News Direct: All stories
New Zealand's first hydrogen truck unveiled
30 Nov 2021
Media Release - New Zealand’s first hydrogen-electric truck, Hyundai’s XCIENT FCEV, was unveiled last Friday in Mount Wellington by the Transport Minister, Hon Michael Wood.
Tourism industry challenge to cut carbon
30 Nov 2021
Media Release - Aotearoa New Zealand’s tourism industry is being challenged to lead the fight to reduce carbon emissions, with a major new initiative announced at Tourism Summit Aotearoa yesterday.
NZ Super Fund ranked among the world’s most responsible asset allocators
30 Nov 2021
Media Release - The NZ Super Fund has once again been named a world leader in a ranking of the responsible investing practices adopted by the world’s top sovereign wealth funds and government pension funds.
10 YEARS AGO...
29 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Fonterra announced it was forcing all its farmers to fence their streams. However, fresh water ecologist Mike Joy questioned the effectiveness of the ban that allowed farmers to leave streams that were narrow enough to jump over unfenced.
Emissions Reduction Plan falls well short: Wise Response Society
29 Nov 2021
The overall emissions budget proposed by the Ministry for the Environment is not nearly ambitious enough,’ says Chair of the Wise Response Society, Prof. Liz Slooten. ‘The IPCC requirement to keep global warming to 1.5C by 2030 means a median reduction of 45%. New Zealand should have an emissions reduction budget of 60%.’
10 YEARS AGO...
26 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the Australian government announced that any decisions about the development of seam coal gas or large scale mining operations would be based on rigorous science.
Fish & Game supports calls for forestry re-focus
26 Nov 2021
Media Release - Fish & Game NZ is supporting calls for an urgent rethink on the rapid proliferation of exotic forests currently being supported by central government, and instead refocus on native plantings for better long-term environmental and social outcomes.
Timaru’s on-demand public transport hits 200,000 ride milestone
26 Nov 2021
Media Release - Timaru’s on-demand public transport hits 200,000 ride milestone Innovation has paid off in Timaru as the city’s new on-demand public transport service goes from strength to strength.
10 YEARS AGO...
25 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Westpac was describing the international carbon market as decimated following dramatic falls in the price of carbon in Europe, New Zealand and other markets over the previous week.
Auckland's living bus shelters coming to life
25 Nov 2021
Two of Auckland’s bus shelters have come to life with more than 1000 plants adorning their walls and roofs.
10 YEARS AGO...
24 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, activists hacked Solid Energy's website and uploaded a video that contrasted scenes of natural New Zealand with shots of opencast coal mines.
10 YEARS AGO...
23 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the Forest Owners' Association was predicting New Zealand would be selling carbon credits to Australia, Japan and parts of the United States and Canada, but not Europe.
Climate change awareness not matched by action
23 Nov 2021
Media Release - We know we must do better by the planet, but when will we start? As Aotearoa’s awareness of climate change and its impact increases, Stuff’s latest NowNext survey asked Kiwis how that knowledge is influencing decisions in their everyday lives. The findings shine a light on how important sustainability really is to Kiwis
10 YEARS AGO...
22 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the price of carbon in Europe crashed to 8.05 Euros as countries dumped large quantities of their holdings.
Global fisheries even worse than thought
22 Nov 2021
Media Release - The decline in fish populations is far worse than previously estimated, according to Minderoo Foundation’s Global Fishing Index (GFI) - the largest independent assessment of global fish stocks to date
10 YEARS AGO...
19 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Australian scientists called for a transformation of the world food system in response to the threat posed by climate change to the ability of farmers to feed growing populations.
International unions call for jobs to be at centre of a just transition
19 Nov 2021
Media Release - The COP26 climate agreement acknowledged the science, recognised the gaps to realise the 1.5C target and embedded the call for Just Transition but the compromises made in Glasgow fall short on ambition, finance, responsibility and inclusion.
10 YEARS AGO...
18 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, smart boxes were introduced to Waikato's electricity network with the promise of more information providing customers with more control of their carbon footprint.
New Zealand’s first carbon zero hospital unveiled
18 Nov 2021
Forté Hospital in Christchurch has been named New Zealand’s first Toitû carbonzero certified hospital.
Signature Homes tackles carbon emissions from home construction
18 Nov 2021
Media Release - Signature Homes has signalled its intention to mitigate its house construction carbon dioxide emissions by planting around 45,000 native trees annually
It’s up to citizens and markets to kiss fossil fuels goodbye: Barry Coates
18 Nov 2021
Media Release - Governments made some progress during COP26, but not enough. Now the mantle passes to citizens and markets to decarbonise our economy, says Mindful Money's CEO Barry Coates.
10 YEARS AGO...
17 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Fertilisers Matter - the trade publication of the local fertiliser industry - claimed NZ dairy farmers were "buying into the sustainability debate" with half of them adopting nutrient management plans.
Activists condemn Covid fast tracking of motorways
17 Nov 2021
Media Release - The Covid fast track consenting panel, set up by the Ardern Government under the Covid 19 Fast-Track Consenting Act, has approved the expansion of State Highway 1, which will see a third lane added in each direction between Papakura and Drury.
10 YEARS AGO...
16 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, scientists were pleading with politicians to concentrate on measures that actually cut emissions rather than the "holy grail" of a successor to Kyoto, in the run at to COP17 in Durban.
10 YEARS AGO...
15 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the International Maritime Organisation claimed that newly mandated UN efficiency regulations would lead to significant reductions in emissions … (A tad optimistic, perhaps?)
COP26 ends with a strong result on carbon markets: EDF
15 Nov 2021
After six years of difficult and technical negotiations, the UN climate talks at COP26 in Glasgow finally gave us a strong Paris Agreement rulebook for international cooperation through carbon markets and called on countries to take specific and urgent measures to address dangerous climate change.
Half-baked carbon market rules fail to take heat off the climate: Carbon Market Watch
15 Nov 2021
After over five years of dithering and two weeks of intensive negotiations, the world’s governments settled on slimmed-down ground rules for carbon markets under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.
10 YEARS AGO...
12 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the then National government's promise to slow down the implementation of the ETS didn't meet with approval from BusinessNZ …. it wanted it to go even slower.
New Zealand’s first zero emissions truck trial
12 Nov 2021
Media Release - Auckland Transport (AT) welcomes New Zealand’s first trial of 100 per cent electric trucks.
Lincoln University scientists launch eco-pond
12 Nov 2021
Media Release - Renowned Lincoln University scientists, Emeritus Professor Keith Cameron and Professor Hong Di, have delivered another breakthrough technology with an immediate benefit for the dairy farming sector to combat global climate change.
10 years ago
11 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the head of the UN said the upcoming Durban conference on climate change needed to produce an agreement limiting GHG emissions and launch a green climate fund for the mitigation and adaptation of climate change. (The more things change...)
Declaration reacts to biomass industry "greenwashing drive"
11 Nov 2021
Media Release - Environmental organisations are pledging their opposition to burning forest biomass for renewable energy in a declaration issued at the Glasgow climate conference (COP26).
Urgent Couriers replaces Auckland car fleet with electric cargo bikes
11 Nov 2021
Media Release - Certified carbon zero courier company Urgent Couriers will take 40 to 50 tonnes of carbon emissions a year out of inner-city Auckland by replacing its city fleet of cars with electric cargo bikes.
10 YEARS AGO...
10 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the senior doctors backed calls by the NZ Medical Journal calling for the government to do more to combat climate change.
Drilling into Antarctica’s past to see our future
10 Nov 2021
Media Release - While COP26 today focuses on science and innovation’s role in combating climate change, Antarctic researchers are preparing to drill into the ocean floor below the Ross Ice Shelf to discover if cutting greenhouse gas emissions avoids catastrophic melt of the icy continent.
New FAO analysis reveals carbon footprint of agri-food supply chain
10 Nov 2021
Food processing, packaging, transport, household consumption and waste disposal are pushing the food supply chain to the top of the greenhouse gas emitters list, according to a new study led by the UN agriculture agency.
10 YEARS AGO...
9 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, a major international study found that wind power generation was being hampered by a lack of available capital.
Australasia’s biggest ever electric bus order
9 Nov 2021
Media Release - AUSTRALAISA'S biggest electric bus order has been announced, in a partnership between Auckland Transport (AT) and NZ Bus.
Electric revolution for Christchurch’s Orbiter fleet
9 Nov 2021
Media Release - The popular Orbiter bus route has, from this week, seven new electric vehicles joining its ranks, as Christchurch’s fleet of electric and ultra-low emission vehicles grows.
The Warehouse and Westpac NZ Sign $70m sustainability-linked loan
9 Nov 2021
Media Release - The Warehouse Group will have to meet five sustainability performance goals including sustainable packaging, carbon emissions and gender targets to receive discounted rates, under a trailblazing Sustainability-Linked Loan agreed with Westpac NZ.
10 YEARS AGO...
8 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, professor Ralph Sims, an IPCC author, called on Solid Energy to ditch its lignite mining plans.
Advocating household climate actions reduces support for more effective policy
8 Nov 2021
Media Release - Telling people how to save energy lowers their support for government policy on climate change, new research has found.
Over 560 groups worldwide endorse ‘People’s Declaration’ for radical food systems
8 Nov 2021
Media Release - Amid the ongoing COP 26 in Glasgow, the Global People’s Summit (GPS) on Food Systems announced that 566 groups from 78 countries have endorsed its resulting Declaration that calls for people’s rights to just, equitable, healthy, and sustainable food systems and the end of corporate monopoly control.
10 YEARS AGO...
5 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Carbon News was reporting that internal Labour Party polling showed the environment was likely to be a vote winning issue in the upcoming election.
Australia’s climate obstruction in the Pacific revealed: Greenpeace
5 Nov 2021
The Australian government uses bullying tactics in regional negotiations on climate change, according to former Pacific Island leaders interviewed by Greenpeace Australia Pacific, including former Kiribati President Anote Tong and Bikenibeu Paeniu, Former Prime Minister of Tuvalu.
10 YEARS AGO...
4 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, a major gas outage that resulted in Fonterra shutting down 15 milk processing plants, saw the Forestry Association encouraging energy users to replace fossil fuels with biofuels.
UN secretary-general issues new global roadmap
4 Nov 2021
Media Release - As pressure mounts for urgent climate action, UN Secretary-General António Guterres today issued a global roadmap to achieve a radical transformation of energy access and transition by 2030, while also contributing to net zero emissions by 2050.
10 YEARS AGO...
3 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, Straterra, the mining and minerals lobby group, were promoting a report that claimed carbon capture was a viable option for decarbonising New Zealand's fossil fuel energy generators.
University of Canterbury researches decarbonising Antarctic science
3 Nov 2021
Media Release - A UC research project evaluating the feasibility of hydrogen production in Antarctica could help to reduce carbon emissions in the future by replacing fossil fuels with a zero-carbon alternative.
10 YEARS AGO...
2 Nov 2021
Ten years ago, the then-PM John Key conceded that- despite what he had told the BBC's Hardtalk programme earlier in the year - many New Zealand rivers were polluted.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council welcomes new flood data
Mon 3 Nov 2025
Media release | Hawke’s Bay Regional Council welcomes the release of the National Flood Tool and accompanying data by Earth Sciences New Zealand. This is an important contribution to understanding the impacts of climate change for New Zealand.
