News Direct: All stories
Air New Zealand and MBIE join forces to scope out sustainable aviation fuel industry
28 Sep 2021
Media Release - Air New Zealand’s journey to net-zero has reached another significant milestone today with the Airline and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) joining forces to bring Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) one step closer to becoming a reality in New Zealand.
10 YEARS AGO...
27 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, then Prime Minister John Key was accused of selectively quoting the work of a prominent environmental scientist in an effort to bolster his claim that New Zealand was clean and green on the BBC Hardtalk programme.
UN Food Summit commits to tackling world hunger and climate change
27 Sep 2021
Media Release - More than 150 countries made commitments to transform their food systems, while championing greater participation and equity, especially amongst farmers, women, youth and indigenous groups.
Civil society groups declare UN Food Summit 'anti-people'
27 Sep 2021
Media Release - The Global People’s Summit (GPS) on Food Systems slammed the recently concluded UN Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) for paving the way for greater control of big corporations over global food systems and misleading the people through corporate-led false solutions to hunger and climate change.
10 YEARS AGO...
24 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the Gillard Government in Australia said modelling showed the economy would continue to grow steadily even with the introduction of a price on carbon.
Have your say on the Clean Vehicles Bill
24 Sep 2021
Media Release - The purpose of the Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill is to reduce the overall amount of carbon dioxide produced by cars in New Zealand. It would aim to increase the supply and variety of zero- and low-emission vehicles available to buyers by applying a clean vehicle standard to importers of new and used light vehicles.
Even the Suzuki Swift can’t escape Labour’s tax: National
24 Sep 2021
Media Release - Transport Minister Michael Wood needs to urgently clarify who will be exposed to his Car Tax, National’s Transport spokesperson David Bennett says.
Hutt council signs up to race to zero initiative
24 Sep 2021
Media Release - Hutt City Council has voted in favour of signing up to the Race to Zero climate initiative, joining more than 730 cities around the world that have publicly committed to reducing carbon emissions.
10 YEARS AGO...
23 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the Green Party launched a new policy promising 100,000 green jobs through state investment in renewable energy.
Climate Commission ignored climate benefits of cutting synthetic nitrogen: Greenpeace
23 Sep 2021
Media Release - A hidden report uncovered by Greenpeace shows that the Climate Change Commission ignored its own internal advice that could cut agricultural climate emissions by a third or more.
10 YEARS AGO...
22 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the OECD praised the Lake Taupo Water Quality Trading Scheme but said the country was sitting on an environmental time-bomb caused by agricultural nutrients polluting our waterways.
Sinking lid on hydrofluorocarbon
22 Sep 2021
Media Release - As part of moves to reduce the use of harmful greenhouse gases, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released its third annual decision on special permits to import hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
Clean Vehicles Bill passes first checkpoint
22 Sep 2021
Media Release - The Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill will help New Zealand drive down transport emissions by cleaning up the light vehicle fleet, Transport Minister Michael Wood says.
10 YEARS AGO...
21 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, Christchurch-based Windflow Technology (which went into receivership in 2019) announced its windmills would power a biofuel plant in the Shetland Islands.
NZ company gets Aussie grant for waste to building material plant
21 Sep 2021
Media Release - New Zealand company saveBOARD has received a A$1.74 million grant from the Australian and New South Wales Governments towards setting up a A$5 million facility that will turn packaging waste into high performance building material.
10 YEARS AGO...
20 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the UN Environment Programme was urging the Asia Pacific Region to embark on a on a green industrial revolution to take advantage of improvements in resource efficiency.
Minister must ditch Clean Vehicle Bill: National
20 Sep 2021
Media Release - The Motor Industry Association’s withdrawal of support for Labour’s Clean Vehicle Bill is yet more reason for Transport Minister Michael Wood to ditch his car tax plan, National’s Transport spokesperson David Bennett says.
Organic NZ Award winners
20 Sep 2021
Media Release - In an online event hosted by Ruud "the Bugman" Kleinpaste, six winners from across the organic sector were recognised for creating exceptional organic products that work for people, planet, wildlife, and the climate.
Refinery closure will increase barrier to low emissions transport
17 Sep 2021
Media Release - The announcement that the Marsden refinery is to be closed will increase the barrier to easy achievement of low emissions transport, says the Bioenergy Association.
Lack of action on climate stressing out young people
17 Sep 2021
Media Release - Parents for Climate Aotearoa (P4CA) with a weary heart welcome the global study into climate anxiety in children and young people. The survey illustrates the depth of anxiety many young people are feeling about climate change.
10 YEARS AGO...
16 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the UN and more than 200 financial institutions warned that huge losses, both financial and environmental, would result from a failure to agree on a climate change agreement that spurs private sector investment in efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.
Wetlands imperiled as Govt caves to industry: Forest & Bird
16 Sep 2021
Media Release - Forest & Bird is calling out the Government for backtracking on crucial freshwater reforms and has written a letter to Environment Minister David Parker vowing to fight the changes.
10 YEARS AGO...
15 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the head of a panel reviewing the ETS said farmers should be brought under the scheme and said in time they could find themselves profiting from ability to offset emissions through forest planting. (Needless to say, farm emissions are yet to come under the ETS.)
10 YEARS AGO...
14 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the then climate change minister Nick Smith was predicting NZUs would be fetching $50 by 2017 - in fact prices peaked at just $21 that year, and only reached $50 last month.
Investors want climate change information
14 Sep 2021
Media Release - More than four in every five (81%) retail investors think climate related information is important to their investment decision making, with half saying companies have a responsibility to address climate change.
10 YEARS AGO...
13 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the then Labour opposition was touting plans for SOEs to help kick-start an export-driven clean tech sector.
Organic Week @ Home
13 Sep 2021
Media Release - COVID-19 may have stopped our planned in-person events, but there are loads of fun ways you can still celebrate Organic Week at home.
10 YEARS AGO...
10 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the Asian Development Bank was warning climate change would see an increase in hunger and food shortages among the Pacific's poorest people if action wasn't taken.
National won't attend COP26
10 Sep 2021
Media Release - Covid-19 has meant that New Zealanders have had to sacrifice a great deal. They have missed funerals, weddings, births, and all manner of other special moments, National’s Climate Change spokesperson Stuart Smith says.
10 YEARS AGO...
9 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, OXFAM and WFF proposed a carbon tax on international shipping - saying it could break a decade long impasse. (plus ça change, plus c'est la même etc.)
Global conservation leaders vote for moratorium on ocean mining
9 Sep 2021
Media Release - Voting members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress--a major global gathering on nature that brings together 1,400 members from more than 170 countries--this week passed a motion calling for a moratorium on ocean mining.
Greater Wellington welcomes $1.2 billion boost
9 Sep 2021
Media Release - Greater Wellington Regional Council has welcomed Tuesday’s announcement by Minister of Transport Hon Michael Wood of the Government’s transport funding priorities for the next three years contained in the National Land Transport Programme.
10 YEARS AGO...
8 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, Pure Advantage was criticising the government for trying to attract fossil fuel investment into the country.
Investment in public transport is not enough: Greens
8 Sep 2021
Media Release - The Green Party welcomes the $6 billion being invested in public transport, walking and cycling through the National Land Transport Programme, as announced by the Minister of Transport today, however says it is nowhere near enough.
10 YEARS AGO...
7 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the European Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, congratulated New Zealand on its ETS saying it was one of the first countries outside of Europe to take action on climate change.
Coal will wreck havoc on Australian economy: UN
7 Sep 2021
Climate change will “wreak havoc” across the Australian economy if coal is not rapidly phased out, a senior UN official warned on Monday.
10 YEARS AGO...
6 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the decision by Australian police not to charge an MP with fraud over the use of a work credit card to hire a prostitute was reported to have saved a proposed carbon tax.
Indigenous peoples call for an end to "fortress conservation"
6 Sep 2021
Media Release - The world’s first Congress to decolonize conservation has ended with a series of speakers calling for an end to “fortress conservation,” and for full recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
Air quality improvements from COVID lockdowns confirmed
6 Sep 2021
Media Release - COVID-19 lockdowns brought rapid and “unprecedented” improvements in air quality in some parts of the world - but not enough to halt climate change caused by global warming, UN weather experts said on Friday.
10 YEARS AGO...
3 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, Waikato University opened its Environmental Research Institute. (Today it's launching the country's first undergraduate degree in climate change.)
10 YEARS AGO...
2 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, the Australian Government announced $35.2 million in funding to green-up 90 buildings across the nation. The money came from the Gillard government's Green Building Fund and the Tax Breaks for Green Buildings Program.
10 YEARS AGO...
1 Sep 2021
Ten years ago, new rules for measuring the carbon stored in forests came into force.
10 YEARS AGO...
30 Aug 2021
Ten years ago, Genesis Energy was reporting it was ahead of schedule in cutting greenhouse gases from its emissions with a 30% reduction on the year before.
10 YEARS AGO...
27 Aug 2021
Ten years ago, scientists revealed that climate change was leading to animals and plant habitats moving from the equator towards the poles at the equivalent of around 20cm per hour, for every hour of the day, for every day of the year.
Hamilton to spend $50 million to slash car reliance
27 Aug 2021
A startling 64% of Hamilton’s carbon emissions come from transport, and Hamilton City Council has a plan to change that.
10 YEARS AGO...
26 Aug 2021
Ten years ago, Australia passed legislation establishing a regulated market for carbon offsets.
10 YEARS AGO...
25 Aug 2021
Ten years ago, the UN released a report saying investing in ecosystems woud boost food security, improve resilience to climate change and provide economic benefits for poor communities. (Not sure whether anyone listened.)
New electric buses for Wellington
25 Aug 2021
Metlink is on track to becoming the lowest carbon emissions network in the country, as a new tranche of 10 electric vehicles (EVs) started rolling out on the road this week.
10 YEARS AGO...
24 Aug 2021
Ten years ago, a local manufacturer of wind turbines said the decision of state-owned energy companies to buy subsidised wind turbines from offshore had killed off local manufacturing.
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.
