The Employers and Manufacturers Association is pushing for the government to drop its commitment to the Kyoto protocol.

It comes as the British government admits the climate change scheme is unworkable, because no country is willing to take steps which will cause slower growth.

Chief executive of the EMA, Alasdair Thompson, says there are other ways of tackling the problem.

He says countries can work together to combat global warming, rather than trying to meet the unrealistic targets in the Kyoto protocol.

Mr Thompson says New Zealand needs to get out of the deal at the next available opportunity.

He says it is pretty tough for New Zealand to be the only one left with the Kyoto burden.