Wellington - New Zealand remains committed to being a leader in making a transition to a low carbon economy to combat greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming, Prime Minister Helen Clark said Wednesday, the eve of World Environment Day.

The New Zealand capital, Wellington, is this year's host of World Environment Day, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 and is commemorated each year in a different city.

The theme of this year's commemoration is "Kick the Carbon Habit" and a week of activities include community awards for protecting the environment, art exhibitions, lectures, tree planting and recycling campaigns.

Clark told a World Environment Day business conference in Auckland that her government rejected opposition calls to slow down implementation of its proposed trading scheme designed to make industries pay for their greenhouse gas emissions.

"While adjustments can be made to the scheme, we can't avoid the costs of meeting New Zealand's international climate change commitments," she said, rejecting suggestions that it should wait until other countries with richer, bigger, economies have put their own schemes into place.

"We believe there are far more gains from being a leader than being a follower," Clark said.

"The emissions trading scheme has been well designed, and it is in line with similar schemes either already in place or under development around the world.

"The calls for delay are destructive of New Zealand's ability to front foot the climate change challenge and meet our international commitments."

Clark said that delaying implementation of the scheme would increase the cost of emissions borne by taxpayers and deprive business of the certainty it needs to plan ahead.

An important guest during the week will be Anote Tong, president of the South Pacific island state of Kiribati, which comprises low- lying atolls no more than 3 metres above sea level making it particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change which could flood it. (dpa)