Markets: Analysis
Important steps in ETS proposals
13 Apr 2012
Changes the Government is proposing to the Emissions Trading Scheme could have important consequences for those participating in the ETS, says Carbon Market Solutions – especially plans to limit the use of CERs and to introduce a cap-and-auction mechanism.
NZ holds as Europe markets collapse
5 Apr 2012
New Zealand’s carbon markets are expected to hold up relatively well today against collapsing European markets.
Uncertainty raises interest in NZUs
5 Apr 2012
Speculation about the future of international carbon credits in New Zealand is fuelling interest in local units.
Uncertainty keeps carbon prices down
5 Apr 2012
Carbon is suffering another down-leg as uncertainty and over-supply problems persist, OMFinancial reports.
Margin attracts buyers
5 Apr 2012
The margin of NZUs over cheaper European units continues to attract sellers looking to swap credits, Westpac reports.
Policy uncertainty makes for a foggy market
5 Apr 2012
The New Zealand Government has confirmed that it is considering changes to the current Emissions Trading Scheme, and that the law and policy could be changed this year.
Trader has high hopes for new platform
30 Mar 2012
OMFinancial launches an online carbon platform today which it says has the potential to become a regional market.
Europe acts to right the ship
30 Mar 2012
The carbon market is not in the state that was predicted a few years ago, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Time for emitters to move
30 Mar 2012
While spot NZUs maintain a healthy premium over spot CERs and ERUs, we have seen the premium of NZU forwards narrow over CER forwards.
NZU maintains premium over CERs
23 Mar 2012
Volatility in the European market continues to be the main driver for local carbon prices, OMFinancial says.
ETS signs good for Asia-Pacific pact
23 Mar 2012
While most news about the international carbon market has been discouraging lately, there is still optimism within the Asia-Pacific region, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Market watching for rule changes
23 Mar 2012
It's been a volatile week in the European carbon markets, with both EUAs and CERs ending the week down (with one more day to go), Westpac says.
How we can be the Hong Kong of carbon trading
16 Mar 2012
New Zealand could be to regional carbon markets what Hong Kong is to regional financial markets, says an economic geographer.
Cap on CER numbers 'never been more important'
16 Mar 2012
February and March saw optimism return to the New Zealand carbon market as good news from Europe helped float prices above $8 a unit.
Shortage of NZUs in market
16 Mar 2012
International carbon markets had a rocky start to the week, as Poland vetoed an EU vote to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, and rumours circulated that China had forbidden domestic airlines from purchasing Airbus aircraft.
NZ yet to decide on Kyoto stance
9 Mar 2012
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is working towards an agreement to sign on to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, set to start on January 1 – and the rule changes could have an impact on our Emissions Trading Scheme.
Trading volumes light
9 Mar 2012
This week's trading volumes have been noticeably light across both local and international carbon markets, Westpac says.
Bearish tone in Europe
9 Mar 2012
Low volumes and weak prices have dominated the headlines from Europe this week, reports OMFinancial.
Australian election poses ETS problems
2 Mar 2012
A big event in the future of the New Zealand Emission Trading Scheme will be the introduction of the Australian carbon tax flexible pricing period in 2015, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Carbon reacts to European vote
2 Mar 2012
The European Parliament vote to cut the supply of carbon passed, and carbon had the classic “buy the rumour and sell the fact” reaction, correcting close to 8 per cent in two days, OMFinancial reports.
CERS lower after EU vote
2 Mar 2012
The main focus for the carbon markets this week was the much-heralded European vote to signal support for the option of withholding some European Unit Allowances (EUAs) from the European ETS, Westpac reports.
Europe's airline rules stir controversy
24 Feb 2012
Carbon Market Solutions says that the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme has now included aviation in its emissions reduction sectors in a move fraught with controversy and disagreement.
Carbon prices sailing choppy seas
24 Feb 2012
This week has seen choppy trading in NZD carbon, Westpac reports.
EU action gives carbon prices a boost
17 Feb 2012
Carbon prices are rising on the back of European moves to limit supply.
New industrial allocation round under way
17 Feb 2012
The new application period for emitters making a provisional or final application for an industrial allocation of NZUs is under way.
Tasman ETS links will have impact here
17 Feb 2012
Australian’s Carbon Pricing Mechanism will enter its flexible pricing stage in 2015. Carbon Market Solutions looks at the likely impact on carbon prices in New Zealand.
Europe move could jump prices
17 Feb 2012
A committee of MPs in the European parliament has supported a motion to withdraw (set aside) carbon permits (EUAs) from the EU ETS for the 2013 to 2020 period.
A good week for carbon
17 Feb 2012
It has been a good-news week for holders of carbon, with NZU prices rising 16 per cent to finish the week around NZD8.
NZUs top of the pops with emitters
10 Feb 2012
NZUs were the unit of choice for New Zealand emitters in the first year of liability under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Deadline day for industrial gas CERs
10 Feb 2012
Today is the last day to register forward contracts for industrial gas CERs.
Why CERs are best bet in the long run
10 Feb 2012
The price of NZUs remains low – partly because of the effects of CERs on the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, Carbon Market Solutions reports.
The wall of carbon is the real problem
10 Feb 2012
Will the Government block overseas carbon, as suggested in the briefing to incoming ministers? OMFinancial asks.
Prices ride the rocky road
10 Feb 2012
NZD carbon prices have continued their rocky road over the past week, moving to two-month highs before softening and giving back much of these gains towards the latter part of the week, Westpac reports.
Westpac charts rises and falls of carbon
3 Feb 2012
Carbon has joined other financial instruments on Westpac’s website.
Carbon could push higher
3 Feb 2012
Now that the Government has played its hand on industrial gas CERs, the opportunity exists to swap your NZUs and trey/green CERs for cheaper units, such as large hydro CERs and ERUs, OMFinancial says.
Where Europe goes, we go ...
3 Feb 2012
The European Union is so critical to the outlook for carbon prices for the next year that we’re looking at the issue again this week, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Carbon hits a six-week high
3 Feb 2012
Carbon prices have seen a lift this week on the back of a more upbeat tone out of Europe, Westpac reports.
Waiting a year could be worth it
27 Jan 2012
After a tumultuous 2011, carbon market outlook for 2012 is foggier than expected.
Hope for global carbon prices
27 Jan 2012
It has been a very interesting week for those keeping a close eye on global carbon prices, OMFinancial reports.
Better off with a barbie
27 Jan 2012
It continues to be a quiet start to the new year, with many market participants more excited about a barbie at the beach than the price action in carbon markets, Westpac says.
Carbon battles back from lowest point
20 Jan 2012
Carbon is fighting back after hitting an all-time low this week.
Business lobby says no to floor price
20 Jan 2012
Restricting prices at the lower end of the carbon market would be self-defeating, says BusinessNZ.
ETS safe, but where do we go from here?
20 Jan 2012
The results from the Durban conference on climate change have been hailed as a breakthrough for climate negotiations - and derided as a step back in Kyoto goals.
Rough ride for NZ carbon prices
20 Jan 2012
New Zealand carbon has certainly been for a ride in the past month.
Market picks up - a little
20 Jan 2012
We have witnessed a slight rise in volumes this week, with more participants having returned from their summer holidays
Where to from here for NZUs?
16 Dec 2011
The NZU premium over CERs is being ground down – now close to 65 cents from over $1 a week ago, OMFinancial reports
Prices take dramatic slide
16 Dec 2011
NZD carbon prices have had a dramatic slide this week, with NZUs posting a new low of $7.60 before recovering to the current levels, around $8.30, Westpac reports.
It's a platform, it's a roadmap ... it's something
16 Dec 2011
Expectations were low, risks were high, and the politics were volatile as government representatives met in Durban, South Africa, for international climate change negotiations earlier this month.
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.
