Politics

Dunne decider on thermal power future

14 Jun 13 - Beleaguered MP Peter Dunne could be called on to cast the deciding vote over whether new thermal electricity generation is banned or not.

Industry sees bioenergy as key to jobs

14 Jun 13 - Legislation supporting bioenergy production of electricity will provide employment and economic growth in rural areas, says the Bioenergy Association.

China set to roll out trading scheme

14 Jun 13 - China next week will launch an emissions trading scheme in the southern city of Shenzhen, marking its first attempt to cut emissions using market mechanisms.

Experts rule fracking too risky

14 Jun 13 - German environmental experts doubt that developing shale gas is economically profitable and worthwhile for the country's energy transition.

Profit-taking comes as no surprise

14 Jun 13 - European carbon corrected overnight, with EUAs for December 2013 delivery closing down 9 cents to €4.41, OMFinancial reports.

Farmers slam fracking opposition

7 Jun 13 - Environmental and health concerns over the practice of spreading fracking fluids on pasture are being described as scare-mongering by Federated Farmers.

WWF seeks $40b to back renewable energy

7 Jun 13 - Governments and financial institutions worldwide have been urged to increase investment in renewable energy by at least $US40 billion over the next 12 months.

Minister defends Denniston decisions

31 May 13 - Conservation Minister Nick Smith says he deliberately approved Bathurst Resources’ mining application for the Denniston Plateau just one day before the new Crown Minerals Act came into effect.

China holds key to cleaner skies

17 May 13 - It’s time for China to adopt tighter laws and more regional efforts to fight air pollution through market mechanisms such as the carbon trading system, says an American expert.

Leaders to talk climate change

10 May 13 - Business and political leaders from across the spectrum will come together next month to see whether they can find common ground on climate change policies.

Why coal looks like a bad investment

3 May 13 - Coal investors could suffer heavy losses in the future as carbon assets are frozen by regulators to achieve global warming targets, a new research report has found.

Backloading might go to second vote

26 Apr 13 - A European Union plan to “backload” or withhold 900 million carbon allowances to see-saw their falling price, rejected by the European Parliament in a plenary session last week, could return for a...

New law protects EEZ, says minister

19 Apr 13 - A law which the Government says will enable the comprehensive environmental management of activities in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone will come into force in June.

US gives pass mark to climate change ... but UK says no

12 Apr 13 - The American school system is incorporating climate change into its science curriculum.

EDS claims RMA information is flawed

5 Apr 13 - The Government’s discussion document on proposed changes to the Resource Management Act relies on out-of-date and incorrect information, the Environmental Defence Society says

Stern: It could be worse than we thought

5 Apr 13 - The world could be headed toward warming even more catastrophic than expected, says the author of an influential 2006 study on climate change.

Pioneer activist quits job … to get busy

5 Apr 13 - One of the United States’ most prominent voices on climate change, NASA scientist James Hansen, is retiring so he can get busier with activism.

Combet becomes minister of everything

28 Mar 13 - It’s one of the great political job titles … Minister of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

Kyoto call kills off tar sands project

22 Mar 13 - Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol has led to one of the world’s most prestigious research institute pulling out of a $25 million tar sands project.