As global climate change talks get underway, the Government is pushing for rules on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to be agreed before the size of cuts are decided.
The conference of 190 countries beginning in Poland on Monday will prepare the groundwork for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, which expires in 2012. Negotiations started in Bali last year.
There is growing consensus on the need for an overall emissions cut by developed nations of 25% to 40% percent by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.
No firm figure on emissions targets is expected until a follow up meeting in Copenhagen.
The Government's climate change ambassador, Adrian Macey, said New Zealand wants the rules of the final deal to be agreed before the target is set.
The Government was heavily criticised over the fineprint in the first deal it struck on Kyoto.
Mr Macey said New Zealand was uncertain about what the rules were going to be, and some of the rules had a direct effect on the economy, especially those relating to how forests are dealt with.
The delegation is pushing for new rules on agricultural emissions and land use changes.
Negotiators 'must forge better deal'
Business New Zealand says government negotiators heading to the United Nations climate change conference must forge a better deal than they did with the Kyoto Protocol.
Chief executive Phil O'Reilly said negotiators must ensure New Zealand does not commit to targets that are unattainable, because of a lack of technology to deal with agricultural emissions.
He said Australia negotiated much harder than New Zealand last time and got a better deal, while New Zealand was uniquely disadvantaged as a developed nation reliant on agriculture.
Greenpeace says New Zealand has a poor record in climate change talks and will be under enormous pressure to agree to aggressive cuts.
Associate Professor Ralph Chapman, director of Environmental Studies at Victoria University, said New Zealand should support those countries pushing for a responsible and stringent target for emission reductions.
