Foreword

The world's big environmental problems cannot be solved without countries working together.

New Zealand is party to almost 50 multilateral environmental agreements. All impose obligations that New Zealand has agreed to meet -and none are easy to implement. They are often complex and their scientific basis is not always agreed or well understood.

We examined the following aspects of New Zealand's approach to four multilateral environmental agreements:

• the processes for negotiating and accepting the agreements;
• implementation of and compliance with the agreed obligations;
• the adequacy of information provided to Parliament; and
• lessons for future agreements.

Our conclusions and recommendations are summarised in Part One "Overview" on pages 9-24, and are set out in detail in the individual Parts for each of the four agreements.

D J D Macdonald
Controller and Auditor-General

26 April 2001