Fiji, Oct. 15 -- New Zealand has scored among the lowest countries globally for integrating public health into its climate plan, while Timor-Leste ranks among the top five performers, according to a new global scorecard assessing countries' climate commitments.

The 2026 Healthy Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Scorecard, released by the Global Climate and Health Alliance, gave New Zealand just two points out of a possible 32, highlighting limited recognition of the links between climate change and human health.

In contrast, Timor-Leste scored 22 points, placing it among the five highest-ranked countries alongside Colombia, Nigeria, Cambodia and Paraguay.

The scorecard assessed the climate plans of 132 countries submitted to th...