New Zealand: All stories
Climate change climbs the party ranks
8 Mar 2017
Climate change has made it to the top echelons of New Zealand’s two major political parties.
Minister defends action on water standards
8 Mar 2017
Environmental debates in Parliament yesterday stayed with the issue of the moment – fresh water.
Back us and we'll build more plants, says Z biofuel
7 Mar 2017
New Zealand’s largest liquid-fuel retailer says it could build another six biodiesel plants – if it gets the right support.
Aviation industry acts to reduce aircraft emissions
7 Mar 2017
The aviation industry is the first sector to introduce a global design standard on emissions.
That was summer ... and that's the way it's going to be
7 Mar 2017
Summer gave New Zealand a taste of life under climate change, according to latest climate records.
UK emissions at lowest level since 19th century
7 Mar 2017
The UK’s carbon dioxide emissions have fallen to their lowest level since the 19th century as coal use continues to plummet.
Scientists in NZ eye fish and climate world first
7 Mar 2017
The effects of climate change on fish are being studied in a world-first trial at Niwa’s Bream Bay marine science centre.
Self-powering buoy reports from southern seas
7 Mar 2017
The country’s first hybrid energy-powered water monitoring buoy has been launched by Meridian Energy and the Cawthron Institute.
Let's talk about emissions, fuels firm tells public
6 Mar 2017
A company whose products are responsible for 9 per cent of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions is asking the public what it can do to reduce them.
Auckland welcomes e-cars to special lanes
6 Mar 2017
From today, electric vehicles are allowed in priority lanes on Auckland’s roads – but only for two weeks.
Water and soil muddy thinking on carbon budgets
6 Mar 2017
Climate scientists, struggling with the enduring problem of the carbon budget, may have to think again as a result of new research findings.
WARM WORLD: It's hotter than we thought down there
6 Mar 2017
How hot are Earth's scorching insides? A sweltering 1410degC, a new study finds.
Beijing looks to replace entire taxi fleet with electric vehicles
6 Mar 2017
Beijing officials have hatched plans to replace all of the city's 70,000 gas-powered taxicabs with electric vehicles to try to improve the China capital's notorious pollution issues.
America’s ‘hidden subsidies’ worth $170b a year
6 Mar 2017
Donald Trump wants to restrict or even abolish the US Environmental Protection Agency. In particular, he is proposing to dramatically limit the federal agency’s power to regulate carbon dioxide emissions.
KiwiRail puts $4.5b tag on electrifying network
3 Mar 2017
Electrifying the entire North Island rail network would cost more than $4.5 billion, says KiwiRail.
Tesla's China sales triple to more than $1billion
3 Mar 2017
Tesla’s revenue from China last year tripled to more than $1 billion, indicating better traction in the market Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has predicted could eventually become the company’s biggest.
CRUMBS! A loaf of bread takes it out of the environment
3 Mar 2017
What does a staple food such as bread have to do with global warming?
ENERGY REPORT: Great ideas but they're not happening
2 Mar 2017
New Zealand’s own scientists’ advice – that the country must move urgently to a low-carbon energy system – has been endorsed by the International Energy Agency, albeit in a sanitised way.
Heat shows need to adapt livestock management
2 Mar 2017
During the recent heatwave in New South Wales, which saw record-breaking temperatures for two days in a row, 40 dairy cows died in Shoalhaven, a city just south of Sydney.
China coal use fell again in 2016
2 Mar 2017
China’s coal consumption fell in 2016 – the third year in a row the world’s biggest polluter has cut back its use of the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel.
Germany’s e-car plan might increase emissions
2 Mar 2017
Germany has ambitious plans for both electric cars and renewable energy. But it can’t deliver both.
Our environment image at risk, says global agency
1 Mar 2017
New Zealand risks damaging its clean-and-green reputation by failing to cut its greenhouse gas emissions, the International Energy Agency warns.
Poison algal blooms in our waterways will worsen
1 Mar 2017
Climate change will mean more poisonous algal blooms in New Zealand’s rivers and lakes, a scientist is warning.
Flight to greener aviation fuel has hit turbulence
1 Mar 2017
When it comes to reducing carbon emissions, one of the biggest hurdles is the world’s addiction to flying.
Liquid hydrogen could fuel future air travel
1 Mar 2017
Liquid hydrogen might be the solution to the thorny problem of sustainable air travel.
Creative technology can turn a profit on food waste
1 Mar 2017
Creative businesses aim to get food that would otherwise be wasted into the hands of those who can use it.
E-cars make up 37% of Norway vehicle sales
1 Mar 2017
Plug-in electric vehicles made up 37 per cent of Norway’s new-car sales last month.
Environment law agents lack money to do their job
28 Feb 2017
Agencies charged with enforcing New Zealand’s environmental laws don’t have the money to do the job, and often have conflicted interests.
Government pension scheme begins ditching oil and gas
28 Feb 2017
A UK pension scheme with more than four million members is shifting almost 10 per cent of its investments into a new climate change fund designed to move people’s money out of fossil fuels and into renewable energy.
EU’s clean energy package gets national support
28 Feb 2017
EU energy ministers have backed the third version of the 28-country bloc’s clean energy package, praising its focus on renewables, energy efficiency and consumers.
CLIMATE CASE: We need to know more ... and urgently
27 Feb 2017
New Zealand urgently needs to understand the likely impacts of climate change on the economy, environment and society, says a new government paper.
Europe takes tough line on shipping emissions
27 Feb 2017
The European Parliament has lost patience with shipping industry inaction over climate change and has outlined plans to include vessels in its Emissions Trading System.
Battery storage industry to fight Australian bans
27 Feb 2017
The world’s biggest battery manufacturers say they will fight Australia's proposed new guidelines and recommendations that could ban battery storage units from inside homes and garages.
Six states propose new electric vehicle fees
27 Feb 2017
Six US states have proposed legislation this year that would add to the cost of owning an electric vehicle, worrying clean energy advocates who say owning emissions-free vehicles should be incentivised rather than taxed.
How a Danish island did zero carbon in less than 10 years
27 Feb 2017
The Danish island of Samso's energy makeover took less than a decade and was spurred on by local commitment.
Treasury gives official nod to natural capital
24 Feb 2017
Treasury is, for the first time, including New Zealand’s natural capital in its long-term thinking – including the value of the country’s clean-green brand.
UK tidal project could spark global revolution
24 Feb 2017
Ambitious plans have been drawn up for a network of “tidal lagoons” around the UK coast that could provide up to a quarter of the country’s electricity – and there is potential to roll out the technology in many parts of the world.
Railway stations across India to go solar
24 Feb 2017
India’s railways – the leading consumer of power – are to become the nation’s largest producer of solar energy.
This is what 4 million solar panels look like from space
24 Feb 2017
On the Tibetan Plateau in eastern China, four million solar panels silently soak up the sun as part of the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park. It’s the largest solar farm in the world, spreading over 10 square miles of the high desert landscape.
Farmers want action on land use and tree planting
23 Feb 2017
Farmers want research into alternative land uses to help them to cope with climate change, and greater incentives to plant carbon-storing trees on their farms.
The age of the giant battery is almost upon us
23 Feb 2017
The idea that giant batteries might someday revolutionise electrical grids has long enthralled clean-power advocates and environmentalists. Now it’s attracting bankers with the money to make it happen.
Aerosol study looks at great unknown in climate science
23 Feb 2017
Australian scientists are studying air pollution and cloud formation in Antarctica in an effort to understand how non-carbon aerosolised particles impact on global temperatures.
Melbourne streets become living transport lab
23 Feb 2017
Integrated transport has long been the holy grail of transport engineering. Now, a project set up north of Melbourne’s CBD aims to make it a reality.
Solar energy powers sustainable solutions
23 Feb 2017
Every mouthful of food eaten by virtually every creature on Earth depends ultimately on the sun.
Government eyes land-use changes to cut emissions
22 Feb 2017
The Government is looking at changing some current land uses – including forestry and farming – to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions.
RAISING THE STEAKS: Startup crowdfunds sustainable beef
22 Feb 2017
Seattle start-up Cow Crowd works directly with ranchers across the US, cutting out the middleman and giving farmers an alternative to selling calves to factory farms.
Buying green doesn’t necessarily make you green
22 Feb 2017
Company bosses need to walk-the-walk when it comes to greening their business with technology, with new research finding that just buying green IT, doesn’t make you green.
Govt could end up in court over energy plan, warns campaigner
21 Feb 2017
The Government risks court action over its latest energy efficiency strategy, says energy campaigner Jeanette Fitzsimons.
FEARS FOR FISH: Our oceans are running out of oxygen
21 Feb 2017
The depletion of oxygen in our oceans threatens future fish stocks and risks altering the habitat and behaviour of marine life, scientists have warned, after a new study found oceanic oxygen levels had fallen by 2 per cent in 50 years.
How India subsidises electricity only for the rich
21 Feb 2017
While more than 20 per cent of India’s population has no access to electricity, the richest 40 per cent of the population gets highly subsidised power.
Pacific Islands call for fossil fuel phase-out, NZ hangs back
Today 11:00am
By Liz Kivi | Pacific Islands nations have launched a landmark declaration for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, however New Zealand isn’t rushing to join the call.
Going concern status flags depth of Methanex NZ's gas crisis
Tue 21 Apr 2026
Methanex's New Zealand operation is relying on financial support from its Canadian parent to remain a going concern after a second consecutive year of asset impairments left the business with negative equity.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
14 Apr 2026
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Wilding conifers continue to plague Southland
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter | Fast-spreading conifer trees are causing headaches in Southland as inconsistent funding continues to hinder control efforts.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
Wed 22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
