New Zealand's Clean Green image is slowly fading says the World Wide Fund for Nature.

European research organisation Germanwatch has ranked New Zealand 42nd for its climate effort - down from 34th last year.

WWF Head of Campaigns Peter Hardstaff says the ranking highlights what they knew already.

He said the poor ranking's no surprise because the Government doesn't have an effective climate plan.

"The emission trading scheme in New Zealand has been effectually gutted by this Government. It's been weakened to such an extent that it's virtually become meaningless, and this is in a context where there is so much that we could be doing."

He wants New Zealand to be the world leader we portray ourselves to be.

"What this shows is that other countries are forging ahead. The world is changing and we need a Government that is looking at this century, not at the last century."