News Direct: Media releases
More electic trains for Auckland
2 Feb 2022
Media Release - Auckland Transport (AT) is preparing for future growth, announcing the purchase of an additional 23 electric trains for its rail network.
Driverless, low emissions tractor in development
28 Jan 2022
Media Release - A driverless tractor able to perform up to three tasks at once is on the cards for New Zealand orchards.
Greener burials uncovered by new Canterbury research
27 Jan 2022
Media Release - While many are striving to live in a more eco-friendly way, a University of Canterbury (UC) academic says we should also have the option to be buried more sustainably.
Otari gets money to conserve native orchids
26 Jan 2022
Media Release - Otari-Wiltons Bush has received a grant through Te Tahua Taiao Nga Taonga Lotteries Environment and Heritage Fund for a project aiming to save some of New Zealand’s most threatened orchids from extinction.
Education and support needed for climate-concerned SMEs
24 Jan 2022
Media Release - A new survey by business management platform, MYOB, has revealed a significant proportion of local SMEs are concerned about the impact of climate change, and while the majority are acting to minimise their carbon outputs, support and education is needed to help more SMEs do the same.
Native tree numbers on the rise in Bay of Plenty
23 Dec 2021
Media Release - The 775,000 native trees and shrubs planted by Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana and volunteers in the past financial year are expected to remove 307,515 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the next 80 years.
WCC seeks waste minimisation proposals
22 Dec 2021
Media Release - Expressions of Interest are now open for Wellington City Council’s new Waste Minimisation Seed Fund which focuses on diverting organic waste from the landfill.
Wellington councils draw down first green loans from Local Government Funding Agency
21 Dec 2021
Media Release - Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington have become the first local authorities in New Zealand to draw down green loans from the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA).
Air New Zealand seeking innovators for next generation aircraft
21 Dec 2021
Media Release - Air New Zealand wants to get a zero emissions aircraft in the air in the next five years and is calling on traditional aviation manufacturers as well as entrepreneurs and innovators from around the world to help achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The bird that measures Antarctic ice
20 Dec 2021
Media Release - It’s a bird, it’s a plane…It’s a laser-shooting electromagnetic ice device!
Toitu Brighter Futures Awards 2021 announced
20 Dec 2021
Media Release - Toitû Envirocare recognises its top performing clients with the Toitû Brighter Future Awards. These awards symbolise Toitû Envirocare’s values underpinned by best-practice and science-based sustainability expertise, along with a belief in a brighter, more sustainable future.
NZ should follow Netherland's lead and drastically cut stock numbers: Greenpeace
17 Dec 2021
Media Release - On Wednesday the Netherlands announced a plan to drastically transform the agriculture system which is expected to reduce livestock numbers by close to a third. Greenpeace Aotearoa says this sets an example for the New Zealand Government to follow.
‘Keep it clear’ when buying plastic bottles: Hamilton City Council
16 Dec 2021
Media Release - Hamiltonians are being encouraged to ‘keep it clear’ when choosing a soft drink bottle.
Open letter to ministers of forestry and climate change: Ekos
15 Dec 2021
Media Release - Dear Ministers, Ex-tropical cyclones smash our country and cause huge damage to our economy. Under a warming climate these cyclones will get stronger and do even more damage, harming our rural communities.
US$53 million boost for Tongan climate and disaster resilence
13 Dec 2021
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved two new projects totaling US$53 million to boost the climate and disaster resilience of Tongan schools, roads, and ports.
Land and water ecosystems, 'stressed to a critical point': FAO
13 Dec 2021
Land and water resources are “stressed to a critical point”, following significant deterioration over the past decade, according to a major new report released on Thursday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Canterbury floods more severe due to climate change
10 Dec 2021
Media Release - Researchers studying the effects of climate change on severe weather events in New Zealand have found that the extreme rainfall that brought flooding to Canterbury in May 2021 was 10% to 15% more intense as a result of human influence on the climate system.
Green Party calling for PKE phase out
10 Dec 2021
Media Release - The Green Party is calling on the Minister of Agriculture, Damien O'Connor to phase out the use of the Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE) on farms to help address the climate crisis.
Bay of Plenty climate projects given a boost
9 Dec 2021
Media Release - Two community led climate change adaptation projects have received funds from Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council this week to explore the future impact on their community and begin planning.
Wellington wetland restoration milestone
8 Dec 2021
Media Release - Ten thousand wetland plants have now been added to Taupô Swamp, a milestone in restoration work supported by Ngâti Toa Rangatira and Greater Wellington.
NZ Green Investment Finance partners with NZ Post to accelerate EV transition
7 Dec 2021
Media Release - New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF) and NZ Post have signed a $20 million financing agreement to accelerate the transition of the NZ Post fleet and its delivery contractors’ vehicles, to electric vans (E-Vans) or low emissions vehicles (LEVs).
Shift happens - BNZ's Future of agribusiness report
7 Dec 2021
Media Release - The Bank of New Zealand's (BNZ) Shift Happens Future of agribusiness report reveals a divided primary sector, adapting to the challenges of climate change and regulation, demanding more from rural connectivity, and grappling with COVID-induced …
Coastal shipping will help keep New Zealand’s supply chain buoyant
6 Dec 2021
Media Release - Transport Minister Michael Wood has welcomed the release of the Coastal Shipping Investment Approach State-of-Play report as an important step towards a more sustainable coastal shipping sector, which will further diversify New Zealand’s supply chain.
Giant crowdfunded note to PM on climate emergency anniversary
3 Dec 2021
Media Release - On the one-year anniversary of Jacinda Ardern’s Climate Emergency declaration, Greenpeace has positioned a cheeky, four storey high, crowdfunded "climate emergency to-do list" on a wall near Parliament in Wellington.
International meeting could open up ocean mining, drastically undermining ocean health
3 Dec 2021
Media Release - Critics are sounding the alarm that an upcoming meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international body that regulates and controls mining activities in the world’s ocean that lies beyond national jurisdictions, could push through ocean mining regulations in as little as two years.
Record jump in energy and carbon savings from NZ efficient product sales
2 Dec 2021
Media Release - The increasing energy efficiency of appliances sold in New Zealand has saved $38 million over one year and reduced carbon emissions by the equivalent of taking 19,600 cars off the road1, according to EECA.
Our seas are sizzling again: Niwa
1 Dec 2021
Media Release - Coastal sea temperatures around Aotearoa New Zealand have risen well above average, NIWA forecasters say.
Hamilton's emissions up
1 Dec 2021
Media Release - A Hamilton City Council report has revealed that operational emissions have risen compared to 2020 - a year that saw Covid-19 lockdowns cause a big drop in emissions.
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.
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%.’
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Govt overhaul leaves the door open for coal mining on conservation land
Today 12:00pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s sweeping reclassification of thousands of hectares of publicly-owned conservation land has met with sharp criticism, with environmental groups saying the decision leaves vulnerable ecosystems exposed to mining and development.
Hydro increases overall renewable electricity generation in September quarter
Today 12:00pm
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
Wed 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.
Christchurch Airport boasts world-first liquid-hydrogen refuelling for test aircraft
30 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Local companies working on hydrogen-electric flight have made ‘a significant step forward’ in successfully filling aviation tanks with liquid hydrogen produced and stored on-site at an international airport for the first time.
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.
