New Zealand: Politics
ETS review extended in wake of Aussie plan
1 Aug 2011
Climate Change Minister Nick Smith is seeking an update from the Emissions Trading Scheme review committee to take account of Australia’s recent announcements to implement a carbon price.
Business sings new tune on ETS
1 Aug 2011
The business sector is much more positive about the Emissions Trading Scheme than it was two years ago.
Beware of Australian ETS, says report
29 Jul 2011
Integration with the Australian carbon market would disadvantage New Zealand businesses, says a new report.
Auckland talks make a little progress
29 Jul 2011
International climate change negotiators made tentative progress at a meeting in Auckland this week, our International Climate Change Minister says.
One-for-two deal must stay, says coalition
29 Jul 2011
The Greenhouse Policy Coalition is warning that New Zealanders will face higher prices for fuel and electricity if the Government removes the one-for-two obligation in the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Climate deal-makers head for Auckland
22 Jul 2011
International climate change negotiators will meet in Auckland next week, it has just been announced.
Youth group makes zero-carbon stand
22 Jul 2011
A new youth-based political movement is calling for today’s carbon bills to be paid today.
ETS review findings linger with minister
15 Jul 2011
There's no word yet on when the review of the Emissions Trading Scheme will be made public.
Future leaders give their vision of NZ
15 Jul 2011
New Zealand’s future business leaders are being asked what the country could look like in 2050 if the it adopts sustainable development.
Are we keeping up, asks energy expert
15 Jul 2011
The argument by some New Zealand businesses and farmers that NZ should not be a leader in climate change mitigation is beginning to wear thin, says an expert on renewable energy.
Govt under fire over southern lignite
15 Jul 2011
The Government came under fire in Parliament this week for supporting plans for a lignite mine in Southland while talking about how the world should phase out subsidies for fossil fuels.
Group to eye benefits of green brand
8 Jul 2011
New Zealand needs to consider how it leverages off its clean green brand in global markets and how new technologies can be developed to reduce environmental impacts, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Acting Minister for Economic Development David Carter say.
COMMENT: Government misses Pure Advantage
8 Jul 2011
The launch of Pure Advantage last night is an attempt to fill a leadership vacuum.
NZ needs oceans plan, says NIWA chief
8 Jul 2011
New Zealand urgently needs a national oceans strategy to sustainably manage and use its extensive marine resources to boost the economy, says NIWA chairman Chris Mace.
ETS review team hands over report
1 Jul 2011
The Government has the Emissions Trading Scheme review panel report.
New enviro watchdog to run ETS
1 Jul 2011
The new Environmental Protection Authority kicks off today, and from January it will be responsible for administering the Emissions Trading Scheme.
WWF calls for countries to act on carbon
17 Jun 2011
Fast and scaled-up support for innovative approaches to developing a low-carbon economy is both possible and essential, says a new WWF report.
Climate fighter has a big job for NZ
10 Jun 2011
Scientist and climate change campaigner Dr James Hansen says that New Zealand could be the country he has been looking for to "stand up and tell the truth" - that our addiction to fossil fuels can be cured only by an honest, rising price on carbon.
What James Hansen told the Prime Minister ...
10 Jun 2011
Prime Minister John Key, who has been singing the praises of Solid Energy's lignite plans in Southland, has been told by top scientist James Hansen that New Zealand should not go down this path.
Taxpayers face Kyoto bill worth billions
3 Jun 2011
New Zealand taxpayers face a future Kyoto liability of up to between $1 billion and $5 billion, the Sustainability Council is warning.
Carbon tax soon, say Aussie Greens
3 Jun 2011
Australia may leapfrog New Zealand on pricing carbon, that country’s Green Party leader says.
NZ attitudes concern climate cameraman
3 Jun 2011
New Zealand businesses are not interested in climate change, despite the concern of some individual business people, says an expatriate photographer whose work is dedicated to portraying the impact of climate change.
Caygill committee might miss deadline
27 May 2011
The committee reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme has had a small extension of time.
Government eyes fewer NZU allocations
20 May 2011
The Government expects to allocate 25 per cent fewer NZUs under the Emissions Trading Scheme next year than this year.
Budget sets aside $1.6m for ETS reviews
20 May 2011
The Government has set aside $1.6m a year until at least 2014 for reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Project to study our footprint on the world
20 May 2011
An in-depth research project will consider New Zealanders' ecological footprint.
Business on right track, says Hansen
13 May 2011
New Zealand’s business community has received a bouquet from the scientist James Hansen, the American dubbed the father of global warming.
Australia's carbon future taking shape
13 May 2011
Details of Australia’s carbon-pricing regime could be known by the end of the month.
Government backs waterways clean-up
13 May 2011
The Government is making money available to help councils and communities to clean-up nationally significant water bodies polluted by historically poor management.
Climate whistleblower to front big business
6 May 2011
The scientist who drew the world’s attention to climate change will front up to New Zealand business leaders next week.
Labour wants teeth for EPA
6 May 2011
The Labour Party is trying to give the Environment Protection Authority teeth, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson Charles Chauvel.
Don't delay agriculture, says world body
29 Apr 2011
Agriculture should come into the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme in 2015 as planned, says one of the world’s most influential organisations.
Caygill crew on target to produce report
29 Apr 2011
The panel reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme is on target to meet its report-back deadline, its chairman says.
We need green tax reform, says Norman
29 Apr 2011
The OECD has highlighted once again the need for green tax reform to address significant vulnerabilities in our economy and protect New Zealand’s clean green brand, says Green Party co-leader Russel Norman.
ETS stays no matter what, says Groser
21 Apr 2011
New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme will continue even if there is no international climate change agreement after next year, says International Climate Change Negotiations Minister Tim Groser.
Politics not way to beat climate change
21 Apr 2011
Progress on climate change will come through “boring detail” and not political rhetoric, says International Climate Change Minister Tim Groser.
Country expects to hit Kyoto targets
21 Apr 2011
New Zealand is on target to meet its Kyoto target without having to use overseas credits to offset our emissions, latest Government figures show.
Animal emissions appear to be lower
21 Apr 2011
New Zealand’s agricultural emissions to 2012 are likely to be lower than thought.
NZ fish species suffers in warmer seas
21 Apr 2011
Scientists have reported the first known detrimental impact of New Zealand ocean warming on a fish species.
Environment champion sees ETS loophole
15 Apr 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme should be tightened so that new carbon-intensive industries do not get taxpayer subsidies, the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment says.
UK generators face huge carbon price
1 Apr 2011
British electricity generators are about to face a minimum carbon price of 16 pounds a tonne – nearly twice the current price of carbon in New Zealand.
Synthetics answer might lie outside ETS
1 Apr 2011
Greenhouse gas emissions from the synthetic gases sector could be dealt with outside the Emissions Trading Scheme, says ETS review panel chair David Caygill.
What the IEA thinks of our ETS
1 Apr 2011
The International Energy Agency says there is no guarantee New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme will actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Government sets 50 by 50 emissions target
1 Apr 2011
The Government has confirmed New Zealand's long-term emissions reduction target of 50 per cent on 1990 levels by 2050.
Greens: Emissions target is green-washing
1 Apr 2011
The Government’s greenhouse gas emissions target is little more than green-washing, said the Green Party.
Emissions target inadequate, says WWF
1 Apr 2011
WWF says the government's 50-by-50 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target is totally inadequate.
How Europe found other ways to cut emissions
25 Mar 2011
Europe has found that you don’t have to bring every industry into an emissions trading regime to get them to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, the panel reviewing the New Zealand scheme is about to hear.
Greens push for a green Christchurch
25 Mar 2011
The new Christchurch Ministry needs to have a focus on sustainability from the start, says the Green Party.
ETS review panel wants YOUR input
11 Mar 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme review panel wants to know how the scheme is affecting businesses, households, farmers, foresters and Maori.
Govt’s own modelling shows LNG leads to higher electricity prices than other solutions
Today 11:30am
By Christina Hood | COMMENT: According to modelling conducted by Concept Consulting for MBIE, either developing the Tariki gas storage facility or managing electricity demand would deliver lower wholesale electricity prices than the Government’s preferred solution of an LNG import terminal.
Govt's solar on farms initiative to cut costs, boost resilience
Tue 17 Feb 2026
Farms across Aotearoa will begin installing solar panels and battery systems as part of a government-backed demonstration programme designed to test whether on-farm renewable energy can reduce electricity costs and improve energy security for the food and fibre sector.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
NZ could become ‘dumping ground’ for dirty vehicles: Commissioner
16 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, has warned the Government that its changes to the clean car standard could turn the country into a dumping ground for high emitting cars, making future emissions budgets harder to achieve.
Slash for cash turns storm debris into jobs and climate resilience
Today 11:30am
A community-led initiative in Tairāwhiti is transforming storm-damaged forestry slash into jobs, soil regeneration and long-term climate resilience.
Kiwi startup takes on global plastic pollution
12 Feb 2026
A New Zealand startup is launching what it says is the world’s first plastic-free effervescent drink tablet, with the ambitious aim of eliminating bottled beverages to reduce global plastic pollution.
