Nick Smith off to Paris for OECD environment forum

Environment Minister Nick Smith has headed to Paris to chair the fourth annual OECD meeting of environment ministers. Smith said it was ‘‘a privilege’’ to become the first New Zealand minister to chair the meeting, which showed the country was well respected for its environmental record. Topics of discussion would be water, climate change, biodiversity, air pollution, waste, and resource use efficiency. Smith is also holding separate meetings with the environment ministers of Norway and Chile.