The road to Paris

Next week, delegates will descend on Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

The summit is seen as a crucial opportunity for the world to commit to reducing carbon emissions and widespread impacts which will come with several degrees of global temperature rise.

Under present projections, the mean temperature in New Zealand could be 2C higher by the end of the century — and even between 3C and 4C higher if no action is taken to curb carbon emissions.

Sea level is expected to rise between 80cm and 100cm, leaving populations to adapt by either abandoning coasts and islands, changing infrastructure and coastal zones, or protecting areas.

New Zealand is taking to Paris a new target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent from 2005 levels and 11 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030. The other big goal of Paris will be to lock in a new fund that will raise $100 billion each year by 2020 to help developing nations meet their own carbon-cutting goals.

Today, the Herald begins interviews, featuring on nzherald.co.nz, with leading New Zealand figures on various facets of the Paris talks. Science reporter Jamie Morton, who will travel to Paris with the support of the NZ Science Media Centre and the Morgan Foundation, will also take an in-depth look at the issue in the Weekend Herald.