News Direct: All stories
Treasury's new Q and A on New Zealand's Kyoto liiability
7 May 2008
Questions and answers from Treasury on yesterday's changes to the ETS
Prime Minister: New Kyoto figures give more flexibility to phase in Emissions Trading Scheme
7 May 2008
Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday released new projections of New Zealand’s Kyoto liability, showing the provisional net position is projected to be a deficit of 21.7 million units during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012).
Key: Carbon neutral policy added to scrap heap
7 May 2008
National Party Leader John Key says Helen Clark's promise of 'carbon neutrality' is heading the same way as closing the gaps, taking New Zealand to the top half of the OECD, the knowledge wave, and economic transformation.
Greens: Labour buckles under pressure from big polluters
7 May 2008
The Prime Minister's announcement on the Emissions Trading Scheme is a hastily constructed panic reaction to pressure in election year, Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says
EPMU: Business must use ETS delay to invest in sustainability
7 May 2008
The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says businesses must use the Government’s decision to delay the phase out of free carbon allocations as an opportunity to make their operations more sustainable.
Greenpeace: Taxpayers to foot bill for Govt backdown
7 May 2008
New Zealanders will pay through their taxes for the Government's capitulation to big business, warns Greenpeace.
NZBCSD: Policy shift a pity, taxpayers may now pay more
7 May 2008
The move to defer transport fuel's inclusion in the proposed emissions trading scheme by two years doesn't wipe out the emissions bill, says the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development.
O'Reilly: Opportunities from ETS delay
7 May 2008
Business NZ chief executive Phil O'Reilly says business has been concerned at the speed at which the government has been moving towards an "all sectors all gases" emissions trading scheme, and with several recent reports highlighting the economic risks, the government is to be congratulated for paying heed.
EMA: Emissions targets kicked for touch
7 May 2008
The about-face on the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme is welcome but its really a kick for touch beyond the election, the Employers & Manufacturers Association (Northern) says.
Government backdown on climate change unwelcome
7 May 2008
The announcement yesterday by the Prime Minister of further weakening of the emissions trading scheme is not welcome, says the chairman of the Environmental Defence Society, Gary Taylor.
Rail buy back marks new sustainable transport era
6 May 2008
Modernising the transport sector is central to transforming New Zealand's economy and making it truly sustainable, Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday.
Study to look at new role for rail
6 May 2008
New research commissioned by Land Transport NZ will look at how rail can play a key role in the move towards a sustainable transport industry in New Zealand.
Winegrowers win funds for organic viticulture
6 May 2008
The Central Otago Winegrowers' Association has been awarded a major grant from Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to advance the region in developing organic viticulture.
Biofuels not the bogey in fuel price hike debate
6 May 2008
Biofuels should not become a political scapegoat for petrol and diesel price increases, says the New Zealand Biofuel Manufacturers' Association.
Digiweb going green with CarboNZero certification
6 May 2008
While the carbon costs of travel, production and energy generation have come under heavy scrutiny, few business people recognise that significant emissions are being generated - quite literally - at their feet.
Worst year since Wahine for natural-disaster damage
5 May 2008
Last year was one of the most costly on record for natural hazards, according to the annual review of natural hazards from the National Hazards Centre.
Brownlee: $230m paid to Electricity Commission – for what?
5 May 2008
New Zealand taxpayers have paid the Electricity Commission $230 million over the past four years but have next to nothing to show for it, says National Party Energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee in a press release.
New policy approach needed in power and emissions trading
5 May 2008
Looming brownouts and emissions trading pose similar dangers, says Business NZ in a press release.
Climate Change Leadership Forum policy statement process
2 May 2008
Business NZ is perfectly entitled to disassociate itself from the Climate Change Leadership Forum's 10 point policy advice to Ministers on the Emissions trading scheme, released on April 28, the forum said in a statement yesterday.
Brownlee says power crisis on the way
2 May 2008
National Party Energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee says Labour’s total failure to future proof our energy infrastructure is about to be laid out in front of New Zealand households.
Seabed prospecting threatens Maui’s dolphin
2 May 2008
The issuing of a new permit allowing prospecting for minerals under the seabed off the North Island coast poses threats to critically endangered Maui’s dolphins, Forest & Bird says in a statement.
Industry continues to contingency-plan for winter power supply
2 May 2008
Transpower, as the independent system operator, said today that despite the recent rain, hydro storage levels remain a significant concern to the industry. The industry is continuing with its contingency planning efforts to ensure a secure supply of electricity this winter.
Don't delay the ETS - get it right
2 May 2008
The Green Party says delaying the Emissions Trading Scheme will just cause more problems and higher costs.
ACT: Dump The ETS
2 May 2008
ACT Leader Rodney Hide today congratulated the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research for quantifying the costs of the Labour-led Government's Emissions Trading Scheme.
Parker: Emissions trading 'effective and affordable'
1 May 2008
A summary of economic modelling shows emissions trading is an effective approach to reducing New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in the long term, Climate Change Minister David Parker says.
Political realities mean emissions scheme phase in slower than desirable
1 May 2008
The political reality of having all sectors included in an emissions trading scheme means some major emitters will start paying for their greenhouse gas emissions later than is desirable in a perfect world.
Report: Two-thirds of New Zealanders believe life is getting harder
1 May 2008
The “State of the Nation” survey commissioned by CIGNA Life Insurance interviewed 1000 New Zealanders over 15 years of age to find out what we are feeling about life in general. By the looks of things, we’re feeling a bit gloomy, the company says in a press release.
Now a home which can feed the national grid
1 May 2008
A Wellington family is expected to enjoy a 75% fall on its annual power use because of energy efficient design and installation of a solar system which also has the potential to feed into the national grid.
Government's plan to reduce emissions will hurt economy - NZIER
1 May 2008
The Government’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme, intended to ensure New Zealand plays its part in helping reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases, is likely to hurt the economy more than necessary, says a report issued today by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (Inc).
Club Tower development reaches for five-star rating
30 Apr 2008
Latitude Group’s Club Tower in Worcester Boulevard is aiming to be the first building in the South Island to be awarded the much-coveted five-star Green Star NZ building rating.
Fine-tuning of emissions trading policies recommended
30 Apr 2008
The Government is being advised to strengthen measures to enhance energy efficiency and provide clear national guidelines to protect natural resources from potential degradation as it moves to address the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
Green Party wants commonsense emissions trading policies
30 Apr 2008
Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons welcomes the release of the Cawthron Institute's environmental assessement of the emissions trading policy.
Te Rere Hau Wind Farm going well
30 Apr 2008
Construction is progressing well on the Te Rere Hau Wind Farm project, the company reports. The project is being undertaken by a joint venture, in which NZ Windfarms Limited is a 50 percent partner.
Climate Change Leadership Forum backs emissions trading scheme
29 Apr 2008
The Climate Change Leadership Forum, including 34 business and other sector leaders, has issued 10 key points of policy advice made so far to the Government and Finance and Expenditure Select Committee on the proposed emissions trading scheme (ETS).
Tougher energy efficiency rules for hot water systems
29 Apr 2008
Home owners are set to save money through strengthened energy efficiency rules for new hot water systems, according to Building and Construction Minister Shane Jones.
Vector sells Wellington network to CKI
29 Apr 2008
Vector Limited (VCT) yestoday announced the sale of its Wellington electricity network to Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI) for $785 million.
Greens oppose proposed lines company sale
29 Apr 2008
The Green Party has criticsed the propsed sale of Wellington's lines company to overseas interests.
Japan NZ Partnership Forum will consider climate change
29 Apr 2008
Climate change and sustainability issues are on the agenda for the first ever Japan New Zealand Partnership Forum in Tokyo on 14-15 May.
NZ First: Keep energy companies
29 Apr 2008
The sale of Vector’s Wellington electricity network to Cheung Kong Infrastructure for $785 million represents the serious loss of yet another local asset, says New Zealand First economic development spokesman Doug Woolerton.
Trelise Cooper, supermarkets promote pink eco bag as the "New Green"
29 Apr 2008
Fashion designer, Trelise Cooper, has joined forces with Progressive Enterprises to launch New Zealand’s first designer eco bag.
Biodiversity loss - it will make you sick
28 Apr 2008
A new generation of antibiotics, new treatments for thinning bone disease and kidney failure, and new cancer treatments may all stand to be lost unless the world acts to reverse the present alarming rate of biodiversity loss, a new book says.
Asia-Pacific countries share climate change data
28 Apr 2008
Participants from countries in the Asia-Pacific region will have an opportunity to share good practices on ways to cut greenhouse gases while reducing poverty at a meeting in Bangkok organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
UN enlists China screen darling to spread the word
24 Apr 2008
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced today that Chinese actress/celebrity Zhou Xun was appointed as its first National Goodwill Ambassador (NGWA) with a special focus on promoting environmental sustainability
What Nick Smith said about Helen Clark
24 Apr 2008
The United Nations is putting rhetoric ahead of record in honouring Prime Minister Helen Clark with a Champion of the Earth Award says National's Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
Google backs out of green search initiative
24 Apr 2008
Google ironically picked Earth Day (Tuesday) to controversially pull out of Ecocho, a new green search engine that was successfully launched just seven days ago in Sydney, Australia.
Security firm to operate on DoC land
23 Apr 2008
The Greens claim that a security firm, run by the same private investigators involved in hiring paid informants to infiltrate community groups, has applied to the Department of Conservation to patrol public conservation land on the Stockton Plateau.
Conservation land concession to ensure public safety
23 Apr 2008
An application by a Solid Energy security contractor, Provision, for a permit to undertake security services on public conservation land adjacent to Solid Energy’s sites in the Buller is to ensure public safety, Solid Energy said in a statement yesterday.
Farmer leader says carbon price restrictions will restrict food production growth
23 Apr 2008
Federated Farmers president Charlie Pedersen says New Zealand farmers are concerned about their ability to farm in a sensible and sustainable way.
Biofuel delay not necessary, say manufacturers
23 Apr 2008
Fuel cost increases due to the introduction of biofuels are likely to be insignificant compared with recent price hikes for petrol and diesel says the New Zealand Biofuel Manufacturers Association.
International Science Festival - July 5-13, 2008 - Dunedin
23 Apr 2008
The debate over whether New Zealand is better of with large or small wind-turbines will feature in the New Zealand International Science Festival in Dunedin in July.
Councils need funding tools to address climate challenges – LGNZ
Fri 17 Oct 2025
Media release | Local Government New Zealand is welcoming the Government’s new National Adaptation Framework, while cautioning that councils will struggle to meet its new expectations without additional funding tools.
