despite a zero-carbon law, is New Zealand merely a follower rather than a leader?
- Written by David Hall, Senior Researcher in Politics, Auckland University of Technology
Back in pre-COVID times last year, when New Zealand passed the Zero Carbon Act, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern insisted “New Zealand will not be a slow follower” on climate change.
It struck a clear contrast with the previous National government’s approach, which the then prime minister, John Key, often described as being “a...





