News Direct: Media releases
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.
Democracy undermined by spying
22 Apr 2008
Greenpeace says it is shocked at the arrogance shown by Gavin Clark, of Thompson and Clark Investigations (TCIL) after they were exposed for the second time trying to pay someone to spy and undermine the activities of the Save Happy Valley group.
Excuse me waiter .. can you clean up my creek...
22 Apr 2008
Queenstown hotel staff will give the town’s Horne Creek and Frankton Track a facelift today in recognition of Accor’s ‘Earth Guest Day’.
Bottled bio water being sold in Blake's name
22 Apr 2008
The Good Water Project is launching a direct to home and office service water delivery service.
Parker: Industry protection under ETS being considered
21 Apr 2008
Designing an emissions trading scheme which effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions while being fair to industry is an important matter which requires careful consideration, Climate Change Minister David Parker says.
Greens on NZ emissions: When will we turn the corner?
21 Apr 2008
The Green Party says news that New Zealand's greenhouse emissions have continued to rise, though not as fast as previously, is still not good enough.
Labour’s credibility on climate change dies with latest figures
21 Apr 2008
Figures showing yet another increase in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are a fatal blow to the credibility of Labour’s climate change record, says National’s Climate Change spokesperson, Nick Smith.
NZ emissions up .5 million tonnes in 2006
21 Apr 2008
The latest annual greenhouse gas inventory report shows New Zealand’s emissions rose less than 1% between 2005 and 2006.
Solid Energy and private investigators' statements on spying claims
21 Apr 2008
Carbon News provides you with the full statements issued yesterday by Solid Energy and Thompson and Clark Investigations Ltd on claims published in the Sunday Star Times.
No proposal for congestion charging in Wellington
21 Apr 2008
Greater Wellington Regional Council has absolutely no proposal for congestion charging, Chair Fran Wilde said today.
New Government policy statement on gas governance
21 Apr 2008
nergy Minister David Parker today released the Government’s revised and updated Government Policy Statement (‘GPS’) on Gas Governance.
First NZ-only study finds Green IT low on NZ business agenda
18 Apr 2008
Beyond recycling and energy-efficient light bulbs, two-thirds of New Zealand businesses are struggling to act sustainably, according to the first New Zealand research into ‘Green IT’ by IBM and the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Conservation Minister to meet Australian colleagues
18 Apr 2008
Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick today travels to Australia to participate in ministerial council meetings and discuss ways that New Zealand and Australian governments will face environmental challenges.
Who's the Green Car Maker of the Year?
17 Apr 2008
Citroën has been named as the Green Car Maker of the Year and its award-winning people mover, the Citroën C4 Picasso, has been named for the second year running as the Diesel People Mover of the Year in the annual 'What Diesel Car?' awards.
Commerce Commission issues Maui Pipeline Open Access draft determination
16 Apr 2008
The Commerce Commission has issued a draft determination in relation to an application under section 58 of the Commerce Act by two Todd companies in relation to access to the Maui pipeline.
Internet search engine pledges two trees for every 1000 searches
16 Apr 2008
The world’s first ‘green’ search engine that offsets carbon emissions with no cost to the user, has launched in New Zealand.
Boxboard behind recycling hotel coat hangar breakthrough
15 Apr 2008
Environmental ground has been broken in the local hospitality industry, with New Lynn print company, Westprint, developing a 100%-recyclable clothes hanger for Auckland’s The Langham hotel.
A good new corporate v green group spy story
15 Apr 2008
If you’re up for a good conspiracy story on big corporates employing former secret service officers to spy on green groups, here’s the best of the week - so far (not that we'd dream of anything like this happening here)..
Auckland’s first five-star environmentally sustainable building
15 Apr 2008
Auckland City Council's City Development Committee has approved the construction of a ventilated weather screen façade on the BNZ building at 80 Queen Street.
No need for NZ to drag feet on biofuels
14 Apr 2008
New Zealand shouldn’t delay bringing in biofuel sales obligations and miss out on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of fossil fuels says a major potential investor.
Downloadable eco advice aims at 63% who want to help
14 Apr 2008
A new eco advice booklet is available off the internet from today to help the 91 per cent of New Zealanders who have said they want to know more about how they can protect the environment, says Environment Minister Trevor Mallard.
Urgent action sought on world food price shock
11 Apr 2008
Warning that soaring food prices could lead to increased poverty and unrest, several senior United Nations officials have called for urgent measures to tackle the global crisis, which threatens to hit the world's poor the hardest.
Nelson firm cited among world top 30 offset service providers
11 Apr 2008
New Zealand company Offset the Rest is the only company in Asia Pacific to be named as one of the top 30 carbon offset providers in the world.
Major emitters group: delay ETs till we see Australia's scheme
11 Apr 2008
As the dark clouds of a possible recession gather on the horizon, the prospect of facing increased fuel and electricity costs as a result of the most ambitious emissions trading scheme in the world is certain to be adding to business pessimism, according to the Greenhouse Policy Coalition.
All public consutlation documents now on one site
10 Apr 2008
A new on-line consultations website portal has been launched, believed to be the first of its kind for New Zealand.
Smith: Biofuels joins climate change debacles
9 Apr 2008
Biofuels is set to join the list of climate change policy debacles, with the Minister admitting sustainability standards will not be in place by 1 July, says National’s Climate Change spokesman, Nick Smith.
Ricoh sponsors climate change project on Celsias
9 Apr 2008
Ricoh has become a Founding Corporate Sponsor of a climate change project on Celsias.com.
Fuel economy star ratings go on cars for sale
8 Apr 2008
Fuel economy star rating labels go on show on all new and most late model used cars from yesterday.
Kiwis back waste levy, but not too clear on who gets the new tax money
8 Apr 2008
New Zealanders strongly support a levy on solid waste but they are divided on who should receive the money, according to survey results released by the Product Stewardship Foundation.
Windfarmers: More wind means security and reasonable price
8 Apr 2008
New Zealand must maximise use if its world class wind resource if it wants a secure and reasonabely priced electricity supply in future.
Government agencies reveal size of their footprint
7 Apr 2008
The Government's34 core agencies have a 159,000 tonne carbon footprint
Energy users' Group: Consumers and business will pay $600m for ETS
7 Apr 2008
New Zealand consumers and businesses will pay nearly $600 million more in 2009 than their Australian counterparts because of the misalignment in timing of the New Zealand and Australian Emissions Trading Schemes, according to the Major Electricity Users’ Group (MEUG).
‘Green’ car conference a sham – expert
4 Apr 2008
New Zealanders shouldn’t be fooled by quick fixes to the current energy crisis, says the car buyers’ Dog & Lemon Guide.
Smith: End the mad rush on the bio fuels bill
4 Apr 2008
The Government must heed the message of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that its biofuels bill is flawed and a risk to New Zealand’s clean, green brand, says National’s Environment spokesman, Dr Nick Smith.
Greens insist on biofuel sustainability standard
4 Apr 2008
The Green Party agrees with the Parliamentary Commissioner's advice that biofuels should not proceed in New Zealand unless they are sustainable, Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says.
Dunne: slam the brakes on biofuels
4 Apr 2008
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne has joined the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment in urging the Government and all parties to slow down and consider the real effects of the Biofuel Bill currently before Parliament.
Climate change "motorway" to higher value production
4 Apr 2008
The effects of climate change are one of the greatest threats we face, Agriculture Minister Jim Adnerton has told the Large Herds Association conference at New Plymouth. If we handle it the right way, it will also be our motorway to higher value production.
Mallard speech: Sustainable development at a sustainable price
4 Apr 2008
Here is the full keynote speech of Environment Minister Trevor Mallard, presented yesteray to Planning Institute members conferencing in Greymouth.
Consultation on climate change measures continues
3 Apr 2008
Climate Change Minister David Parker has welcomed the start of the next round of public engagement on the Labour-led government's important climate change policy of emissions trading.
New research reveals green, social issues drive 11% of buyers
2 Apr 2008
New research shows New Zealanders' purchasing decisions are influenced most by price and quality.
Trans-tasman biotech projects receive $3.8 million
2 Apr 2008
Three trans-Tasman biotechnology projects will receive a total of $3.8 million in grants under the Australia New Zealand Biotechnology Partnership Fund.
No need for NZ to drag feet on biofuels
1 Apr 2008
New Zealand shouldn’t delay bringing in biofuel sales obligations and miss out on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the use of fossil fuels says a major potential investor.
Conserving biodiversity is a business opportunity, say IUCN and Shell
1 Apr 2008
Gland, Switzerland (IUCN)– The business case for conserving nature is strong and getting stronger, according to a new report published today by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Shell International Limited.
Solar industries welcome National subsidy boost
1 Apr 2008
The Solar Industries Association welcomes the possibility of increased support for solar water heating as announced by the Hon Dr Nick Smith MP, National Party Climate Change Spokesman.
Petition latest bid to stop climate torts bill
Wed 29 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has launched a petition calling on the Government to abandon its legislation to bar climate torts, marking the latest step in his campaign against a bill criticised as shielding major emitters from legal accountability.
Govt’s first post-ban offshore exploration permit draws backlash
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has approved the first offshore petroleum exploration permit since repealing the 2018 ban. But lawyers say the decision raises 'serious' legal questions, as seemingly at odds with guidance from the country's highest court.
Study outlines methane-cutting options for NZ livestock
21 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Breeding, feed and forage strategies could play a key role in reducing methane emissions from New Zealand's grazing livestock, with researchers concluding that a combination of approaches will be needed to achieve meaningful cuts.
'Terrible result': Emissions barely budged in 2024
5 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions were virtually unchanged in 2024, falling by 0.03%, despite the economy shrinking by ten times that amount during the same period, according to new data.
Rail revival key to reducing transport emissions: new strategy
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Future is Rail has launched an election manifesto setting out a national strategy for the incoming Government to rebuild New Zealand's passenger and freight rail network, with proposals ranging from overnight train services to nationwide electrification.
National deer management strategy urgently needed to halt 'catastrophe' for native forests
Mon 27 Jul 2026
Scientists are calling for an urgent national deer management strategy, with deer numbers now at unsustainable levels and decimating native forests.
NZ Steel closes in on first heat from electric arc furnace
Today 11:30am
By Oli Lewis | The first truckloads of scrap steel are being delivered to New Zealand Steel as the company works through the final stages of a significant emissions reduction project.
