Trade minister Todd McClay. Photo: Nick Monro
Trade minister Todd McClay says his UK and EU counterparts have never raised trade concerns with him over New Zealand's climate policies.
Stuff reported earlier on Thursday, that British officials raised concerns about New Zealand's oil and gas developments at a free trade agreement meeting in May and that three UK ministers had also asked for explanations.
The National-led coalition overturned a previous ban on oil and gas exploration earlier this year.
That followed a $200 million 'co-investment' announced to help fund new gas field developments.
Earlier this month, the scope of the fund was widened to include new exploration in existing fields.
The free trade agreement (FTA) signed between New Zealand and the UK in 2022 contains clauses to end "harmful" fossil fuel subsidies and direct financial support for the fossil fuel industry.
The FTA with the EU contains similar provisions.
McClay said no one had raised concerns with him directly.
"In fact I was just last week in Singapore... with one of their trade ministers. We talked about a lot of things including the success of the New Zealand-UK free trade agreement."
New Zealand would honour its FTA commitments to the climate and environment "but it is up for New Zealand to decide how to do that".
There were "often conversations" at official levels but he reiterated no concerns had been raised with him.
"I would expect that if some of our partners from the European Union or UK ... were concerned, I've seen so much of them in New Zealand and around the world this year [that] they would have," McClay said.
"It hasn't been raised, including when we had the EU trade commissioner down here for an export summit just a few weeks ago."
That was after the New Zealand government announced it was lowering the 2050 methane emissions target, he said.
"He, both in a press conference and then on TV, said that he was comfortable with what New Zealand was doing and knows that we will meet our obligations."
He had held meetings with UK ministers three or four times this year.
"If this was a serious concern I would expect them to [raise it].
"If officials are concerned, and their minister doesn't raise it, then actually it may not be as important as some are suggesting."
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