Announcements expected soon on $200M gas fund
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Fossil fuel companies appear likely to take up a $200 million government fund to encourage additional oil and gas exploration, dashing lobbyist Business New Zealand’s hopes that it might be repurposed to underwrite industrial electrification.
Biodiversity plan heavy on talk, light on action, expert warns
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A newly released government biodiversity implementation plan has been criticised for lacking practical action, with one expert saying it focuses too heavily on discussion and data gathering rather than delivering results on the ground.
Northland community climate resilience fund faces massive demand
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Susan Botting, Local Democracy Reporter | A three‑year‑old ratepayer-funded Northland Regional Council community climate resilience fund is experiencing strong demand, with to date around five times more money sought than is available.
Media round-up
Fri 24 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: What is the real cost of storm-hit infrastructure? Urgency is needed over climate adaptation funding; and a community conservation group has won a legal victory against multinational mining company OceanaGold.
Pacific Islands call for fossil fuel phase-out, NZ hangs back
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Pacific Islands nations have launched a landmark declaration for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, however New Zealand isn’t rushing to join the call.
CARBON PRICE
Fri 24 Apr 2026
Exclusively for subscribers, the Carbon News NZU Index tracks daily movements in the compliance carbon market across multiple trading platforms.
Commission advises no change to ETS settings but warns Govt of looming risks
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Climate Change Commission is warning the Government of a possible shortfall of Emissions Trading Scheme units by the late 2020s and says the scheme will struggle to provide an investment signal by the mid-2030s.
Govt moving to two-yearly ETS updates
Wed 22 Apr 2026
The Government is moving to update ETS settings every two years, rather than each year as it does currently, as part of upcoming changes to climate legislation.
Carbon price rises as lack of forestry credits hint at tightening supply
Tue 21 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Prices on the secondary carbon market have rallied to their highest point in 2026, recovering to levels last seen in November last year, just before the Government announced it was unlinking the Emissions Trading Scheme from international climate goals.
Carbon ‘stockpile’ up 9 million in March quarter
10 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The ‘stockpile’ of pollution permits (NZUs) in private accounts has increased by just over 9 million to almost 145 million since the end of 2025, according to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Authority.
Here’s what to expect from the first conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels
Fri 24 Apr 2026
Delegates from more than 50 countries are gathering in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24 to 29 at the first-ever Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.
Prospects for global green shipping deal boosted by US tariff ruling, analysts say
Fri 24 Apr 2026
While divisions remain over the international shipping’s Net Zero Framework, the US’s main threat may now have been partly neutered
Scientists forecast wildfire risk for species survival under climate change
Fri 24 Apr 2026
A new study warns climate change could increase the global area susceptible to wildfires in the future, putting many more species at risk than today.
Republican lawmakers attempt to shield big oil from climate lawsuits in ‘alarming’ bills
Fri 24 Apr 2026
Climate experts and advocates warn House and Senate bills will protect polluters at the cost of the climate.
New gas-powered data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than entire nations
Fri 24 Apr 2026
New gas projects linked to just 11 data center campuses around the US have the potential to create more greenhouse gases than the country of Morocco emitted in 2024.
CLIMATE CALENDAR
Fri 24 Apr 2026
The Carbon News calendar of talks, events, conferences, consultations, and petitions related to climate change.
UC researcher shortlisted for $1m global planet prize
Thu 23 Apr 2026
Media release | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury PhD candidate and research associate Daniel Hernández-Carrasco is one of 25 scientists worldwide recognised in the 2026 Frontiers Planet Prize for research helping humanity stay within Earth’s environmental limits.
Mercury signs major hydro upgrade programme with ANDRITZ
Thu 23 Apr 2026
Media release | Mercury has signed a contract with international technology group ANDRITZ as part of a $590 million upgrade of three of the nine hydro stations on the Waikato River.
Forest owners welcome next step in India trade deal
Tue 21 Apr 2026
Media release | The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) welcomes confirmation that legal verification of the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement has been completed, with both countries confirming the agreement will be signed on 27 April in New Delhi.
Energy savings tool expands to help save businesses money and improve energy resilience
Mon 20 Apr 2026
Media release | New Zealand’s leading performance certification for office buildings, NABERSNZ is expanding into new sectors – and will soon include rating tools for shopping centres, retail stores, warehouses and cold stores.
