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The Prime Minister says New Zealand can be pleased with what has come out of the climate change summit in Copenhagen, even though there is nothing legally binding.

The US has reached a deal with India, South Africa, China and Brazil. The text will be formally released later today and involves the major developed countries reducing their emissions by an average of 80 percent, but not until 2050.

John Key says the package falls short of the ambitions of the summit and is not likely to make a very big dent in the challenge of climate change, but he says New Zealand is one of only a few countries to come away with some victories.

“We are making progress on the rural changes that we wanted. We’ve had the successful launch of the global alliance which is New Zealand working alongside a group of large countries to try to find scientific solutions to agricultural emissions.”

Mr Key says New Zealand’s targets of a 10 to 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2020 and 50 percent reductions by 2050, are appropriate. He says his trip has been worthwhile because it was important for New Zealand to be represented at the top level.

– NEWSTALKZB.CO.NZ