New Zealand: Politics
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.
Well done New Zealand, says Europe
9 Sep 2011
New Zealand has been congratulated by Europe for its emissions trading scheme.
Greens push for Pacific climate action
9 Sep 2011
New Zealand and Australia can, and must, lead on real action to respond to climate change to save the endangered Pacific Island nations, the Green Party says.
Green only way, says EU climate chief
2 Sep 2011
Our government is about to meet a politician who says that addressing climate change is core conservative politics.
Doctor fears climate treaty challenge
2 Sep 2011
A Maori public health specialist says that the Government is failing to address climate change – and that could leave the way open for a Treaty of Waitangi challenge.
Sound science the key, say academics
2 Sep 2011
Sound science should underpin sound environmental planning, policy development and management, say scientists at Waikato University's new Enviornmental Research Institute.
New Zealanders right behind sustainability
26 Aug 2011
Nearly 90 per cent of New Zealanders think sustainability - and use of the 100% Pure brand - provides the country with an important competitive advantage when trading in global markets, a new survey says.
Environment reporting: What do you think?
19 Aug 2011
The Government is calling for feedback on plans to strengthen rules around environmental reporting.
Callaghan: We need schemes, not dreams
12 Aug 2011
New Zealand does not have a clean-tech natural advantage, says one of our leading scientists.
Survey shows we fret over climate costs
12 Aug 2011
A climate change-policy lobby group says that its latest survey shows New Zealanders are worried about the cost of dealing with climate change.
Heating scheme reaches more homes
5 Aug 2011
An extra 1250 households each year will be able to access Government funding to replace their old solid fuel heaters, the Government says.
Air quality record improves
5 Aug 2011
New Zealand’s average number of air quality exceedances dropped to 3.5 in 2010 – the best level since nationwide records began in 2000, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
Major changes unlikely, says ETS review head
1 Aug 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme review panel is unlikely to change its recommendations substantially in light of Australia’s carbon pricing moves.
Bill to ban new coal mines fails at first reading
Fri 24 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A bid to outlaw new coal mines was defeated at its first hurdle in Parliament this week, after a heated debate pitting climate imperatives against energy security and affordability.
Council buys dairy farm to help clean up Lake Rotorua
Tue 21 Oct 2025
Bay of Plenty Regional Council has bought a 266-hectare dairy farm in the Lake Rotorua catchment and plans to retire it from production to reduce nitrogen entering the lake.
Emissions down slightly - Stats NZ
Fri 24 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.5% in the June 2025 quarter, although the decline seems to reflect the economy continuing to contract rather than Aoteoroa inching towards decarbonisation goals.
NZ’s government wants tourism to drive economic growth – but how will it deal with aviation emissions?
Wed 22 Oct 2025
By Robert McLachlan, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University | Following a brief dip during the COVID pandemic, aviation is back in a growth phase.
Emails show forestry lobby fought Gisborne crackdown as slash clean-up drags on
26 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Sustainable land use advocates are accusing Eastland Wood Council of stonewalling efforts to tighten forestry rules, after correspondence between the group and the local council was released under the Official Information Act.
Govt to ease climate reporting thresholds, water down liability
Wed 22 Oct 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The rollback of climate change reporting requirements has produced a wave of relief in corporate New Zealand as managed investment funds and listed companies with annual revenue under $1 billion are exempted.
