New Zealand: Politics
Ratepayers foot the bill, say local authorities
5 Apr 2013
Ratepayers are being left to pick up the cost of environmental monitoring that should be paid for by the Government, says Local Government New Zealand.
EDS claims RMA information is flawed
5 Apr 2013
The Government’s discussion document on proposed changes to the Resource Management Act relies on out-of-date and incorrect information, the Environmental Defence Society says
Casualties could be trees, says board
5 Apr 2013
Changes to the Resource Management Act could cost Auckland its trees, says the Auckland Conservation Board.
Lobbyist wants help to fight RMA changes
28 Mar 2013
The Environmental Defence Society says that changes to the Resource Management Act give radical new powers to government ministers.
Kyoto submissions about to close
22 Mar 2013
Submissions on which, if any, carbon credits should be carried over into the Kyoto Protocol’s second commitment period close in a week.
Don't blame biofuels, says minister
15 Mar 2013
The Government is denying its decision to scrap the biofuels obligation contributed to Solid Energy’s financial meltdown.
ASA mulls over 100% Pure complaint
15 Mar 2013
The Advertising Standards Association is yet to decide whether it will accept jurisdiction over a complaint about the validity of New Zealand’s 100% Pure advertising brand.
'100% Pure Kiwi lad' challenges brand claims
8 Mar 2013
The Advertising Standards Authority is being asked to rule on the validity of New Zealand’s 100% Pure marketing brand.
Govt wants to hold carry-over units
8 Mar 2013
The Government wants to be the only New Zealand holder of ERUS and CERs who can carry them over into the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
Beehive watchdog slams RMA proposals
1 Mar 2013
The Government's proposed changes to the Resource Management Act paint the environment as the enemy of the economy, says the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
We're making RMA easier, says minister
1 Mar 2013
The Government has announced changes to the Resource Management Act which it says will make it easier to use, increase certainty and predictability, attract investment, reduce unnecessary duplication and cost.
Question for PM: UN is serious, are you?
22 Feb 2013
Green Party MP Kennedy Graham told Parliament this week that the United Nations Security Council is starting to consider climate change a serious risk.
Refugees? Don't ask us, says Government
1 Feb 2013
New Zealand has no policy for dealing with future climate change refugees.
Key's climate change answers anger Greens
1 Feb 2013
Prime Minister John Key was challenged in Parliament this week over why he didn’t mention climate change in his outline of Government priorities for the year.
Officials sort out Kyoto withdrawal
1 Feb 2013
Government officials are working out the implications of New Zealand’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.
Government mulls over binding target
1 Feb 2013
The Government is “considering advice on Doha outcomes” as it ponders what this country’s binding emissions reduction target will be.
Groser goes green in Berlin
18 Jan 2013
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser is at Berlin’s Green Week – the largest food, agriculture and horticulture festival in the world.
NZ carbon stand wrong, says Kyoto expert
14 Dec 2012
New Zealand’s political determination to maintain access to carbon at international prices is a mistake, says our most seasoned Kyoto negotiator.
Govt takes 'hard look' at green economy
14 Dec 2012
The Government has set out is plans for developing a green economy in New Zealand.
Why changing the system has dangers
7 Dec 2012
Reforming the fiscal system with moves like abolishing quarterly reporting could do more environmental damage than good, says a leading New Zealand economist.
Key defends climate change actions
7 Dec 2012
Prime Minister John Key says that he takes criticism of New Zealand’s actions on climate change with a grain of salt.
We're staunch, junior minister tells world
7 Dec 2012
New Zealand has attempted to assure the world that its carbon-reduction targets will continue beyond 2015.
RMA changes put money first, says watchdog
7 Dec 2012
Changes to the Resource Management Act put economic development ahead of environmental concerns, says the Environmental Defence Society.
NZ will end up just a slogan, Greens warn
30 Nov 2012
New Zealand is in danger of becoming little more than a marketing slogan that the world is starting to see through, Green Party climate change spokesman Kennedy Graham is warning.
Time running out for ERUs submissions
23 Nov 2012
Submissions on plans to ban some international units from the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme close next week.
Greens accuse Nats of breaking promises
23 Nov 2012
The National Government has broken two election promises it made to act on climate change, the Green Party says.
Pollution really, really scary, say our kids
23 Nov 2012
New Zealand children are worried about pollution, climate change and scary animals, a new report shows.
We've got it wrong, says market expert
16 Nov 2012
Market instruments are the only viable way of reducing the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – but the New Zealand scheme is currently failing, an international expert says.
Boost regional bio-industry, says report
16 Nov 2012
Fostering industries such as biofuels from woody biomass and investing in technologies such as smart grids could give New Zealand’s regional economies a real boost, says one of the authors of a new report on green growth.
Stern: NZ a land of opportunity
16 Nov 2012
Lord Stern, the British economist who made the business world sit up and take notice of climate change, says that shifting to a green economy will protect New Zealand’s current competitive advantage and clean, green brand.
We'd sign with Kyoto, promises Labour
16 Nov 2012
A Labour Government would sign up to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
Joyce denies environment comment
16 Nov 2012
Economic Development Minister and Associate Finance Minister Steven Joyce is denying a claim he told business leaders that the public will accept environmental degradation if it comes with economic growth.
Bill dumps agriculture on backburner
9 Nov 2012
Agriculture is out of the Emissions Trading Scheme indefinitely.
National MP questions the science
9 Nov 2012
A Government MP who shouted “where’s the science?” during the debate on changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme this week says he’s no climate-change denier.
Forget today, think carbon 30 years out
2 Nov 2012
Today’s low carbon prices are not an incentive for investment in low-carbon technology, the Government has acknowledged.
ETS changes get through House ... just
26 Oct 2012
Controversial changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme passed their second reading in Parliament yesterday by the slimmest of majorities.
Price flop not a good look, admits Smith
26 Oct 2012
Former Climate Change Minister Nick Smith admits that low carbon prices are sending “weak” market signals to emitters and foresters.
Maori vow to fight for ETS rights
26 Oct 2012
Maori say they will continue to fight damaging changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme even if they are passed by Parliament.
ETS protesters bring out the chainsaws
26 Oct 2012
Youth organisation Generation Zero held a mock chainsaw massacre outside Parliament yesterday to protest about changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme going through the House.
Govt has numbers to pass ETS changes
19 Oct 2012
The Government has the numbers it needs to pass controversial changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Groser: We'll check out status of units
19 Oct 2012
The Government says it will look at the eligibility of some international units under New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme.
ETS 'disappointing and costly' decision
19 Oct 2012
The failure to fix the Emissions Trading Scheme Amendment Bill before its third reading is a disappointing and costly decision, says the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright.
A case of too many CERs
19 Oct 2012
CERs were sold off overnight, falling 15 cents on concerns that more issuance is pushing the number of CERs beyond the level the system needs, OMFinancial reports.
Survey shows how much we care about environment
12 Oct 2012
A new survey shows New Zealanders care about the environment even if the Government doesn’t, says Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage.
ETS changes go under scrutiny
5 Oct 2012
Changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme are now being debated by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee.
Dick Smith’s recipe for a fantastic future without perpetual economic growth
5 Oct 2012
Australian entrepreneur DICK SMITH spoke to New Zealand business leaders in Queenstown recently about an alternative to the current economic model.
Think carrot ... not stick
28 Sep 2012
Carbon Match founder LIZZIE CHAMBERS says we need to think about how the carbon market can drive innovation - and artifically low carbon prices are not the answer.
Maori leaders want cheap credits blocked
21 Sep 2012
The influential Climate Change Iwi Leaders Group is pressuring the Government to cut the flow of cheap international carbon credits into New Zealand.
Fast, sustained phase-out of fossil fuels: best-performing countries in coal and transport sectors
Thu 10 Jul 2025
By Robert McLachlan | It’s true that climate change is getting worse – it will continue to get worse until emissions fall to near zero. But is action on phasing out fossil fuels really stalling?
Clear-sighted view to trade-offs crucial to reimagining our relationship with the land
7 Jul 2025
By Nick Swallow | COMMENT: New Zealand could see a 70% drop in the value of dairy land if we pursue our emissions targets for agriculture, according to a new report.
Mangroves' overlooked climate role
30 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand’s mangrove forests are pulling tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year, yet their climate benefits remain unrecognised in national emissions reporting.
How flying can be a climate solution
16 Jun 2025
By Paul Callister and Robert McLachlan - Planetary Ecology | How can aviation contribute to tackling climate change when no practicable technology-based solutions are on the horizon?
Emissions Trading Scheme needs deep reform - commissioner
Fri 11 Jul 2025
The government’s attempt to limit forestry conversions on rural land is unlikely to lead to meaningful change, according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
NZ Post drops science-based climate target
Tue 8 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | NZ Post has dropped its science-based emissions reduction target of 42% by 2030 with no plans to replace it.
