The Minister of Climate Change says New Zealand can attend an international conference on climate change with its head held high.
The National-led Government's amended Emissions Trading Scheme passed its final reading in Parliament by 63 votes to 58 on Wednesday night, with the support of the Maori Party and United Future.
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith, who will lead the delegation to the climate change conference in Copenhagen next month, says this country has had one of the largest increases in emissions since 1990.
He describes New Zealand's emissions profile as pretty ugly, but says it's important this country acknowledges at Copenhagen that it must do better.
The legislation waters down the existing emissions trading scheme the former Labour-led Government passed into law last year. The Greens and Labour opposed the bill, claiming it will saddle future generations with debt and increase New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions.
Representatives of about 190 nations gather in Copenhagen from 7-18 December to work out a global deal to fight climate change after the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012.
