New Zealand: All stories
Farm emissions report gets nods of approval
20 Oct 2016
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright’s report on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions is being well received.
Big Oil might be emerging stronger than ever
20 Oct 2016
After a heart-stopping plunge in the price of crude over the last two years, along with slashed dividends and the elimination of tens of thousands of jobs, the biggest oil companies are proving surprisingly adept at again pumping profits, as well as oil, out of the ground.
Secret ingredient lures bees into making more food
20 Oct 2016
A plant virus has developed the trick of attracting bees to the plants it has attacked to make sure they produce plenty of seed.
WATCHDOG WISHLIST: How we can ease farm emissions
19 Oct 2016
Vast increases in native and exotic forests, bringing nitrogen fertiliser and some large farms into the Emissions Trading Scheme, and fast-tracking development of a methane vaccine.
Watchdog's farm emissions report out later today
19 Oct 2016
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright’s long-awaited report on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions will be released today.
National electric vehicle fleet grows to 2000
19 Oct 2016
New Zealand now has more than 2000 electric vehicles – twice as many as at the start of the year.
Ontario wants to cap bottled water industry
19 Oct 2016
The Ontario government has proposed a two-year moratorium on the creation or expansion of bottled water operations fed by groundwater in the Canadian province.
Trees do their job much better than we thought
19 Oct 2016
The pre-industrial atmosphere contained more particles, and so brighter clouds, than we previously thought.
Paris promises could cost country $70 billion
18 Oct 2016
MEETING New Zealand’s Paris pledge could cost more than $70 billion and see carbon hit $300 a tonne if the country doesn’t have access to international carbon markets.
Nuclear fusion record big boost for clean energy
18 Oct 2016
A nuclear fusion world record has been set in the US, marking another step on the long road toward the unlocking of limitless clean energy.
Scientists' revolutionary plan can save the rainforest
18 Oct 2016
Brazilian scientists, alarmed at the ongoing destruction of the Amazon rainforest, have proposed a radical plan to save it.
Biofuels turn out to be a climate mistake – here’s why
18 Oct 2016
Ever since the 1973 oil embargo, US energy policy has sought to replace petroleum-based transportation fuels with alternatives. One prominent option is using biofuels, such as ethanol in place of gasoline and biodiesel instead of ordinary diesel.
Fracking pumps up public’s climate fears
18 Oct 2016
Public opposition to pumping water and chemicals into the ground to extract gas from shale − the technique known as fracking − is growing even in the countries whose governments are most in favour.
BLOOM GLOOM: Climate causing plankton problem
18 Oct 2016
Large white plankton blooms growing east of New Zealand are further evident that the ocean is being affected by climate change, scientists say.
Big business gives big yes to vehicle fleets going electric
17 Oct 2016
Some of New Zealand’s largest businesses are pledging to convert their vehicle fleets to electricity, collectively avoiding more than 3000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year within three years.
Nations sign 'monumental' deal on coolants
17 Oct 2016
A global deal to limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons in the battle to combat climate change has been hailed as a “monumental step forward”.
... but it will make little difference in the West
17 Oct 2016
They went to Kigali to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons and take 0.5deg out of future global warming, and the 170 countries who successfully negotiated an amendment to the Montreal Protocol agreed to get rid of 90 per cent of them. Job done. Not bad for four days and three long nights’ work.
Monoculture the enemy of our rainforests
17 Oct 2016
SMALL-SCALE monocultural farming threatens rainforests, new research has found.
Do we need an independent climate body?
14 Oct 2016
Should New Zealand follow the UK model of an independent, statutory climate committee?
We were talking about climate change and coal over a century ago
14 Oct 2016
New Zealanders were warned about the climate-changing impacts of burning coal at least 104 years ago. This item was published on page 7 in the Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette on August 14, 1912.
Electric cars set to pass two million mark
14 Oct 2016
The number of plug-in electric cars on the world’s roads is set to pass the landmark of 2m vehicles by the end of this year, with industry observers saying the electric car revolution is finally under way.
Global wind capacity will hit 500GW by year end
14 Oct 2016
Global wind capacity is set to hit 500GW by the end of 2016, accounting for around 5 per cent of global power demand, according to new data.
US energy emissions fall to lowest in 25 years
14 Oct 2016
The US has recorded its lowest energy-related CO2 emissions for the first six months of any year since 1991.
Seaweed could cut methane emissions from cows
14 Oct 2016
When Canadian farmer Joe Dorgan noticed about 11 years ago that cattle in a paddock by the sea were more productive than his other cows, he didn't just rediscover an Ancient Greek and Icelandic practice.
Pressure builds for action to curb agricultural emissions
13 Oct 2016
Momentum is building over the prospect of New Zealand splitting agricultural gases out of the Emissions Trading Scheme - including a separate tax on the use of fertiliser.
Investors tell car industry to get a move on
13 Oct 2016
Major investors have warned the automotive industry it needs to accelerate its readiness for a low-carbon world if it is to retain their support and prosper.
Stargazing can give us keys to the world of climate change
13 Oct 2016
Looking deep into outer space begs an obvious question. Are we alone? It is a question that has preoccupied mankind ever since we became capable of rational thought.
Minister hints at setting minimum carbon price
12 Oct 2016
New Zealand could impose a minimum price on carbon.
Investing in renewable energy falls to new low point
12 Oct 2016
Global investment in clean energy fell to the lowest in more than three years as demand for new renewable energy sources slumped in China, Japan and Europe.
BP ditches plans to drill for oil in Bight
12 Oct 2016
BP has decided not to go ahead with its controversial plans to drill for oil in the commonwealth marine reserve in the Great Australian Bight.
Germany wants to see end of gas and diesel cars by 2030
12 Oct 2016
Germany’s Bundesrat has approved a resolution that calls for a ban on new internal combustion engines by 2030.
Fossil fuel industry must halt expansion
12 Oct 2016
Governments need to call an immediate halt to new coal, oil and gas projects if the world is to meet its climate change targets, a new report concludes.
Europe eyes e-car plug in every new home
12 Oct 2016
Every new or refurbished house in Europe will need to be equipped with an electric vehicle recharging point, under a draft EU directive expected to come into effect by 2019.
Bennett in no rush to surrender extra credits
11 Oct 2016
The Government will not surrender extra carbon credits to cover the environmentally worthless credits New Zealand used to meet its first emissions reduction target – at least not yet.
Global demand for energy will peak in 2030, says world body
11 Oct 2016
Global demand for energy per capita will peak in 2030 thanks to new technology and stricter government policies, the World Energy Council has predicted.
Agroforestry can help the planet (and profits)
11 Oct 2016
Feeding the world’s growing population in a rapidly warming world will not be possible with modern intensive agriculture that relies on cutting down more forests to plant crops, according to new research.
Energy leaders want stability for renewables
11 Oct 2016
Stable tariffs and policy support are needed to boost the growth of the renewable energy sector, say industry leaders at the 23rd World Energy Congress.
Delaying action on ship emissions would kill many
11 Oct 2016
A push by the shipping and oil industries for a five-year delay to curbs on toxic sulphur emissions would cause an extra 200,000 premature deaths from lung cancer and heart disease, says a new report.
Govt knew use of hot-air credits would draw fire
10 Oct 2016
The Government was warned last year that New Zealand could face criticism for using hot-air credits to meet its 2020 emissions reduction target, documents show.
We're not doing enough, warn global energy leaders
10 Oct 2016
Current market signals are not strong enough to drive the decarbonisation the world needs to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, say energy leaders meeting in Istanbul.
10 things you should know about climate change
10 Oct 2016
No 10. New Zealand must adapt because some impacts of climate change – especially sea-level rise and flooding - are already unavoidable.
It's our age, but we've lost control of the planet
10 Oct 2016
It’s becoming increasingly commonplace to suggest that humans now dominate the planet.
Trustpower hits pause on Aust renewables spin-off
10 Oct 2016
Trustpower has put the brakes on its plans to spin-off its wind energy assets into an Australia-based renewables-only entity, while it reviews the timing and business case of the move in light of the recent electricity system failure in South Australia.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
10 Oct 2016
A futuristic electric urban car has met its half-million-euros funding target in less than two days.
Global aviation emissions deal gets wings
7 Oct 2016
A global carbon market for aviation that could see New Zealand offsetting three million tonnes of emissions a year is going ahead.
10 things you should know about climate change
7 Oct 2016
No 9. New Zealanders are in the world’s top 10 emitters of greenhouse gases.
Americans buy more EVs than ever before
7 Oct 2016
US plug-in vehicle sales reached a quarterly record for the three-month period that ended September 30.
Businesses plead for more ETS information
6 Oct 2016
The Government should be providing more information on the workings of the Emissions Trading Scheme – including carbon price forecasts and trading data, say participants in the scheme.
Fossil fuel emissions much higher than thought
6 Oct 2016
Emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas from coal, oil and gas are up to 60% greater than previously estimated, meaning current climate prediction models should be revised, research shows.
Pacific climate response in question as NZ finance remains unclear
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With New Zealand's $1.3 billion international climate finance commitment set to end with no clarity on what follows, the Auditor-General says oversight of that funding remains patchy and long-term outcomes are unclear.
NZ hydrogen regulation to catch up with the world
18 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The government has announced a regulatory reset for New Zealand’s emerging clean tech hydrogen sector.
State-owned farmer drives profit growth with emissions reductions
19 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Government-owned Landcorp, trading as Pāmu, is one-third of the way to meeting its 2031 emissions reduction targets, with five years left to run to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30.3% against 2021 emissions.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
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.
NZ could become ‘dumping ground’ for dirty vehicles: Commissioner
16 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, has warned the Government that its changes to the clean car standard could turn the country into a dumping ground for high emitting cars, making future emissions budgets harder to achieve.
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.
