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National’s diplomatic fossil fuel problem

On Wednesday at the Pacific Islands Forum, Vanuatu's Climate Change Minister, Ralph Regevanu, called on National not to reinstate offshore oil and gas exploration in New Zealand.

"We call on them not to do it. To be in line with Paris, the 1.5 degree target, the science says you cannot do new fossil fuels."

The move caught National off guard, with foreign affairs spokesperson Gerry Brownlee having told reporters just hours beforehand he didn't expect Pacific leaders to comment on the oil and gas policy.