutch Delta Commission advised Dunedin City Council on their South Dunedin Future Programme;
  • Disaster Risk Reduction: In Fiji, The RVO programme Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support – (DRRS), is helping to reduce the risk of flooding of the Ba River.

Scientific Cooperation

When it comes to scientific cooperation, the most sustainable university in the world is located in the Netherlands. Wageningen University & Research focuses, among other things, on food security and technology. WUR has had a longstanding collaboration and an MoU with Massey University, exchanging knowledge, students and innovation in the field of sustainable agriculture and forestry.