New Zealand: All stories
Bennett vows to hold carbon price at $25
21 Jun 2016
New Zealand’s carbon price cap will not rise above $25 for a long time – but neither will it go down, Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett has told a select committee.
What do you do with your old solar panels?
21 Jun 2016
Disposing of old photovoltaic panels is going to be a big business, a new report says.
China set for 25% of electricity from wind by 2030
21 Jun 2016
China is on track to generate more than a quarter of its electricity from wind power by 2030, and the figure could rise to nearly a third with power sector reforms, a new study has found.
Fonterra nod pleases bioenergy industry
20 Jun 2016
The approval for Fonterra to build a new milk-drying plant that will be partially fuelled by wood is a step forward for the diary giant, says the Bioenergy Association.
Portal holds our plantation forest facts
20 Jun 2016
Information about the environmental and social performance of New Zealand’s plantation forests – including their ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere – is now available online.
Energy minister is electrifying
20 Jun 2016
Transport, Energy and Associate Climate Change Minister Simon Bridges is putting his money where his mouth is – he’s buying an electric car.
Battery miracle will transform power generation
20 Jun 2016
Low-cost, high-performance electric batteries are a game changer for the two key clean energy sectors: power generation and transportation.
Should China save its last wild river?
20 Jun 2016
With global temperatures rising, can China afford to protect its rivers and forgo an alternative to the coal-fired plants responsible for much of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions?
Spy keeps an eye on our air
17 Jun 2016
Environmental monitoring website Land, Air, Water Aotearoa is expanding to show air quality information as well as data about water quality.
Islands could become first 100% renewable nations
17 Jun 2016
The rich world might soon be shown up by small, tropical island nations which have plenty of wind and sun and aren’t lumbered with outdated, base-load power plants to keep running.
Inside South Africa’s battle between coal and renewables
17 Jun 2016
Pretoria’s generous energy subsidies have got the country used to cheap, dirty power – but change is on the way as solar and wind prices plummet.
DIRTY DOLLARS: PM's bank backs the big polluters
16 Jun 2016
A bank in which Prime Minister John Key is a shareholder has been named one of the worst in the world for its level of investing in fossil fuels.
Farming's climate impacts getting worse
16 Jun 2016
New United Nations figures show pollution from farming is continuing to get worse.
Hog will be electric in five years
16 Jun 2016
Harley-Davidson says an electric model is coming within the next five years.
Carbon should trade in limited range, says forester
15 Jun 2016
New Zealand’s carbon prices should be kept within a band of $15 to $50, says a forestry company that has played a leading role in developing the carbon market.
Sanford hooks sustainability awards
15 Jun 2016
New Zealand fishing company Sanford has won awards for sustainability and integrated reporting at the Australasian Reporting Awards.
Nissan eyes bioethanol EV
15 Jun 2016
Nissan drivers could one day be running their car on electricity created inside the vehicle from bioethanol fuel.
Why we're getting it wrong on growth of cities
14 Jun 2016
New Zealand is failing to use joined-up thinking when it comes to preparing for the impacts of climate change, says the head of environmental planning at Waikato University.
HOW TO DO IT: Store CO2 by turning it into stone
14 Jun 2016
We seriously need to do something about CO2 emissions. Besides shifting to renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency, we need to start putting some of the CO2 away before it reaches the atmosphere.
COAL PART 3: How miners secured workers' rights
14 Jun 2016
Part three of this series examines coal’s role in the development of industrial relations. In New Zealand, it was a dispute at the West Coast's Blackball mine, over a lunch break, that led to the formation of the Federation of Labour (the "Red Feds"), and then to the birth of the Labour Party.
World nears peak fossil fuels for electricity
14 Jun 2016
Coal and gas will begin their terminal decline in less than a decade, according to a new analysis.
How coal giant funded disbeliever groups
14 Jun 2016
Peabody Energy, America’s biggest coalmining company, has funded at least two dozen groups that cast doubt on manmade climate change and oppose environment regulations, a new report reveals.
Beijing records highest number of EV sales
14 Jun 2016
Beijing has recorded the highest ever number of requests for electric vehicle registration - 17,600.
LanzaTech has role in global low-energy drive
13 Jun 2016
New Zealand-born LanzaTech is one of the businesses behind a new drive to get low-carbon sustainable fuels to the point where they make real cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
EECA chief to end 10 years at the top
13 Jun 2016
The head of the government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority will stand down later this year.
It's a sign of the times
13 Jun 2016
Not sure where to charge your electric vehicle? Look for the new nationally approved sign, unveiled on Friday.
COAL PART 2: Window on an ancient world
13 Jun 2016
As the world moves to combat climate change, it’s increasingly doubtful that coal will continue to be a viable energy source, because of its high greenhouse gas emissions. But coal played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution and continues to fuel some of the world’s largest economies. Part 2 of a series looks at coal’s past, present and uncertain future.
Introducing: The bionic leaf that could fuel a revolution
13 Jun 2016
Renewable energy experts and microbiologists have teamed up to create a super-efficient artificial leaf that uses photosynthesis to produce carbon-neutral liquid fuels.
Coal production plummets to lowest level in 35 years
13 Jun 2016
Coal production in the United States is plummeting to levels not seen since a crippling coal strike 35 years ago, according to a new report.
CRUISE CONTROL: Lax liners ingore environment rules
10 Jun 2016
Many of the cruise ships visiting New Zealand fail to meet basic environmental standards, a new report shows.
$20b Brownlee: We're doing all we can for climate
10 Jun 2016
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Government is making every effort it can to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions.
COAL PART 1: King of the Industrial Revolution, but not always on the right path
10 Jun 2016
As the world moves to combat climate change, it’s increasingly doubtful that coal will continue to be a viable energy source, because of its high greenhouse gas emissions. But coal played a vital role in the Industrial Revolution and continues to fuel some of the world’s largest economies. This is the first in a series looks at coal’s past, present and uncertain future, starting today with how it’s formed.
Green homes only as good as who's pushing the buttons
10 Jun 2016
A well-insulated home with a high-efficiency air conditioner and programmable thermostat are only as effective as the person using it.
Iceland geothermal plant turns CO2 into stone
10 Jun 2016
A pilot project in Iceland has shown carbon dioxide can be pumped underground and turned to stone in a matter of months – far quicker than scientists expected.
Ontario to offer e-car rebates in $6.5b carbon plan
10 Jun 2016
Ontario will spend as much as $NZ9.1 billion through 2020 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, betting big on electric vehicles with rebates of as much as $15,500 a car and 500 charging stations to spur sales.
China sets 2016 solar cap at 18GW
10 Jun 2016
China has set its 2016 solar installation cap at 18.1GW and took significant steps to address curtailment and encourage consolidation, according to leaked documents being widely circulated in China.
Emissions stopped growing in 2015, says BP
10 Jun 2016
Carbon emissions stopped growing in 2015 for the first time in 10 years as the world turned its back on coal and embraced energy efficiency and renewable power with increased vigour, according to a new set of statistics.
SEA-RISE RISK: We're facing damage worth billions
9 Jun 2016
More than a billion dollars worth of New Zealand’s road and rail networks is at risk from rising sea levels caused by climate change, a Ministry of Transport report says.
We've got water, what we need is a better way of knowing how much
9 Jun 2016
Water crises seem to be everywhere. In Flint, the water might kill us. In Syria, the worst drought in hundreds of years is exacerbating civil war.
Energy independence won’t cure climate ills
9 Jun 2016
Analysts say tackling climate change is a more difficult and expensive challenge for governments than achieving the unconnected goal of being self-reliant for energy needs.
Extreme weather turning some crops toxic
9 Jun 2016
The United Nations has warned that extreme weather conditions are prompting crops to release toxins, and eating these crops is detrimental to human health.
CARBON COST: Govt ignores roading impact
8 Jun 2016
The Government sought no advice on whether building major new roads would affect greenhouse gas emissions, documents show.
Countdown finds emissions cuts are working
8 Jun 2016
Countdown has cut the emissions-intensity of its supermarkets by 26 per cent.
NZ takes part in first global fishing treaty
8 Jun 2016
New Zealand is one of 29 countries to sign a groundbreaking international accord aimed at stamping out illegal fishing.
Soil researcher has a wee problem
8 Jun 2016
Scientists are puzzled by unexpected and conflicting results from research into the affect of irrigation on greenhouse gas emissions from soil.
How to achieve sustainable clean water for everyone
8 Jun 2016
The provision of clean, safe drinking water in much of the world is one of the most significant public health achievements of the past century – and one of the foundation stones of a healthy society.
Wind and solar entering new generation
8 Jun 2016
Wind and solar power are entering a new phase of deployment and affordability, according to a new study from the International Energy Agency.
Dubai building largest solar power plant
8 Jun 2016
Dubai will build the world's largest concentrated solar power project that will generate 1000 megawatts of power by 2020 - and a whopping 5000 megawatts by 2030.
Big names back global renewable energy drive
7 Jun 2016
A new international campaign will see some of the world’s largest companies working with governments to scale-up renewable energy in support of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
EV report cynical and diversionary, says Solarcity
7 Jun 2016
The latest report pushing investment in electric vehicles instead of solar panels is an attempt by the old energy industry to slow the public uptake of solar power, says solar energy company Solarcity.
Local govt shake-up risks weakened environmental outcomes – Commissioner
Fri 27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s push to simplify local government is "deeply flawed" and has been launched without a clear understanding of which functions must remain regional, according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Govt plan to encourage new energy investment won’t cut costs for ordinary Kiwis
Thu 26 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | While gentailers and major energy users have welcomed the Government’s plan to leverage public sector demand to drive new energy projects, an expert says it is unlikely to reduce prices for ordinary people.
Govt's solar on farms initiative to cut costs, boost resilience
17 Feb 2026
Farms across Aotearoa will begin installing solar panels and battery systems as part of a government-backed demonstration programme designed to test whether on-farm renewable energy can reduce electricity costs and improve energy security for the food and fibre sector.
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.
Air NZ joins Marsden Point SAF project
Tue 3 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand has quietly added its name to a consortium exploring the viability of green hydrogen production for sustainable aviation fuel at Channel Infrastructure’s Marsden Point energy hub.
Tairāwhiti needs proper Govt support to heal the land – not empty announcements for political optics
24 Feb 2026
OPINION: The Government’s answer to Tairāwhiti’s severe erosion crisis – that the region apply for modest, contestable funding rounds – while rejecting the region's own land transition business case, leaves our long-term resilience hanging in the balance, writes Manu Caddie.
Kiwi startup takes on global plastic pollution
12 Feb 2026
A New Zealand startup is launching what it says is the world’s first plastic-free effervescent drink tablet, with the ambitious aim of eliminating bottled beverages to reduce global plastic pollution.
