"For this generation, this is our nuclear moment," she said, in reference to The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act which passed into law in 1987. "We have to start working beyond targets. We have to start working beyond aspiration. We have start moving beyond signs of hope and deliver signs of action. That is what this government is doing and proudly so." New Zealand will not be a slow follower. Jacinda Ardern, NZ PM The Coalition Government - comprised of Labour, the Green party and NZ First - didn't need the support of the opposition National party to pass the bill. NZ Green party co-leaders look on during the third reading of the bill in Parliament on November 7. Credit:Getty Images

However, Green party co-leader and Climate Change Minister James Shaw courted the conservative side of politics in order to secure the future viability of the policy. Loading "Some things are too big for politics. And the biggest of all is the climate crisis," he said. "Everyone has had to give way, even a little. But this is bigger than all of us. "This bill delivers on some of the most important work of the Green movement over many decades."

The Prime Minister's passion was evident in her address. "New Zealand will not be a slow follower," Ardern boomed. "We are here because the world is warming, undeniably it is warming. "I'm proud of the fact ... we're no longer having the debate over whether or not it is the case, we're debating what to do about it." Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is applauded by colleagues after her speech. Credit:Getty Images

Both Ardern and Shaw thanked the National party for their support. Loading The opposition moved seven amendments to the bill - all failed - before National supported the legislation anyway. Opposition Leader Simon Bridges, who pledged to make the changes should they win next year's election, noted it was his party that agreed to the Paris targets in April 2016. "There are parts of this bill I disagree with. I strongly disagree with," he said.

"We have taken a bipartisan approach to climate change, but we will continue to fight for the changes we think will make the law better." The Zero Carbon Bill is multifaceted but centres on the creation of an independent Climate Change Commission and a requirement that the government set new emission budgets every five years. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The overall goal is for New Zealand to do its share in limiting the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. It proposes to achieve that by setting zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and a reduction of between 24 and 47 per cent of methane emissions by 2050. A further methane reduction target of 10 per cent from 2017 levels by 2030 is also included.

But the bill had its opponents inside Parliament and out. Loading Judith Collins, a senior National often mentioned as a leadership aspirant, delivered a fiery speech that suggested a policy reversion should she displace Bridges. One-man libertarian party ACT voted against the bill, while lobby group Federated Farmers pointed to methane targets that they believed would reduce production. "They had a golden opportunity to pass a Bill that was fit for purpose ... and taken farmers along as well," vice president Andrew Hoggard said.