New Zealand: Politics
Govt wants hold on international credits
11 Apr 2012
The Government intends restricting the number of international carbon credits New Zealand emitters can use to meet their obligations, it has been revealed today.
Worried scientists push for global action
30 Mar 2012
Thousands of scientists meeting in London are calling for radical economic and social reorganisation on a global scale to avert an environmental crisis.
Greenhouse group shuts doors
30 Mar 2012
The Greenhouse Policy Coalition will be no more from tomorrow.
Our focus wrong, says think-tank head
23 Mar 2012
Departing New Zealand Institute chief executive Rick Boven says that New Zealand is failing to grasp the full implications of the environmental crisis.
Shearer pushes green economy vision
16 Mar 2012
Opposition leader David Shearer said he wanted a green economy, but didn’t say how he’d achieve it. Prime Minister John Key didn’t mention it at all.
Govt will slow ETS
9 Mar 2012
The electricity, industrial and transport sectors will continue to be sheltered from the full force of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
We're late, but no worries, says Smith
9 Mar 2012
New Zealand might have missed the deadline for submissions on increasing international emissions reduction levels, but Climate Change Minister Nick Smith says it’s not a problem.
NZ will target fossil fuels at Rio
9 Mar 2012
New Zealand will use the Rio+20 Summit to push for reform of fossil fuel subsidies.
Green economy only way for Shearer
10 Feb 2012
Lining up economic policy and environment policy is the biggest environmental issue facing New Zealand, says Labour leader David Shearer.
Labour likes ETS ... if it works
10 Feb 2012
New Labour leader David Shearer says that he is committed to the Emissions Trading Scheme – if it works.
We need new water system, says academic
10 Feb 2012
A Waikato University academic says that New Zealand needs to rethink its water allocation system or risk stifling economic and cultural development.
Govt might block overseas credits
3 Feb 2012
The number of international carbon credits coming into New Zealand could be cut.
Officials back slow-down of ETS
3 Feb 2012
Government officials are backing recommendations to slow down the impact the Emissions Trading Scheme is having on the economy.
Minister puts plans for environment
27 Jan 2012
New rules to protect New Zealand’s oceans and freshwater, streamlining the Resource Management Act, a new Environment Reporting Act and aligning the Emissions Trading Scheme with that of Australia are on the Government’s agenda.
Poor prices will hurt government income
16 Dec 2011
Collapsing carbon prices could leave a hole in the Government’s books.
Smith (and climate change) down the track
16 Dec 2011
The removal of the Climate Change Minister Nick Smith from National's parliamentary front bench is a sign of things to come under this Government, the Green Party is warning.
Groser looks for more ETS partners
9 Dec 2011
New Zealand is working towards a regional carbon market.
Business brains want Beehive to come clean
25 Nov 2011
Business lobby group Pure Advantage is calling for an across-Parliament agreement for an environmentally clean business growth plan for New Zealand.
ETS here to stay, vows Groser
18 Nov 2011
New Zealand will push for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, but the Emissions Trading Scheme is here to say regardless of the outcome of international climate change negotiations in Durban this month.
Environment: Where the minor parties stand
18 Nov 2011
Both National and Labour are vowing that the Emissions Trading Scheme is here to say, but what do the smaller parties have to say about the environment?
Kauri might hold clues to climate secrets
18 Nov 2011
NIWA scientists will use geochemistry of precisely-dated kauri tree rings to examine New Zealand's climate during the last millennium.
Key admits our rivers in trouble
11 Nov 2011
Prime Minister John Key has conceded that many of New Zealand’s rivers are in trouble after all.
Unhappy exporters voice ETS fears
11 Nov 2011
National's promise to slow down implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme has failed to impress exporters.
NZ doctors 'asleep at the wheel'
11 Nov 2011
Senior doctors and other health professionals are backing calls in the New Zealand Medical Journal for the country to do much more to reduce the risks of climate instability to acceptable levels.
Environment key poll issue, says Labour
4 Nov 2011
Labour is about to pitch its environment policy as an election-winner.
Chauvel lists flaws in ETS review
4 Nov 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme would be up for review again under a Labour Government.
New party pushes green business
4 Nov 2011
New Zealand has a new political party based on green business
Temper economic growth, says scientist
28 Oct 2011
One of the world’s leading climate scientists is in New Zealand talking about an end to economic growth.
Scientists call for emissions audits
28 Oct 2011
Leading international climate scientists meeting in Wellington are calling for audits of countries’ greenhouse gas emissions.
Industrial gas submissions close soon
28 Oct 2011
Submissions on whether industrial gas CERs should be banned from the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme close on Monday.
Offshore mining ... what do you think?
21 Oct 2011
The Environmental Defence Society has released a comprehensive analysis of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill and wants your views.
Somehow, we've got a carbon surplus
14 Oct 2011
New Zealand has a carbon surplus – on paper, anyway.
Gas credits ban might catch some emitters
7 Oct 2011
Some emitters are likely to be caught holding carbon credits that cannot be used in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme.
Change a challenge, says pioneer professor
7 Oct 2011
An eminent New Zealand geologist who played an instrumental part in proving the theory of plate tectonics says that getting the public to accept climate change is harder.
Eco question: What price our environment?
7 Oct 2011
A British environmentalist who started the first eco-tourism business in the Galapagos Islands says that New Zealand needs to follow the British example and put some dollar values on intrinsic worth of the environment.
Greens demand subsidy answers
30 Sep 2011
The Government is being accused of subsidising the fossil fuel industry while at the same time campaigning internationally for an end to fossil fuel-industry subsidies.
Business wants green growth answers
23 Sep 2011
Some of New Zealand’s top business leaders will put a ruler over politicians’ election plans for green growth.
Green jobs galore, promises Norman
23 Sep 2011
The Green Party has launched a policy it says will create 100,000 new green jobs through business incentives and government leadership.
Green group's hands tied, says watchdog
23 Sep 2011
The Government’s Green Growth Advisory Group has not been given the scope it needs to do its job properly, says Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright.
That's it ... till after the election
16 Sep 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme has been kicked for touch until after the election.
Carbon progress ... early start, late arrival
16 Sep 2011
How does New Zealand’s transition to a price on carbon compared to that proposed for Australia?
ETS review: We've been heard, say farmers
16 Sep 2011
Federated Farmers sees many of the key points for which it has advocated reflected in the Emissions Trading Scheme review panel’s report.
ETS review: Messages mixed, says Labour
16 Sep 2011
The Government continues to have two messages on whether it will include agriculture in its Emissions Trading Scheme, says Labour's Climate Change spokesperson, Brendon Burns.
ETS review: Weak scheme gets weaker
16 Sep 2011
The review of the Emissions Trading Scheme proposes to increase subsidies to climate polluters at the cost of the New Zealand taxpayer and the climate, the Green Party says.
ETS review: Act stands for abolition
16 Sep 2011
The Government should "drop the pretence" and scrap the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Act Party says.
ETS review: Where are emissions reductions?
16 Sep 2011
With each change to the Emissions Trading Scheme, the subsidy regime is expanded and the taxpayer picks up more of the tab, while there is minimal impact on gross emissions, the Sustainability Council says.
ETS review: Slow is best for business
16 Sep 2011
Slowing down the implementation of New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme would be a good move, says BusinessNZ.
ETS review: Farm costs worry Fonterra
16 Sep 2011
Fonterra is committed to emissions reductions and will continue to work within the business and on-farm to see them achieved.
ETS review: Check facts, Government told
16 Sep 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme review report is unjustifiably optimistic on the global climate change response, and the Government is urged to get its own facts before reaching any decisions, Straterra says.
ETS review: Costs will increase, says coalition
16 Sep 2011
The recommendations of the ETS review panel would increase the cost of the scheme to consumers and businesses after next year and are not supported by public opinion, according to the sponsors of an annual survey of climate change opinion.
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.
