Tiriti Analysis
Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS)
The Climate Change agreement not about climate change or Indigenous Peoples
Countries Involved
Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland.
Fiji and Norway participated but did not sign.
In November 2024, the Crown signed an Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland. Fiji and Norway were originally participating, but dropped out.
Despite reference to Climate Change and Sustainability in its title, the agreement shows no genuine commitment to the environment and makes no material contribution to mitigating the climate crisis.
Instead, its four chapters require the liberalisation of a long list of “environmental goods” and “environmental and environmentally related services”, with weak and selective restrictions on “harmful” fossil fuel subsidies and voluntary eco-labelling.
The Crown’s “business as usual” trade liberalisation agenda provides no space for the participation and leadership by Māori and other Indigenous Peoples in devising an effective approach to the climate crisis, and no recognition and exercise of rangatiratanga, and the responsibilities of kaitakitanga, in relation to te Taiao, consistent with tikanga Māori, which could have helped to provide a meaningful outcome.
Our Analysis And Commentary On ACCTS
Media release: ACCTS Fails Tiriti of Waitangi Test
Ngā Toki Whakarururanga’s media release responds to the signing of ACCTS
Tiriti Assessment of ACCTS
Ngā Toki Whakarururanga’s Tiriti o Waitangi assessment of the ACCTS
Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability
The Crown’s National Interest Analysis (NIA) of the ACCTS with annex of Ngā Toki Whakarururanga’s input