How Saudi Arabia turned back climate progress at summit

How Saudi Arabia turned back climate progress at summit
Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman led the Saudi strategists at the talks in Azerbaijan. (Image: Sean Gallup/Getty)
Bloomberg
By Akshat Rathi, Jennifer A. Dlouhy and John Ainger, with assistance from Alfred CangSaudi Arabia and its allies had two words they didn’t want to see repeated in a COP29 deal: “fossil fuels”. The faction got their way after two weeks of bitter negotiations in Azerbaijan, reversing gains made in earlier climate talks and helping to knock this year’s proceedings off track.The Gulf state surprised the world at COP28 when it joined nearly 200 nations in agreeing to transition away from fossil fuels, but it’s been...

More Politics

How to pay for Lyttelton Port Company expansion
Infrastructure Analysis

How to pay for Lyttelton Port Company expansion

With politicians ruling out asset sales, how will Christchurch pay for port expansion?

Oliver Lewis 25 Sep 2025
Willis, Edmonds offer 'boardroom' bipartisan vibes
Economy

Willis, Edmonds offer 'boardroom' bipartisan vibes

'We are the centre, Labour and National,' said Labour's Barbara Edmonds.

Pattrick Smellie 24 Sep 2025
Fear, panic and a sour mood in the boardroom
Opinion

Dileepa Fonseka: Fear, panic and a sour mood in the boardroom

Strong on the world stage, the PM’s weaknesses at home are hurting him.

Dileepa Fonseka 24 Sep 2025
NZ First breaks with Govt over ‘unfocused immigration’ in major move
News in Brief

NZ First breaks with Govt over ‘unfocused immigration’ in major move

New Zealand First is invoking the rarely-used “agree to disagree” clause in its coalition agreement over two new pathways to residency that the Government is announcing for skilled migrants on Tuesday.The clause has been triggered only a handful of times, with this the first time...

Staff reporters 23 Sep 2025