New Zealand won't sign 'Kyoto 2' climate treaty

WELLINGTON (AP) - New Zealand's government said on Friday that it would not sign on for a second stage of the Kyoto Protocol climate treaty, a stance that angered environmentalists and political opponents.

The announcement came the same day that Australia said it would stay the course and commit to "Kyoto 2".

The treaty aims to curb international greenhouse gas emissions through binding national reductions. But some question its effectiveness after many of the world's biggest polluters, including the United States and China, did not sign on.

New Zealand's climate change minister Tim Groser said he remained committed to emission reductions agreed to under the first Kyoto Protocol.