News Direct: Media releases
New fund to clean up old landfill and dump sites
7 Oct 2024
Media release | A new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund will help councils and landowners clean up historic landfills and other contaminated sites that are vulnerable to the effects of severe weather, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.
Cross party consensus needed to prepare NZ for increased climate risk
3 Oct 2024
A parliamentary report on climate adaptation is an important signal of the need to urgently tackle the impact of climate change on communities and protect people lives and property, the Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) says.
Intense marine heatwaves disrupt fish populations and fisheries in NZ
2 Oct 2024
Marine heatwaves, where sea surface temperatures are unusually warm, can lead to increased or decreased fisheries catches, depending on their intensity.
Select committee recommendations on Resource Management Amendment Bill disappoint
1 Oct 2024
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society says proposals enable a full-blown assault on freshwater and indigenous biodiversity and take the country further off-track from meeting future climate goals.
UN General Assembly closes with growing consensus on fossil fuel phase out imperative
1 Oct 2024
Media release | The 79th United Nations General Assembly concluded with a growing global consensus on the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels.
Air pollutant trends decrease at most monitoring sites over the last eight years
30 Sep 2024
Media release | Concentrations of air pollutants decreased at many air quality monitoring sites between 2016 and 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ.
Could vertical farming help future-proof our food needs?
27 Sep 2024
Media release | Technology and improved plant science are the keys to indoor farming contributing to global food needs, according to The University of Queensland’s Professor of Protected Cropping.
Heat, animal illness, and erosion: climate risks to NZ agriculture
26 Sep 2024
Media release | The effects of climate change on agriculture will vary around NZ, according to modelling of four greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
Meridian's Ruakākā solar farm gets consent
26 Sep 2024
Media release | Meridian Energy has been granted resource consent to build a 120 MW solar farm in Tai Tokerau Northland.
New Kiwi methane venture gets $13.5M boost
25 Sep 2024
Media release | The two key players working to provide Kiwi farmers with tools to reduce emissions are stepping up their support of a methane vaccine with multimillion-dollar funding for new company, Lucidome Bio.
Waste minimisation made easy at the click of a button
25 Sep 2024
Media release | Food waste is one of the largest items entering Taupō district’s landfill every year, but now there’s an innovative way to rescue food and save yourself money.
Making livestock feed from greenhouse gases in world-first research
24 Sep 2024
Media release | A central North Island Māori trust is partnering with geothermal experts and New Zealand scientists in a world-first project to develop livestock feed from geothermal gases.
Funding round open for greenhouse gas inventory research
24 Sep 2024
Media release | The Ministry for Primary Industries is seeking research proposals to help improve New Zealand’s reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses.
New Zealand’s freshwater health under pressure from human activity
23 Sep 2024
Media release | The Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) project has released updated nationwide data for rivers, lakes, groundwater, and estuaries.
Even marine animals in untouched habitats are at risk from human impacts
19 Sep 2024
Media release | A study of 21,000 marine animals finds many coastal regions are also at greater risk than previously realized.
Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
19 Sep 2024
Media release | New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed.
NZ gets carbon credentials as CEP opens professional career pathway
18 Sep 2024
Media release | Carbon and Energy Professionals will be launching its new energy and carbon management credentials next month.
New appointments to the EPA board
18 Sep 2024
Media release | Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has announced a major refresh of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board with four new appointments and one reappointment.
Northland Climate Resilient Communities Fund open for applications
17 Sep 2024
Media release | Northland communities are set to get a boost to support community-led initiatives that build resilience to the immediate and ongoing effects of climate change.
Govt releases Wairoa flood review findings
11 Sep 2024
Media release | The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released.
ICNZ backs faster progress on adapting to climate change
10 Sep 2024
Media release | The Insurance Council of New Zealand urges prompt action on climate change adaptation, highlighting significant risks to people and property as comprehensive strategies are called for to mitigate future disasters.
PHINZ Welcomes acclaimed author Lloyd alter as conference keynote speaker
10 Sep 2024
Media release | Lloyd Alter, renowned architect and author, will address upfront carbon emissions at the Passive House Conference in Wellington, highlighting vital challenges in sustainable building practices.
Climate action tracker launches
9 Sep 2024
Media release | A new online climate impact monitor aims to demystify the action – or inaction – of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top carbon emitters.
OPINION: Trees are the answer to more resilient rural landscapes, not the threat
9 Sep 2024
Media release | There are many ways the New Zealand Farm Forestry Association (NZFFA) could respond to Ewan McGregor’s opinion piece about the threat of pines to our rural landscape.
Graduate champions climate justice in world’s highest court
6 Sep 2024
Media release | Law graduate Justin Sobion is helping to tackle one of the world’s biggest problems in the world’s highest court.
Greenpeace slams govt decision to expand seabed mining permit area
4 Sep 2024
Media release | Greenpeace says it’s "unbelievable" that wannabe seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources has been given the go-ahead to nearly quadruple the size of the area it wants to mine in the South Taranaki Bight.
Mayoral Forum calls for stronger action to meet emissions targets
30 Aug 2024
Media release | The Taranaki Mayoral Forum is very concerned that New Zealand is not on track to meet its emissions targets.
EDS’s Restoring Nature report sets out pathway to modernise the conservation system
30 Aug 2024
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society has launched a report, which sets out a comprehensive package of recommendations for a new conservation system.
New reports highlight NZ’s opportunity to boost climate finance
29 Aug 2024
Media release | Two new reports reveal how New Zealand can meet its climate finance obligations ahead of COP29.
New Zealand, China hold high-level climate change talks
29 Aug 2024
Media release | Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu is departing New Zealand today after the Fifth Ministerial Climate Change Dialogue between New Zealand and China.
Next steps to clean-up the East Coast
29 Aug 2024
Media release | Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced the establishment of the ‘Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group’ to expedite wood clean-up in Tairāwhiti and help implement best practice for forestry.
AgriZeroNZ invests extra $4m in Kiwi company developing methane-inhibiting bolus
28 Aug 2024
Media release | AgriZeroNZ is investing a further NZD $4 million in Ruminant BioTech, to accelerate the commercialisation of a methane-inhibiting bolus specifically suited to New Zealand’s pastoral farming system.
$78m finance facility to accelerate solar development
28 Aug 2024
Media release | A tripartite signing of agreements that further facilitates the uptake of new renewable energy generation was signed at parliament today.
Next steps on electrifying NZ
27 Aug 2024
Media release | The Government will progress a series of reforms to make it easier and cheaper to consent, build and maintain renewable electricity generation as well as electricity distribution and transmission, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Energy Minister Simeon Brown.
Climate advocates set strong expectations at start of Pacific Islands Forum
27 Aug 2024
Media release | Nuku’alofa - Climate advocates have set strong expectations at the start of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
Fast-track Approvals Bill "still fundamentally flawed," despite welcome changes
26 Aug 2024
Media release | Forest & Bird has welcomed the news today that the government has listened to the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who have raised growing concerns about the proposed Fast-track Approvals Bill.
Greenhouse gases down in most New Zealand regions in 2023
23 Aug 2024
Media release | Greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 13 out of 16 regions in New Zealand in the year ended December 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
emsTradepoint sale process continues
23 Aug 2024
Media release | Transpower today confirmed that its process to sell emsTradepoint and the gas and carbon trading platform operated by emsTradepoint is continuing.
Forest owners call for greater examination of forestry as a value land use
23 Aug 2024
Media release | Forest owners are concerned that the environmental and socioeconomic benefits of pine forests have been misrepresented by rhetoric in a new land use report.
Proposed Emissions Reduction Plan: A weak response that misses the target
22 Aug 2024
Media release | Health, energy and business experts are warning that the government’s second greenhouse gas ‘Emissions Reduction Plan” lacks the ambition needed to reach its target and will have consequences for our population’s health.
Hi-tech trials boost research on native forest carbon stocks
21 Aug 2024
Media release | Trials collecting data on forests using helicopter-mounted hi-tech 3D lasers are underway, which could have significant benefits for climate change mitigation and conservation.
Does climate reporting make a difference?
20 Aug 2024
Media release | Some of New Zealand's biggest companies submitted their first mandatory climate-related disclosures this year, but a new study shows disclosure doesn't guarantee better behaviour.
New analysis shows massive shortage of fossil gas, higher energy bills - govt must act to reduce demand
19 Aug 2024
Media release | New analysis of the MfE’s latest fossil gas demand modelling and MBIE’s latest fossil gas production forecasts show the current shortage will become cavernous in coming years.
Pragmatism and partnership hallmarks of Nelson’s recovery at second anniversary
19 Aug 2024
Media release | Nelson City Council is well advanced in its recovery work from the 2022 weather event due to innovative engineering and a successful partnership with govt in sharing the costs of repairs.
Lodestone Energy acquires key sites from Kiwi Solar
16 Aug 2024
Media release | Lodestone Energy, New Zealand’s leading solar generation company, has today announced the acquisition of two prime grid-scale solar sites in the Manawatu region from Kiwi Solar.
New report shows offshore wind industry in NZ can flourish through UK collaboration
15 Aug 2024
Media release | A new report published today illustrates the unique opportunity that the UK and New Zealand have to unlock the full potential of New Zealand’s offshore wind industry.
NZGIF raises more international finance for solar energy, totalling $365m
14 Aug 2024
Media release | New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF) has led a second debt issuance, making a total of $365m (NZD) available for medium to long term debt to solar providers.
NZ, Marshall Islands boost cooperation on disaster and climate resilience
13 Aug 2024
Media release | New Zealand and the Republic of Marshall Islands will cooperate more closely, including on making island communities more resilient in the face of disasters and the impacts of climate change, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says.
Study finds young children worry about water, climate
13 Aug 2024
Media release | Education experts from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), with a wider team of researchers, wanted to understand children’s perspectives on what was happening to these waterscapes.
One in five Environment Protection Authority roles could be axed
9 Aug 2024
Media release | Government spending cuts are forcing a key agency at the frontline of protecting our environment to propose axing one in five roles.
Legal experts sue Climate minister over ‘glaring holes’ in climate plan
Wed 11 Jun 2025
By Liz Kivi | Legal experts are taking the government to court over its Emissions Reduction Plan, alleging it fails to fulfil basic requirements of the law – with one of the arguments focussing on an over-reliance on tree-planting.
Electric firebricks: decarbonising high-temperature industrial heat
Fri 13 Jun 2025
By Ian Mason | A new technology could offer a more cost-effective solution than hydrogen to decarbonise one ‘hard-to-abate’ sector of New Zealand’s economy, as well as having ample potential for demand response as the electricity grid becomes more renewable.
Flurry of govt announcements at Fieldays
Thu 12 Jun 2025
The government has come up with a solar energy package for farms, a new grass-fed certification scheme for meat and dairy, and a supplier agreement for carpets in new state homes - all part of the annual flurry of politicians’ Fieldays announcements.
Tech alone won’t save us, warns climate expert
4 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Technology alone won't be enough to reach net zero emissions, environmental psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh told the Carbon and Energy Professionals conference in Auckland last week.
“It’s not the car – it’s how we move” – EECA
3 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams| New Zealand’s transport emissions conversation has focused heavily on electric vehicles – but Richard Briggs, group manager, delivery and partnerships at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, says we’re asking the wrong question.
Forestry consents and relaxed rules in erosion zones sow seeds of future disaster
Fri 13 Jun 2025
OPINION: The government’s move to restrict exotic forestry on our best food-growing soils will push even more forestry investment onto high erosion risk land on the East Coast, with the worst land becoming the only land left for the most intensive and destructive land use, writes Manu Caddie
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
