New Zealand: All stories
The VW affair: It's about honesty and transparency
5 Oct 2015
As Volkswagen has found out, sustainability is about much more than promises to customers, says Professor FRANCISCO SZEKELY of the IMD Global Centre for Sustainability Leadership in Switzerland. It requires honesty and transparency, too.
Pesticides are not the only way to deal with insects
5 Oct 2015
This article is not about how to prevent ants from eating your sandwich on a picnic. But it is about mankind’s greatest competitor for our global food resource: insects.
Solar capacity to grow more than fourfold
5 Oct 2015
Global concentrated solar power capacity will increase more than fourfold by 2020, a new report shows.
Elephant grass could offer viable alternative to coal
5 Oct 2015
By adapting a tropical grass to grow in the British climate, scientists hope to be able to replace coal in power stations with biofuel.
Our farming economics are flawed, says economist
28 Sep 2015
Agricultural emissions can be cut without affecting profitability, according to a former Treasury and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry economist.
New party dips toe in the environment pool
28 Sep 2015
The man behind a new environment-based political party says he has stood in rivers with international tourists while milk and cow manure washed around them.
Government shows no interest in climate risks study
28 Sep 2015
The Government has rejected calls for a national assessment of the risk climate change poses to business, security, the environment and national well-being.
Here's to a low-emissions future for agriculture
28 Sep 2015
Agriculture in New Zealand could look vastly different in 2050 from the way it looks today, a cross-party seminar on climate change heard last week.
Anyway, says Key, the ETS was brought in by National
28 Sep 2015
Prime Minister John Key is claiming credit for bringing in the Emissions Trading Scheme – despite the fact his party actually voted against it.
Lucky Lotte wins Professor Tim's new book
28 Sep 2015
Lotte Blair of Wellington is the winner of Professor Tim Flannery’s new book, Atmosphere of Hope.
Volkswagen budgets billions to stem cheating tide
28 Sep 2015
Volkswagen has set aside €6.5 billion to cover the costs of the growing scandal over cheating on emissions tests in the US.
OECD urges end to policies which support fossil fuels
28 Sep 2015
The world should abandon fossil fuel support policies which belong in a past when healthy economies depended on pollution, say wealthiest nations.
Investors opt out of fossil fuels as climate talks near
28 Sep 2015
As momentum builds for a new deal on climate change, investors are becoming increasingly nervous about having their cash in fossil fuels.
Asia-Pacific heads for solar powerhouse status
28 Sep 2015
The Asia-Pacific region will overtake Europe to become the largest contributor to global solar photovoltaic installed capacity, says a new report.
Arctic thaw would cost half of world's annual earnings
28 Sep 2015
If Arctic soils melt and release frozen carbon, the impact would cost almost half the world’s annual gross domestic product, researchers say.
How low-tech farming can help African farmers
28 Sep 2015
Politicians and the Pope are not the only ones calling for action on climate change these days. Farmers are observing changes in rainfall, temperature and other patterns in weather that have spurred them into shifting their farming methods.
Backlash fear stopped move on agriculture emissions
21 Sep 2015
New Zealand came close to splitting agriculture off from its post-2020 emissions reduction target in a bid to save money, but dropped the idea amid fears of an international backlash.
How Groser battled for a 15% emissions cut
21 Sep 2015
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser wanted New Zealand to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030, a Treasury email shows.
No action on agriculture could cost us $13b
21 Sep 2015
Keeping agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme could cost taxpayers $13 billion between 2020 and 2030, Treasury says.
More officials mirror Treasury advice to Cabinet
21 Sep 2015
Treasury bosses are not the only officials telling the Government that New Zealanders want a settled, broad agreement on climate change policy.
NEW SERIES ... The Innovators. Who are they and what are they doing?
21 Sep 2015
Professor SHAUN HENDY on the urgent need for innovation to build a low-carbon economy, and a new series in which Carbon News profiles New Zealanders at the cutting edge of the revolution. First up, Dr Justin Hodgkiss on how much cheaper and more efficient photovoltaic panels might be about to become.
Member's bill demands end to fossil fuels investment
21 Sep 2015
A bill requiring public funds like ACC and Superannuation to stop investing in the exploration for and mining and production of fossil fuels has been drawn from the Parliamentary Members’ ballot.
We're a nation of wastrels, says OECD report
21 Sep 2015
New Zealanders consume a lot and waste energy, according to a new analysis of OECD countries’ performance on the Millennium Development Goals.
Report shows up double-standards of G20 countries
21 Sep 2015
Many G20 countries are spending billions of dollars subsidising the fossil fuel industry while at the same time making commitments to tackle climate change, says a new study.
Waste audit catches fishing firm by surprise
21 Sep 2015
Discovering exactly what is wasted in one day at one of its sites was an eye-opener for Aotearoa Fisheries.
Renewable energy flexes its muscles
21 Sep 2015
New Zealand’s emissions from electricity generation fell in the June quarter, as renewables take an increasing share of the load.
Water meters see the taps turned off
21 Sep 2015
Water metering on the Kapiti Coast led to a 26 per cent decline in peak water use.
The global warming slowdown is an illusion
21 Sep 2015
Researchers say the world is continuing to warm, and evidence shows claims of a slowdown are unequivocally illusory.
Making e-cars fun: why new Porsche runs on batteries
21 Sep 2015
After a slow start, electric vehicles are gaining in popularity. London is now host to an electric car-sharing service, which proved successful in Paris.
India in disarray over strategy on global warming
21 Sep 2015
Researchers in India say its action on climate change is suffering because, unlike China, it has not developed the institutions needed to co-ordinate policy.
Does bioenergy have a green energy future in the US?
21 Sep 2015
Bio-derived sources of energy – wood, grass, dung and alcohol – have a rich history, yet have failed to command the “buzz” of solar, wind or even geothermal in public discussions regarding renewable energy.
Power of alcohol might be the answer
21 Sep 2015
Powering your laptop computer or cell phone with alcohol might not be so far-fetched, as a number of organisations are already actively developing methanol-powered fuel cells for electronic devices, according to a new paper.
Business, officials want cross-party climate deal
14 Sep 2015
High government officials and business leaders have recommended cross-party consensus on climate change - something the Government has since ruled out.
Tim Flannery gives us hope ... and we're giving away a of copy of his new book
14 Sep 2015
Tim Flannery says he's more hopeful now than he has been in years, thanks to the carbon-storing potential of technologies being developed by businesses all over the world.
Go talk to China, Key tells islands leaders
14 Sep 2015
New Zealand has told Pacific Islands leaders to take to China their concerns about their countries being engulfed by climate-change-induced rising sea levels.
Norman hopes for more action ... this time for real
14 Sep 2015
Russel Noman is chucking in politics for protest. And the 48-year-old MP – co-leader of the Green Party for nine years – could be forgiven for thinking that joining an organisation that operates on direct action might be the only way to get any real action on climate change.
Paris pledges on emissions cuts too weak to work
14 Sep 2015
New analysis of promises made by governments on emissions reductions show they are not enough to stop global warming rising above the 2° danger level.
Foresters suggest harvesting bans as solution
14 Sep 2015
Bans on clear-felling highly erodible lands and on harvesting near waterways when native fish are spawning are among provisions in a new set of environmental rules being put forward by forest owners, environmental groups and some local councils.
NZ injects $50m into Pacific fisheries
14 Sep 2015
New Zealand will spend $50 million over three years to support the transformation of the Pacific fisheries sector.
World’s first solar-powered airport takes off
14 Sep 2015
The international airport at Cochin in southern India has blazed a pioneering trail by becoming the first to run all its ground operations on solar power.
Efficiency drive can cut a quarter off energy demand
14 Sep 2015
New research shows that saving the planet from global warming by combining renewables and energy efficiency will also save money and create jobs.
Our climate plan is inadequate
14 Sep 2015
Solar Living director JASON TOBIN and EnaSolar general manager TREVOR FOSTER on why the Government’s climate change plan is inadequate:
Advisers scrap over emissions cuts target
7 Sep 2015
Government departments are divided over how New Zealand should approach its post-2020 emissions reduction target – a target which the Government was going to set at just 6 per cent, Cabinet papers reveal.
Greens bend to seek political climate consensus
7 Sep 2015
A strong carbon price, a green investment bank and a climate commission are emerging as the basis of a political consensus on climate change policy – at least on one side of the House.
Pssst! ... Government wants to kickstart e-cars
7 Sep 2015
The Government is looking at ways to encourage the switch to electric vehicles. But it is keeping the details secret.
Tell your story ... and seize the power
7 Sep 2015
Brands that are effectively telling their sustainability story are becoming more powerful.
Smart modelling to help with aquifer management
7 Sep 2015
Smart modelling techniques will provide the horsepower behind a range of new methods to improve the management of New Zealand’s aquifers.
Global tree census highlights need to restore forests
7 Sep 2015
Mapping the density of forests reveals that there are far more trees on the planet than previously thought – but humans are destroying 15 billion a year.
What really happened with Kyoto ERUs
7 Sep 2015
Emissions trading needs to be backed by ambitious targets, transparent reporting and international accountability if it is to be effective in tackling climate change.
Greener cities are best at taming urban heat
7 Sep 2015
As humans become an urban species researchers find evidence that cities with more green space are best for human wellbeing.
'Atrocious' and 'bizarre': experts slam Act Party's climate policy
Today 12:15pm
By Liz Kivi | The Act Party is promising to challenge New Zealand’s Paris Agreement climate target, while the coalition Government’s other minor partner, NZ First, also says it wants to reevaluate the country’s commitment to the international treaty.
Meridian reports worst earnings in a decade
Today 12:15pm
Meridian Energy has posted its weakest result in 10 years, with earnings hit by a combination of droughts, low wind and declining gas supply.
International scientists slam NZ govt's proposed approach to methane
13 Aug 2025
New Zealand's proposed approach to methane emissions has again been attacked by international climate scientists, with a new study saying the attempt to redefine climate target-setting by livestock-exporting countries undermines the transition to a sustainable and equitable food system
Marginal drop in last year's regional emissions
27 Aug 2025
Regional greenhouse gas emissions were down slightly last year, with a fall in gas supply leading to a big drop in Taranaki, but more coal burnt leading to higher emissions in Waikato, according to new figures from Stats NZ
Air NZ declares surprisingly low SAF prices
Today 12:15pm
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand is able to source sustainable aviation fuel at between 1.5 and 2.5 times the price of conventional fossil fuels used for flying, all sourced from the US.
Certainty crucial to emissions cuts – Watts
20 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says that policy certainty is the Government’s primary lever for unlocking private capital and meeting climate targets, telling a carbon forestry conference that ETS settings are 'locked' through 2030.
Climate-friendly investment still lagging in NZ
Tue 2 Sep 2025
While local financial firms have made recent strides in climate governance and emissions reporting, New Zealand’s institutional investors are still missing in action when it comes to backing clean technologies and climate solutions, according to a new report.
