WELLINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand on Monday urged the International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states to work towards a meaningful and effective outcome in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

While releasing a statement at the IMO Greenhouse Gas reduction strategy negotiations in London, Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter urged the IMO not to miss this opportunity to adopt a workable and effective strategy to bring rising greenhouse gas emissions from shipping under control.

"The IMO strategy needs to be ambitious with appropriate measures implemented as soon as possible and it needs to apply to all IMO member states and all ships equally, regardless of which state a ship is registered in," Genter said.

New Zealand has signed the Tony de Brum declaration at the One Planet Summit held in Paris last December, confirming that international shipping must play a part in global climate action.

"Shipping is vital for Pacific countries, including New Zealand, and we all have a part to play ensuring that maritime trade happens in an environmentally friendly way," she said.