Markets: Analysis
Plenty of cheap ERUs in Europe
10 Aug 2012
International offsets remain pressured, with CERs continuing to suffer as ERUs remain cheaper and in plentiful supply for European emitters, Westpac reports.
A good word to use is languish ...
3 Aug 2012
Do we really want to know what is going on with the carbon markets in Europe and elsewhere, Carbon Market Solutions asks.
NZUs now the 'wallflower' at the carbon dance
3 Aug 2012
The European carbon market moved higher overnight, in spite of weaker energy markets, OMFinancial reports.
New lows for European carbon
3 Aug 2012
European carbon allowances fell further early this week following the release from the European Commission on its proposed changes to the EU ETS on the 25th July, Westpac reports.
Little interest in NZUs
27 Jul 2012
Last night’s offshore trading session saw international carbon prices firm following the sell off seen on Wednesday, Westpac reports.
Switch NZUS for ERUs
27 Jul 2012
Carbon was defensive early, but finished with underlying strength and momentum after ECB President Mario Draghi pledged to do whatever it takes to support the Euro, OMFinancial says.
Down, down, down ... carbon hits new low
20 Jul 2012
Global carbon prices are at an all-time low and are expected to go lower.
Market smacked
20 Jul 2012
The European market fell again last night as the permit delay appears to be headed for a quagmire.
Time for a green tariff?
13 Jul 2012
A “green” tariff for electricity (also known as a “feed-in” tariff in other countries) is an economic incentive provided by a government for those identified sectors or project developments to “get over the line” in terms of financial viability and to help them to compete with more traditional forms of fossil fuel electricity generation, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Emitters choose to pay $2.5 million
6 Jul 2012
Some New Zealand emitters chose to pay the Government $25 per tonne of emissions rather than use cheap carbon credits to meet their obligations.
Carbon forestry in hibernation
6 Jul 2012
The announcement from Government on the review undertaken in 2011 on the Emissions Trading Scheme will provide a continuation of the status quo for the next two years, and reveals fundamentally good sense, given current economic conditions, but also dismisses perhaps a good opportunity to prove to the rest of the world that New Zealand Inc could have been enhanced upon a shift toward a low-carbon high-primary-production future, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Eyes on the prize
6 Jul 2012
The European Central Bank cut 25 points, China had a surprise rate cut, and the Bank of England starts another 50 billion of quantative easing, OMFinancial says.
EPA must report today on carbon
29 Jun 2012
Details about the past year’s carbon trading activities in New Zealand will be available later today.
Don't trade in the Holden on a push bike
29 Jun 2012
Twenty years after he attended the Rio Earth Summit, Carbon Market Solutions' Wayne King looks at progress and hopes for the future:
Europe holds in the face of weaker energy markets
29 Jun 2012
CERs edged up again last night, albeit on limited volume and in the face of weaker energy markets, OMFinancial reports.
Why the lag in alternative energy progress?
22 Jun 2012
The government, having won the last election, believes that it now has an overwhelming mandate to offer a range of State-owned enterprises to the market in order for it to capture revenues that will assist economic growth up until at least 2014, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Little supply but prices look better
22 Jun 2012
NZU prices rose over the week, following European allowances higher, Westpac reports.
Sailing along on a sea of red
22 Jun 2012
Another day of consolidation for European carbon markets, but given the weakness across global markets carbon is holding up well after a run of nearly 20 per cent in a fortnight.
Three years ... and not much has changed
15 Jun 2012
Last year, we said that one of the critical features for a mature carbon market to develop was the issue of transparency, meaning that when we have liquidity and transparency, we can say quietly and confidently that the carbon markets in New Zealand are functioning well for all stakeholders.
Rumours close European market higher
15 Jun 2012
The European market edged up again last night as news filtered out that European Commission was drafting proposals to delay the auctioning of between 400 million and 1.2 billion permits.
All quiet on the carbon front
15 Jun 2012
It’s been another quiet week on the NZU front, with prices spending most of the week around the $6 mark, Westpac reports.
Government on trail of cheap credits
8 Jun 2012
The Government is trying to find out just what impact an inflow of cheap international carbon credits is having on New Zealand’s balance of payments.
Arbitrage back on the table
8 Jun 2012
The Chinese cut rates by 25 basis points - and that’s not a good sign, OMFinancial reports
Carbon takes a dip, but recovers
8 Jun 2012
NZUs have spent this week trading above NZD6.00 following a brief dip to NZD5.90 in the surrender week, Westpac reports.
No report this week
8 Jun 2012
We have no market commentary from Carbon Market Solutions this week. Carbon News apologies to readers.
Emitters get the job done early
1 Jun 2012
Yesterday was surrender day – but there was little last-minute carbon shopping by the country’s emitters.
Who's selling the ETS to the people paying for it?
1 Jun 2012
While the world is watching the economic crises deepen in Europe, in Cologne, Germany, another large group of interested stakeholders is gathering to discuss the future and viability of the world’s carbon markets.
New low for NZUs, despite surrender date
1 Jun 2012
The much-talked-about final surrender date of May 31 came and went with little fanfare within the local market, Westpac says.
Futures manage bounce in Europe
1 Jun 2012
CER Futures managed to squeeze out a small bounce during the European session last night, albeit on reduced volume and no major fundamental change, OMFinancial reports.
It's all down to the Greeks
25 May 2012
Despite negative data last night in Europe - German IFO business sentiment falling to six month low, eurozone flash PMI 45.9 vs. 46.7 in April and UK recession deepening with Q1 GDP revised to -0.3 per cent - carbon managed to rebound on a stronger energy complex and finish the day firm, OMFinancial reports.
Back again next week ...
25 May 2012
We have no market commentary from Carbon Market Solutions this week, but it will be back next week.
NZ facing the KP2 question
18 May 2012
At the Durban climate change talks last year, Japan, Canada and Russia announced that they would not sign up to Kyoto Protocol 2.
Why the NZUs premium has shrunk
18 May 2012
The premium of NZUs over European carbon has evaporated over the past week or two, with the differential of NZUs over ERUs now about 10 cents.
Window for switching credits closing fast'
18 May 2012
NZU prices have remained on their recent lows over the week, Westpac reports.
Forest credits must find place in Asia
11 May 2012
New Zealand is moving to secure access to emerging Asian carbon markets.
Events in Europe keep carbon down
11 May 2012
Global carbon prices remain subdued and depressed, OMFinancial reports.
Prices continue their fall
11 May 2012
NZU prices hit another low this week, touching $6.20, Westpac's carbon team says.
Emitters beginning to get the idea
4 May 2012
New Zealand emitters are starting to grasp the idea that they can make money from playing the carbon market.
Foresters should have their say on new rules
4 May 2012
While forestry talks at the 2011 UN climate change summit in Durban focused predominantly on the reduction of deforestation through mechanisms such as REDD and REDD+, there were other changes proposed to international carbon forestry laws which may have a profound effect on New Zealand foresters, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Local market at record lows
4 May 2012
The NZU market is trading at record lows, with the mid NZU price at around NZD 6.60, Westpac reports.
Stop and think about the tax
27 Apr 2012
As we head in to May surrender time, OMFinancial is urging all ETS participants who are about to pass units to their points of obligation or to the Government to pause and consider the amount of tax you are effectively about to pay.
Obama warms to climate change action
27 Apr 2012
United States President Barack Obama has recently voiced his intention to address climate change issues during the up-coming election cycle, after criticism from environmentalists who have been disappointed with his lack of attention on the subject, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Slow-down in European market
27 Apr 2012
CER prices have been relatively range-bound over the past couple of weeks, Westpac reports.
Good news from Europe
20 Apr 2012
European carbon prices have consolidated and posted modest gains in the past week.
Demand will stall if agriculture delay goes ahead
20 Apr 2012
The Government’s proposal to further delay bringing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme could have serious consequences in the carbon markets, Carbon Market Solutions says
Quiet week in the market
20 Apr 2012
Activity in the New Zealand carbon market has been relatively subdued, despite last week’s release of the Government consultation document.
Price fall stops - for now
13 Apr 2012
The international price for carbon is consolidating at current levels after suffering a sharp sell-off through March on the back of oversupply, disagreement about how to deal with it and a greater-than-expected fall in 2011 emissions.
Climate change policy moving to new mega-ministry
Today 11:15am
By Pattrick Smellie | The Government’s primary adviser on climate change policy, the Ministry for the Environment, is to be folded into a new mega-agency that will also cover urban, transport, local government and housing.
Hydro increases overall renewable electricity generation in September quarter
Fri 12 Dec 2025
The September quarter saw 89.4% of all electricity generated from renewable sources, with hydro, geothermal and solar leading the charge, according to new data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Govt warned that scrapping ag emission pricing comes with risks
Thu 11 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s move to halt plans for agricultural emissions pricing without replacing it with any other action will leave New Zealand facing a bigger gap to meet its third emissions budget, Environment ministry officials have warned.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
NZ could become ‘dumping ground’ for dirty vehicles: Commissioner
Tue 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.
Uncertainty eroding confidence in forestry sector
5 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Warnings are mounting that tree planting is set to plunge to “very close to zero”, as new Ministry for Primary Industries data shows ETS registration applications falling sharply as confidence in forestry declines.
Investors must support positive climate-tech
28 Nov 2025
OPINION: We need better leadership than the current ‘climate opportunism’ that is rife in the Beehive, and we need to back a marketplace that will make it happen, writes Rob Campbell.
