News Direct: Media releases
Fourth warmest July on record
7 Aug 2025
Media release | New Zealand has recorded its 4th-warmest July since records began in 1909, according to the Earth Sciences New Zealand, formerly NIWA, latest Monthly Climate Summary.
Taking NZ biodiversity to the world
6 Aug 2025
Media release | Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Ekos are making history by launching New Zealand biodiversity and conservation into the global marketplace.
Kōwhai Park solar farm reaches ‘golden row’ milestone, marking major step in delivery
6 Aug 2025
Media release – Christchurch Airport | Construction of one of New Zealand’s largest solar projects has reached a major milestone, with the installation of the first row of solar panels – known in the industry as the ‘Golden Row’ – now complete at Kōwhai Park solar farm.
First ‘climate citizens’ approved by Nauru in world-first programme
5 Aug 2025
Media release - Nauru Economic and CRC Program | The Republic of Nauru has welcomed its first new citizens under the government’s Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program, announced at COP29 late last year.
Council adopts climate and biodiversity plan to accelerate local action
4 Aug 2025
Media release - Queenstown Lakes District Council | Queenstown Lakes District Council has adopted its third Climate and Biodiversity Plan, setting a clear and ambitious roadmap to reduce emissions, protect biodiversity, and strengthen community resilience across the district.
Warmer than usual weather ahead, wetter in north and east, as La Niña signals strengthen
1 Aug 2025
Media release – Earth Sciences New Zealand | Seasonal Outlook Climate August to October 2025 suggests warm, damp weather, with La Niña’s possible return.
What does 'drier' really mean in 'green' homes?
1 Aug 2025
Media release - Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland | Researchers say green-rating systems could improve clarity and effectiveness by explicitly defining ‘drier’ and using two measures of humidity.
Governments must vote in favour of moratorium on deep sea mining
29 Jul 2025
Media release - Greenpeace | The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has ended with Greenpeace saying governments are continuing to fall short in protecting the deep sea.
EDS submissions highlight serious concerns over govt's RMA changes
28 Jul 2025
Media release – Environmental Defence Society | The Environmental Defence Society has filed its very extensive submissions on the Government’s review of national direction under the Resource Management Act 1991.
All aboard for passenger rail in the golden triangle
28 Jul 2025
Media release – The Future Is Rail | New Zealand’s national passenger rail advocacy group, The Future is Rail, has announced its strong support for the Green Party’s proposal to establish a new passenger rail service connecting Auckland and Tauranga.
NZ part of hidden global deep-sea network beneath the waves
25 Jul 2025
Media release - Earth Sciences New Zealand | A world-first study of marine life, including sea creatures found in New Zealand's dark, cold, pressurised ocean depths, has revealed that deep-sea life is surprisingly more connected than previously thought.
Another offensive launched in the government’s war on nature
24 Jul 2025
Media release - Environmental Defence Society | Last week the Minister for Resource Management Reform, Chris Bishop, announced that the government would be intervening, yet again, to prevent councils from progressing environmental protections under the Resource Management Act.
Good response to South Dunedin Future engagement
23 Jul 2025
Media release - Otago Regional Council | There is a clear mandate for change in South Dunedin, based on the results of the most recent public engagement on the South Dunedin Future programme.
Australia's big companies face critical net zero investment gap
22 Jul 2025
Media release – Investor Group on Climate Change | New research reveals Australia’s highest emitting companies are failing to back their net zero commitments with adequate investment, highlighting the need for a strong 2035 emissions reduction target and net zero plans to ensure Australia’s transition.
Government agency warns controversial bill could delay disaster response
18 Jul 2025
Media release – Greenpeace | As the cleanup begins in flood-hit Tasman, fresh documents reveal a stark warning from Land Information New Zealand that the Regulatory Standards Bill could hinder the country’s ability to respond to climate-related disasters.
Communities can’t foot the bill for climate crisis
17 Jul 2025
Media release - Te Pāti Māori O Aotearoa | Te Pāti Māori sends aroha to whānau, and communities impacted by the recent severe weather across Nelson Tasman, Banks Peninsula, Northland and beyond.
Antarctica Scholarships 2025: Ocean detectives
17 Jul 2025
Media release – Antarctica New Zealand | Antarctica’s Southern Ocean is full of unanswered questions, and this year’s Antarctica New Zealand scholarship recipients are on a mission to help solve them.
More choices for how we use, buy and sell electricity – and lower our power bills
16 Jul 2025
Media release – Electricity Authority | New Zealanders will have more choices for how they use, buy and sell electricity – so they can lower their power bills – because of new market rules confirmed today by the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority).
Feedback sought on national fuel security plan
16 Jul 2025
Media release - Beehive: The Coalition Government is seeking feedback on a draft Fuel Security Plan that provides a long-term strategy to ensure New Zealanders have reliable access to fuel in times of domestic and global disruption, Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says.
Extreme global weather events show urgent need for collective effort ahead of world’s premier climate adaptation event
15 Jul 2025
As the Northern Hemisphere experiences another major heatwave, and other parts of the world grapple with extreme weather events, experts are calling for the urgent acceleration of adaptation efforts to help manage the life-threatening impacts of a rapidly changing climate.
Councils need more clarity around climate adaptation
14 Jul 2025
Media release - Local Government NZ | LGNZ says a lack of clarity around who pays for climate adaptation puts ratepayers at risk of footing the bill – which many could not afford.
Key orange roughy population on verge of collapse, govt considers closure
9 Jul 2025
Media release - Deep Sea Conservation Coalition | New data reveals that New Zealand’s main orange roughy fishery, accounting for half of the country’s total catch, is on the brink of collapse, with one model showing it may have reached that point already, and the government’s considering closing it.
Unlocking economic growth on conservation land
9 Jul 2025
Media release - New Zealand Government | A targeted effort to reduce the backlog of applications for use of conservation land is accelerating economic growth without compromising conservation values, says Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
High Court agrees with Environmental Defence Society - law must be followed as it stands now
7 Jul 2025
Media release – Environmental Defence Society | The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) welcomes the High Court’s finding in Box Property Investments Ltd v The Expert Consenting Panel that decisions must be made based on the law as it currently stands, not on potential future legislative changes.
Change in Southern Ocean structure could have climate implications
7 Jul 2025
Media release – Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) | Satellite data processing algorithms developed by ICM-CSIC have played a crucial role in detecting this significant shift in the Southern Hemisphere, which could accelerate the effects of climate change.
Biodiversity plan is ‘light on detail and heavy on vague intentions’
1 Jul 2025
Media Release - WWF New Zealand | The government’s plan to tackle Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis lacks ambition and fails to match the scale and urgency of the challenge.
Gas decline increases urgency for new electricity generation
1 Jul 2025
Media release – Transpower | Declining gas availability means New Zealand has to lift the pace at which it is delivering new electricity generation to reliably meet growing demand over the coming years, a new report from Transpower shows.
Hopeful new way to measure human progress
30 Jun 2025
Media release - University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau | In response to the climate crisis, a new way to measure how well people and nature are living together has been announced in the world's leading scientific journal Nature.
Sustainability rising in importance amid increasing strain on professionals
26 Jun 2025
Media release - Sustainable Business Council | Research released today into New Zealand’s sustainability profession reveals a compelling picture of a profession which is gaining strategic traction, while grappling with systemic challenges.
Most staple food crop production will face big losses due to climate change
25 Jun 2025
Media Release – Springer Nature | Most staple food crops are expected to experience substantial production losses due to climate change, even when mitigation measures to limit the impact of climate change are considered.
Latest trawl bycatch numbers 'a grim wake-up call'
24 Jun 2025
Media release – Greenpeace | The latest fisheries bycatch data paints a grim picture, with trawlers hauling up thousands of kilograms of coral and killing hundreds of fur seals and seabirds over a 12 month period.
Global survey finds 8 out of 10 people support taxing oil and gas corporations to pay for climate damages
23 Jun 2025
Media Release – Oxfam Aotearoa | Oxfam's research finds that 585 of the world's largest and most polluting fossil fuel companies made $583 billion in profits in 2024, a 68% increase since 2019.
Kiwi farmers unaware of positive public opinion on their environmental performance
19 Jun 2025
Media Release | Close to 90% of NZ's commercial farmers believe their environmental performance is good, according to a survey of almost 3000 farmers, while less than half that number think the public agrees.
Aviation sector’s climate claims unsupported by credible transition plans
18 Jun 2025
Media Release | New analysis finds over-reliance on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and lack of investment in zero-emission tech, risking long-term decarbonisation failure.
Government undermines regional powers to protect coastal biodiversity
16 Jun 2025
Media Release | The Environmental Defence Society opposes the Government’s decision to press ahead with amendments to the Resource Management Act that severely curtail the ability of regional councils to manage the impacts of fishing on coastal marine biodiversity.
'Time is right' for nature credits
13 Jun 2025
Media release | Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Ekos are thrilled to be partnering with central government on the development of a voluntary Nature Credits Market pilot programme, announced by Associate Minister for the Environment Andrew Hoggard yesterday.
As methane climate impacts soar, NGOs, scientists, and advocates launch campaign to 'pull the methane emergency brake'
13 Jun 2025
Media release | International NGOs, scientists, and climate advocates are launching a global campaign calling for deep, rapid, mandatory cuts in methane emissions as the best way to lower near-term global temperature rise.
IRD offers tax tips for destroying precious wetlands
12 Jun 2025
Media release | Forest & Bird is asking Inland Revenue Te Tari Taake whether the fines for illegally draining a wetland are also tax deductible, after the department published a "how-to" on claiming expenses for destroying critical habitats.
Ship anchors are squashing life on Antarctic seafloors
10 Jun 2025
Media release | First video footage shows the impacts of anchor and chain damage caused by cruise, research, fishing, and private vessels on Antarctic sea floor and animals, highlighting a critically understudied conservation issue
Lodestone Energy expands solar footprint into the South Island
10 Jun 2025
Media release | New Zealand solar energy company, Lodestone Energy, continues to expand its footprint with its first South Island solar project in Clandeboye, Canterbury.
E-bike upgrades for NZ cycle trails
9 Jun 2025
Media release | The Government is boosting economic growth in the regions by supporting Hawke’s Bay Trails and the Remutaka Cycle Trail to set up e-bike charging stations with more regions set to benefit from a second funding round, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.
Common low-grade clay strengthens low-carbon concrete
5 Jun 2025
Media release | Engineers at RMIT University have converted low-grade clay into a high-performance cement supplement, opening a potential new market in sustainable construction materials.
Experts examine climate impacts on Pacific health
4 Jun 2025
Media release | The devastating impacts of climate change on health in the Pacific Islands will be discussed at a symposium at the University of Auckland tomorrow, 5 June.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
Water crisis on the horizon?
26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Almost half a million blue sharks caught as ‘bycatch’ in Pacific - Greenpeace
22 May 2025
Media release | A new analysis of the latest fisheries data by Greenpeace Australia Pacific has revealed widespread slaughter of sharks in the Pacific Ocean by industrial longline fishers.
Most people trust climate scientists less than other scientists, but not everywhere
21 May 2025
Media release | Climate scientists are overall less trusted than other types of scientists, according to a new study led by the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response.
Key rules agreed for credible climate project crediting under UN carbon market
19 May 2025
Media release | A UN Body responsible for setting up a carbon market under the Paris Agreement adopted important new standards to guide how emission-reducing projects measure their impact.
NZ First targets regional share of mining royalties
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand First has proposed returning 50% of mining royalties to regional communities, saying that too much of the value from resource extraction is currently flowing to Wellington.
From scrapheap to fast-track: Lake Onslow project
Thu 26 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has agreed to fast-track a revived Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme – a project the National Party previously derided before scrapping it in 2023 – now re-emerging under a private-sector consortium.
NZ–Ireland farm emissions deal labelled 'Greenwash Alliance'
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A renewed research partnership between New Zealand and Ireland to tackle agricultural emissions is being promoted as a step forward for climate innovation – but Greenpeace says it risks becoming a distraction from meaningful cuts.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
Driving in the wrong direction: why NZ’s oil consumption is at a 5‑year high
Thu 26 Mar 2026
By Robert McLachlan, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University | New Zealand’s latest quarterly energy report shows electricity production was above 90% renewable and emissions from generation fell to the lowest level on record.
Wellington planting nears one million trees
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greater Wellington’s parks restoration programme will hit one million native trees this year, with the first dams to rewet peat wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park now completed after a years-long effort to bring these ecosystems – and their carbon sequestering superpowers – back to life.
Cleantech expo coming to Auckland
Thu 26 Mar 2026
New Zealand’s first national cleantech expo is set to bring together 30 innovators, in what organisers say is the country’s fastest growing area in the tech sector.
