New Zealand is a long, narrow and mountainous country. It consists of two large islands that are located in the southwest Pacific Ocean between 33° and 47° S latitude. New Zealand has a combined land area of around 27 million hectares and a coastline of 17,200 km. Grassland for agriculture, natural forest and plantation forestry form New Zealand’s main land cover (55% of total land use). New Zealand’s population was 4.8 million in 2017. New Zealand’s population density is relatively low. In 2017, New Zealand’s GDP amounted to $168 billion and GDP per capita (PPP) was $39,000. The economy is based on the provision of services (the manufacturing and primary sectors). The primary sector (agricultural, horticultural, forestry, mining and fishing industries) plays a fundamental role in the export sector and in employment. New Zealand has climate zones ranging from subtropical to subantarctic. The climate is heavily influenced by New Zealand’s location in a latitudinal zone with prevailing westerly winds and by the surrounding ocean. It is also influenced by mountain chains that modify the weather systems as they sweep eastward. This leads to more rainfall in the west and drier conditions in the east Seventh National Communication, 2017). New Zealand has ratified the Paris Agreement and committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 (Nationally Determined Contribution, 2016).